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Universities in the UK should be developing their own strategic approach to support the employability of international students and graduates that ought to be led at a senior level, a report has recommended.

The┬á‘Supporting International Graduate Employability: Making Good on the Promise’┬áreport, released by┬áUUKi, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, UKCISA┬áand Coventry University, also suggested that institutions should monitor international graduate outcomes “in a more systematic way” to inform future strategic approaches.

“The sector must… learn from the experiences of colleagues overseas┬áto ensure that the new graduate route genuinely benefits int’l students”

Surveying 43 UK institutions, the report found that 44% of respondents felt they were “currently unable to meet the demand for careers and employability services from their international students”.

Many respondents also feel that they will be unable to meet demand if international students numbers increase in line with institutional targets, the report indicated.

Universities should also invest in targeted engagement with overseas employers while facilitating opportunities for home and international students to interact “wherever possible to ensure continuous improvement of international studentsÔÇÖ English language skills”.

Embedded practical experiences including internships, placements and ‘real world’ projects┬áwithin postgraduate courses help to support┬áskills and work experience, the report suggested, but these must be designed with consultation from careers and employability professionals and international students.

Although the survey found 47% of institutions provided tailored careers advice and guidance to international students, the report contended that universities establish a cross-department working group responsible for employability of international grads and students.

The new graduate route is likely to bolster the UKÔÇÖs attractiveness to some international students, with universities indicating they were unable to meet current┬ádemand, institutions need to pay attention to the employability outcomes of students, the reported noted.

“The sector must work hard to ensure the longevity of post-study work and learn from the experiences of colleagues overseas┬áto ensure that the new graduate route genuinely benefits international students studying in the UK,” it read.

“In particular, the government is encouraged to restate its commitment to the International Education Strategy by implementing the proposals for the graduate route and delivering proposed reforms to the visa and immigration regimes.”

UUKi’s assistant director of policy Jamie Arrowsmith explained the added benefit that international students provide for┬ácampuses and communities.

“They bring together skills and experiences that really enhance the learning experience for everyone.

“I think critically they also represent the future ÔÇô the future leaders in business, industry and academia,” Arrowsmith added.

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In the wake of soon-to-arrive post-study work rights and the pressing need to demonstrate ROI on higher education, the UK sector must prioritise a strategic approach to embedding employability into university infrastructure and student experience.

This was the message being repeated by university leaders, industry employers and indeed international students themselves at an event organised by UUK International.

Paul Marshall, pro-vice chancellor careers and enterprise at UEL, told delegates of the radical renovation of the entire curriculum that happened at UEL to ensure employability and skillsets of students was developed.

“We had an employability problem”, he shared, underlining that along with a cull of hundreds of staff, an entirely new curriculum now includes “mental wealth” modules and has been developed in consultation with industry.

Kate O’Hara, talent acquisition lead early careers at Dyson, was fascinating as she detailed the efforts of a major global employer in the STEM field to identify talent early on.

“Where are the universities at graduate recruitment conferences?”

She acknowledged that they seek “natural networkers” who are happy to seek out a solution for a problem among peers, spoke of a wish to partner better with the university sector, and shared information on the very international workforce they are cultivating.

O’Hara also spoke about the Dyson Institute ÔÇô a radical new approach to engineering degree delivery offered by the company in partnership with the University of Warwick and its WMG division.

Undergraduates earn a salary while studying and work on live projects at Dyson while studying on a four-year program. “Any graduate gaining a 2:1 is offered a job,” shared O’Hara, revealing that most are on track for a first.

The first graduates of the degree program complete next summer.

She challenged universities to better engage: “where are the universities at graduate recruitment conferences?” she asked.

And David Pilsbury, deputy vice-chancellor (international development) at Coventry University, stressed the imperative positioning of the agenda that is required.

Employability “is moving from the marginal into a defining role” for universities, he said, sharing detail on Coventry’s Centre for Global Engagement┬áand its commitment at its London campus to guarantee work experience.

“This was the most difficult thing I have ever done,” related Pilsbury, but he said further announcements would be forthcoming about Coventry’s commitment to work experience.

“We won’t get there [with this agenda] by building this out from the careers service,” he added.

ÔÇ£We are treated as cash cowsÔÇØ says @VPEricaRamos, echoing points made by @DiversityMcr that if the UK is tempting students with PSW then it has to address employability and direct PSW support for int students #IGE2020 pic.twitter.com/Jgygoo7pKD

ÔÇö Amy Baker (@amybakerThePIE) January 28, 2020

A report with detailed recommendations on how the sector should consider and reposition employability was launched by UUKi at the event ÔÇô universities minister Chris Skidmore also spoke about┬áthe wider agenda of the UK’s international education strategy and the new graduate route.

Brett Berquist, director international at the University of Auckland, delivered the opening keynote in which he shared details of research into post-study work outcomes in Australia and spoke more broadly on the critical role of post-study work in directing the cross-winds of global student demand.

Nearly one-quarter of the one million international students in the US are on the OPT, he reminded the audience, noting that unlike other countries, the US counts students on this Optical Practical Training route as part of their total student body.

“Employability is the new arms race in international recruitment,” he concluded; while one student panellist used their platform to compare, critically, the average investment into international student recruitment v employability initiatives.

Excellent presentation from Brett Berquist live from @AucklandUni – lots of takeaways but I liked the quote ÔÇÿit takes a global village to raise a global citizenÔÇÖ – need to focus on student experience and outcomes, better employer and alumni engagement #IGE2020

ÔÇö Ali Orr (@_AliOrr_) January 28, 2020

When asked what they would say to Skidmore, attending later that day, the international student panel challenged the UK government to put effort into the infrastructure of the employment market – beyond simply making the PSW route available.

“Ensure that employers know that the visa process [to employ] an international student is not actually that tedious”, counselled Ian Wong of the NUS – reminding delegates of the multilingual and multicultural advantages they have.

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Braven, a six-year-old nonprofit, focuses on helping such students be part of something that is really ├ó┬Ç┬£poverty-breaking for them,├ó┬Ç┬Ø says its founder.

Braven, a six-year-old nonprofit, focuses on helping such students be part of something that is really ├ó┬Ç┬£poverty-breaking for them,├ó┬Ç┬Ø says its founder.

QueenslandÔÇÖs international education sector posted decade-high growth in 2018ÔÇô19 to inject AUD$5.38┬ábillion into the state,┬ánew data┬áfrom the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown.

According to ABS data, the value of international education and training rose 16% ÔÇô a post-GFC benchmark for Queensland ÔÇô in the 12 months to July 2019.

“WeÔÇÖre aggressively marketing Queensland throughout Asia and the sub-continent”

This eclipsed the stateÔÇÖs 8% average yearly increase over the last decade, and was better than both the 15% national increase and the 14% growth recorded by New South Wales, AustraliaÔÇÖs largest international education market.

Trade and Investment Queensland’s┬áStudy Queensland┬áteam plays a key role in promoting QueenslandÔÇÖs world-class education and training to potential students around the world.

The state’s ministerial champion for international education Kate Jones said the sector was going from strength to strength, delivering benefits to students and communities across Queensland.

“Queensland is unique ÔÇô one in three international students are enrolled outside Brisbane, which is great for communities right throughout our regions,” she said, adding that schools, colleges and universities arenÔÇÖt the only ones to benefit.

“When students come to study in Queensland, the flow-on benefits are great. Our strategy to expand this sector, along with global demand for high-quality education, means student numbers will continue to grow in the future.”

While the region draws its highest numbers of international students from China and India, it is also seeing significant growth in emerging markets.

According to federal┬áDepartment of Education┬áfigures for JanuaryÔÇôOctober 2019, the number of Colombian students enrolled in Queensland rose to 6,835 ÔÇô up 19% on the same period the previous year, while the number of students from the Philippines more than doubled to 3,826.

“Queensland’s appeal is far-reaching on the international stage,” continued Jones.

“WeÔÇÖre aggressively marketing Queensland throughout Asia and the sub-continent to make sure our state is best placed to capitalise on the demand for education.”

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Having started out as a sports science postgraduate researcher, John Brewer went on to be appointed CEO of university consortium NCUK in October 2019. He spoke with The PIE about his first three months in his new role, how the political climate has impacted student interest in the UK and his plans for NCUK’s future.

 

The PIE: What drew you to the international education sector?

John Brewer: I did my postgraduate studies and worked at Loughborough and then carried on as a research scientist in the area of sport and exercise science. So, I’ve always had a sort of academic involvement in the work that I’ve done,┬áeven though the early part of my career was very much in the commercial sector.

In 2009,┬áthe opportunity came to move from the commercial sector back into academia as a professor and as the head of department at the University Bedfordshire. I’ve always enjoyed┬áhelping people become the best that they can be.

“There is a big philanthropic role to what NCUK does”

As a sports scientist, I enjoyed helping people change their training or change their diet to improve their performance. So, being in academia and helping people, that was something that very much appealed to me.

I then took on a similar role at St Mary’s University, eventually going on to become the pro vice-chancellor for Global Engagement. I was very much involved in growing the number of international students and expanding St Mary’s offering to international students.

From there, I had a period as Deputy vice-chancellor at Bucks New University, before the opportunity came to join NCUK.

The PIE: Can you tell me about NCUK and how it helps international students find success?

JB:┬á Well, NCUK effectively provides the opportunity for young people overseas who don’t have the traditional qualifications to gain the qualifications that are required to get access to one of our many partner universities. Through our global network of quality-assured study Centres, who deliver our qualifications, students have the opportunity to advance both their academic and English language skills, but perhaps more importantly, build the confidence needed to succeed at university.

That is done in a way that provides a genuine, high-quality international foundation year qualification, first or second year credit or entry to a master’s qualification, which, if the students attain that qualification successfully, allows us to work with them to get them a place in one of our partner universities.

The PIE: Of course, there is a financial model that underpins the work that you do?

JB: Yes, because we are a business and of course we have to pay staff and generate income. But we gift up our surplus back to our founding member charity, the Northern Consortium, who then use this surplus to further enable people to broaden international opportunities.

This might be through scholarships or bursaries to bring international students into the UK or funding that the charity would use for students or staff in the UK to go study and teach overseas. Last year, they funded a number of WP students to go on short study abroad visits.

So, there is a big philanthropic role to what NCUK does. We are not here simply to make a profit for shareholders or to pay large sums of money to the staff. We are here to broaden access to international education.

The PIE: Having been with the company for a few months now, have you noticed any changes in the popularity of the pathway model? Are pathways as popular as ever?

JB:┬áI think it’s getting more popular in many ways.┬áI┬áwas out in China last month, where the demand for pathway education is enormous. So I think if you look at the global market that there is a huge opportunity to provide more pathway education opportunities.┬á┬á

I’m particularly keen as well that we look at pre-masters opportunities because I think students who’ve already gained undergraduate qualifications internationally will have that extra maturity that will perhaps equip them to come into the UK or one of our partner countries to get a master’s qualification.┬á

“Recruiting more international students is going to be a critical part of the future strategies for universities in the UK”

So I think we are seeing more and more students who see the pathway qualification as an ideal way to come into the UK, particularly the model that we have to study at very high-quality Russell Group universities which are part of our consortium, or even the non-Russell Group universities that provide really great degree opportunitiesÔÇô and very importantly have the opportunity for good employability at the end of the qualification. I think that’s really important as well ÔÇô thereÔÇÖs something for everyone.

The PIE: Has the current political climate in the UK been impacting student interest either positively or negatively?

JB:┬áI’ve been lucky enough to have sat on the senior leadership team for three universities over the last eight to nine years and one word that has really been prevalent is diversity, not just because of Brexit, but I think it’s also Augar┬áthat is really uppermost in the minds of vice-chancellors and deputy vice-chancellors in the UK.┬á

If the Augar review is implemented and, for example, the cap on domestic undergraduate fee is reduced from £9,250 to £7,500, many universities will be looking at ways in which they can plug that gap. So, recruiting more international students is going to be an absolutely critical part of the future strategies for universities in the UK if they are going to overcome any reduction in European students as a result of Brexit and any reduction in domestic undergraduate income.

I would see organisations such as NCUK as being in a really prime position to be the solution to many vice chancellor’s problems, which they will be seeing on the horizon with both Brexit and Augar.

The PIE: You mentioned that you were in China recently, and the latest figures have shown a surge in Chinese enrolments in the UK, while the US is experiencing a decline. Did you get the impression that the UK is becoming even more popular while you were there?

JB:┬á Definitely. If┬áIÔÇÖm being honest, they’re also looking at Canada, New Zealand and Australia as destinations, while the US is becoming less popular. The UK, New Zealand, Australia and Canada are in a very strong position to recruit more Chinese students. The Chinese market is still enormous. And I certainly got the impression that Chinese students, of course, and their families are very league table conscious.

The fact that we are able to have students going into our study centres in China and then having the opportunity to progress from there into some of the best universities in the world is something that is very attractive, not just to the students themselves, but their families who have a big influence on where their offspring study.

WeÔÇÖre conscious the coronavirus is leading to a lot of uncertainty and itÔÇÖs not clear what impact that will have. Our thoughts are with those impacted and for our staff, colleagues and students.

The PIE: You have been at NCUK for three months now. What are your plans and ambitions for the role?

JB:┬á┬áI think the most important thing, as I said right from the outset, that I could do as the new chief executive is to come in and listen, meet people and talk to people. And I’ve spent a large proportion of the first couple of months doing that.

Our ambition is to firstly produce a new strategy for the business. We had the first session formulating our new strategy just before Christmas. It will build on the huge success that the organisation has had for over 30 years. But we are going to do it in a very ambitious way, I think, which is to look to greatly increase the number of students who are enrolled in our study centres around the world.

“If┬áwe achieve growth but lose quality, then that simply is not the way forward”

We’ve got over 70 accredited study centres on five continents delivering our qualifications at the moment. We want to double the number of students that are studying our qualifications and progressing to our university partners.

We also want to look at increasing the number of opportunities that our students have. So we’ll be looking at more degree opportunities, potentially more university partners, and plans to ensure overall, most importantly, that we retain the quality of the students who are progressing into our universities.

If┬áwe achieve growth but lose quality, then that simply is not the way forward, and I’ve said it repeatedly. Whilst we will be keen to achieve growth, we will achieve growth with quality, not dilute the quality of the students that we have. Because if we dilute quality, then that will quickly undermine what is so good about NCUK.

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The British International Education Association has launched its international STEM Youth Innovation Competition 2020 asking competitors aged 9-21 to find solutions to plastic pollution.

Bringing together experts in┬áplastic recycling, coastal marine science and waterway conservation at London’s┬áRoyal Institution, BIEA is┬áhoping to find solutions to the eight million tonnes of plastic that ends up in oceans per year.

“Young scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians can think outside the box”

Student teams are being asked to research, write a report and design solutions to ‘Save our shores from plastic waste through STEM’.

Winners aged 9-17 will earn cash prizes for their school’s STEM labs, while those aged 18-21 will┬átake part in ÔÇÿUniversity ChallengeÔÇÖ and become youth STEM ambassadors.

BIEAÔÇÖs STEM chairman, David Hanson, said the competition aims to capture the imagination and interest of young people, highlighting STEM as a force for good.

“Young scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians can think outside the box and invent extraordinary solutions to the global problem of plastic pollution,” he noted.

The 2019 competition sought to find answers to how drones could conserve┬áendangered animal species ÔÇô one million students aged 9-17 from┬á33,000 schools around the world applied, while students from 18 countries attended the final in the UK to present their entries.

The BIEA expects even higher participation numbers as it opens entries to college and university students, with final rounds taking place in June and July 2020.

Along with STEM experts and industry professionals, representatives from the Chinese and Polish embassies and educators from UK, China, Venezuela and Nigeria attended the launch event in London.

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International schools from nine countries scooped up 13 awards at the International School Awards 2020. Hosted by┬áK-12 market intelligence experts ISC Research, the awards seek to “recognise outstanding initiatives being delivered in English-medium international schools around the world”.

Categories ranged from┬áschool wellbeing and safeguarding to┬ásupporting studentsÔÇÖ pathways to higher education to digital technology in learning to ethical values education, with Nord Anglia’s┬áSt Andrews International School Bangkok (Primary School), Thailand, being named the International School of the Year 2020.

“There are some quite exceptional international schools implementing truly outstanding initiatives”

The awards received 255 eligible nominations from international schools in 40 different countries.

“There are some quite exceptional international schools implementing truly outstanding initiatives,” said CEO of ISC Research, Leigh Webb.

“All initiatives have to demonstrate to judges evidence of strategies that enable the initiative to be shared with other schools. Many congratulations to St Andrews International School Bangkok for its superb success this year, and to all the award winners.”

St Andrews took home the top gong for its┬áenvironmental initiative which brings about “collective and sustainable change through action plans led by students that address a range of environmental challenges”.

The initiative has now grown beyond the school, and now includes 17 local schools and 14 local sustainability organisations.

The school’s principal, Paul Schofield, was “delighted” that the hard work and dedication of everyone at the school had been recognised.

“Being named┬áas┬áInternational School of the┬áYear is a huge achievement┬áand testament to our school community. We take huge pride in encouraging all our students to be global citizens┬áand┬áempower┬áthem┬áto make meaningful change,” he said.

Other award winners included Atlanta International for its student-led #MyFreedomDay campaign raising awareness of human trafficking, while New Cairo British International School in Egypt won the pastoral award for a daily emoji check-in system for all children.

Branksome Hall Asia in South Korea’s initiative┬áinvolving remote collaboration between students in South Korea and its sister school in Canada was honoured. The project aims to solve problems related to the environment and its social and economic impact.

From UAE,┬áRaha International’s night school program for students and parents providing information on universities and application procedures in over 40 countries won the┬áaward for the best initiative to support studentsÔÇÖ pathways to higher education.

The full list of winners:

• The International School of the Year 2020: St Andrews International Bangkok (Primary School), Thailand.
• Digital Technology in Learning Award:┬áACS International Schools Surrey, UK
• Ethical Values Education Award: British Embassy School Ankara, Turkey
• Community Award: The British International School Abu Dhabi, UAE
• Inclusion Award: International Community School Amman, Jordan
• Teaching and Learning Award: Qatar Academy for Science and Technology
• International Award: Atlanta International, US
• Pastoral Award: New Cairo British International, Egypt
• Support Students as Future-thinking Innovators Award: Branksome Hall Asia in South Korea
• Strategic Leadership Award: Nanjing International, China
• Best Initiative to Support StudentsÔÇÖ Pathways to Higher Education: Raha International, UAE
• School Wellbeing and Safeguarding Award: Dubai College, UAE
• Best Environmental Initiative Award: St Andrews International Bangkok (Primary School)

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American universities and colleges have announced new restrictions on travel to China in response to upgraded travel advisories from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of State related to the continued spread of coronavirus.

The restrictions were announced this week and Tuesday by Arizona State, Duke, Northwestern and Texas A&M Universities and the University of Michigan, among others, due to growing concerns about the outbreak of the respiratory illness caused by the novel virus first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

The CDC expanded its travel advisory for China on Monday to recommend against nonessential travel to the entire country (previously the warning applied only to Hubei Province, where Wuhan is located). The warning notes that Chinese authorities "have closed transport within and out of Wuhan and other cities in Hubei province, including buses, subways, trains, and the international airport" and says that "additional restrictions and cancellations of events may occur." The advisory also describes "limited access to adequate medical care in affected areas."

The U.S. Department of State also recommends reconsidering travel to China due to the virus.

As of Wednesday, China reported more than 130 deaths from the virus and 5,974 confirmed cases. Five cases have been confirmed in the U.S., including one involving an individual affiliated with Arizona State University.

As the virus has spread, U.S. colleges have been grappling with how to prepare for its possible arrival on their home campuses and measures their health centers can take. But the rapid spread of the virus also has implications for U.S. colleges’ operations in China.

China is the leading country of origin for international students in the U.S. and the seventh-leading destination for Americans studying abroad. Large numbers of colleges have campuses, centers or programs of various sorts in China. The coronavirus stands to affect not just student and research travel, but university business and recruiting travel as well. Bloomberg reported Monday that China's National Educational Examinations Authority had canceled February test dates for the IELTS, TOEFL, GRE and GMAT, potentially disrupting some prospective students' plans to study in the U.S.

"The degree to which many colleges and universities are intertwined with China, whether it be through robust incoming exchange programs and outbound students, joint degree programs, collaborative research projects, short-term travel, language learning -- there are just a lot of different ways in this day and age in which we are connected to China," said Julie A. Friend, director of the Office of Global Safety and Security at Northwestern University. "When something like this happens, we have to think very broadly about the impact to current students studying abroad, future students who are looking to study abroad and individuals from China who are in our U.S.-based communities. How are they being impacted by this? Do they have families who are impacted? Do they need support?"

Northwestern announced Tuesday that it was prohibiting university-sponsored undergraduate travel to China in light of the U.S. advisories. A university statement encouraged "all members of the Northwestern community to consider postponing travel to China at this time, given the uncertainty about how rapidly the virus is spreading, as well as the possibility of travel disruptions due to new areas in China that are under quarantine. Keep in mind that Lunar New Year holidays, between now and Feb. 3, is a busy travel period during which the virus could spread further throughout China and other countries in the area."

New York University has communicated information about the travel warnings to its schools, programs and offices, a university spokesman said. The university is delaying the start of the spring semester at its Shanghai campus until Feb. 17 and is moving “many” classes online to give students the opportunity to complete classes remotely.

"Our academic planning has centered around two issues: 1) contingency planning for NYU Shanghai to address students' academic progress if circumstances prevent classes from going forward on Feb. 17, and 2) planning to address academic progress for students who are unable to resume their studies because of travel restrictions (e.g., from affected areas in China)," said John Beckman, a NYU spokesman.

"With respect to No. 1 -- we have communicated with NYU Shanghai students about the delay and about our contingency plans to ensure that students can continue to make academic progress, which emphasizes online coursework but also includes the possibility of study at other NYU sites. We have advising staff standing by to assist students," Beckman said. "With respect to No. 2 -- we have communicated directly with students who were from regions where travel restrictions are in effect to let us know if they are unable to return to school. We have reached out to faculty who, our records reflect, have students in their classes who may be affected by the travel restrictions, and giving them guidance and options about how they can enable the students who may be stuck in China to participate in the class."

Duke University has also postponed the start of the semester at its campus in Kunshan, China, until Feb. 17 and has restricted access to the campus. On Tuesday Duke announced it was immediately restricting all university-funded travel to China by students, faculty and staff. The university said that individuals "who are engaged in research or clinical activities in China and need to travel there urgently in the next several weeks should contact their dean, department chair or unit director to activate the process for an exception to this travel restriction."

Johns Hopkins University said its center in Nanjing, China, was already scheduled to be closed until late February for the Lunar New Year break. The university has three students who were scheduled to start study abroad programs in Shanghai in February, said Karen Lancaster, a university spokeswoman.

“Those programs have been canceled, and we are working with the students to identify alternate programs,” she said.

Arizona State University also announced that it was restricting all university travel to China.

"Arizona State University has issued a travel restriction to China for all university faculty, staff and students, effective immediately," the university announced Tuesday. "No institution-related travel, such as study abroad or other academic program visits, to China will be authorized or approved by the university. This travel restriction is similar to restrictions many businesses and organizations across the U.S. have implemented."

Texas A&M University announced Tuesday that it was suspending all university-sponsored travel for undergraduates and that it was urging all faculty, staff and graduate researchers "to give serious evaluation before requesting travel to China as it will require pre-approval and only be granted for essential travel."

"Travel to China is considered high risk and no precautions are available to protect against the identified increased risk," Texas A&M said in its announcement.

The University of Michigan also announced new restrictions on student travel: undergraduates cannot travel to China, and graduate students can only do so with a university-approved safety plan.

The study abroad provider CIEE said on Tuesday it was suspending all programming in China in part due to the upgraded travel warnings from CDC and the State Department. "Those escalations, combined with our institutional partners in China indefinitely delaying the start of their classes, has prompted us to suspend all current programs in China, including our Open Campus block program in Shanghai that has already begun," the organization said in a statement on its website.

"At this moment, our worldwide staff is exploring feasible academic options for our current and future students, and will be communicating additional details to both students and home universities very shortly. Until all current CIEE participants in China have left the country, our on-site staff will be there to support their health and safety," the organization said.

Robert L. Quigley, senior vice president and regional medical director of International SOS, a medical and travel security company, said that colleges that already have students, staff and faculty in China need to be aware of local laws and restrictions, including strict transportation restrictions that are in place for the Wuhan area, which is essentially on lockdown.

He said he would recommend "universal precautions, avoiding public arenas, washing your hands, and if you are developing symptoms, see a doctor, but the health-care infrastructure is overwhelmed at present," Quigley said.

“We haven’t seen any massive exoduses out of China, but that’s today,” Quigley said Tuesday. “That could be different tomorrow and could be different the day after that. The verdict is not in yet whether this is going to be another bad flu bug or whether it has the virulence to be something that’s comparable to something like MERS [Middle East Respiratory Syndrome] or SARS [Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome].”

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Trustees have grown significantly more concerned about the future of higher education in the last year, according to new polling released today that points to financial sustainability and the prices students pay as top sources of anxiety.

And trustees aren’t just worried about the sector as a whole. A majority are also concerned about the future financial sustainability of their own institutions or systems.

The data also seem to indicate college and university trustees will need to raise their level of performance, according to experts at the membership organization that released the survey, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. They lamented stark differences in the number of hours board members report working on corporate boards versus college and university boards.

Those on corporate boards report spending nearly two and a half times as many hours on board work as do their counterparts on higher ed boards. But higher ed board members have equal fiduciary responsibilities and are facing a swiftly changing market.

“It requires a considerable investment of time to stay abreast of change and challenges in the business model and changes in student needs and expectations,” said Merrill Schwartz, AGB senior vice president. “I’ve been working at AGB for over 20 years, and I’ve seen a real change over this period of time from trusteeship being an honorific position for many to a serious commitment and calling.”

More than four in 10 trustees, 42 percent, said they were very concerned about the future of the higher education sector in the United States over the next decade, according to the polling, which AGB commissioned from Gallup. That was 14 percentage points higher than in 2018, when only 28 percent of trustees reported being very concerned about higher ed’s future.

The share of trustees showing concern by marking either a 4 or 5 -- indicating they were somewhat or very concerned -- rose from about 74 percent in 2018 to about 84 percent in 2019.

A smaller share of trustees expressed more concern about the financial future of their own institutions or systems than about the future of the sector on the whole. Still, more than half of respondents said they were concerned about the future financial stability of the colleges, universities or systems for which they served on a board.

Concern was higher at private nonprofit institutions, where 60 percent of respondents said they were concerned or very concerned. But public institutions weren’t far behind, with about 55 percent expressing concern.

“It’s not just general concern,” Schwartz said. “Trustees are usually more concerned about the sector over all than about their own institution. This was quite significant.”

Asked what concerned them most about the future of higher education in the U.S., trustees were most likely to cite institutions’ financial sustainability and higher education’s price for students and families. Financial sustainability was cited by 38 percent of all respondents and 42 percent of those at private nonprofit institutions. The price of higher education for students was cited by 25 percent of all respondents, with little difference between public and private institutions.

Which of the following concerns you most about the future of higher education in the U.S.? (Source: The AGB 2020 Trustee Index) Rank Public Private nonprofit 1 The financial sustainability of higher education institutions (25%) The financial sustainability of higher education institutions (42%) 2 Price of higher education for students and their families (24%) Price of higher education for students and their families (25%) 3 Decrease in state funding of higher education (10%) Public perception of the value of a college degree (7%) 4 Public perception of the value of a college degree (9%) Student debt (7%) 5 Relevance of higher education in helping graduates obtain a better job/career (8%) Relevance of higher education in helping graduates obtain a better job/career (5%) 6 Student debt (7%) Other (5%) 7 Incoming students' preparedness for college (6%) Equal access to higher education among different demographic groups (4%) 8 Other (6%) Incoming students' preparedness for college (3%) 9 Equal access to higher education among different demographic groups (5%) Decrease in state funding of higher education (2%)

Other factors may also be contributing to heightened fears about the future.

“With increased exposure of the sector to partisanship and general polarization, numerous abrupt institutional closures and mergers, fresh proliferation of student activism, and a precipitous decline in traditional-age students looming on the horizon, the degree of board member concern is little wonder,” Henry Stoever, AGB president and CEO, wrote in a letter at the beginning of a report on the polling. “What they are doing -- or not doing -- about it is more insightful. Fully 25 percent or more of trustees assert their board spends too little time on 10 of a possible 14 higher education challenges.”

Those challenges were technology, board development and succession planning, marketing, employer relations, strategic planning, new academic programs, educational quality, public policy, fundraising, and development or succession planning for presidents.

Corporate board members reported spending about 245 hours annually on governance activities. Members of higher ed governing boards averaged just over 100 hours of trustee work per year.

“It seems apparent that many boards that aspire to overcome the challenges they face will need to raise expectations around trustee service,” Stoever wrote. He predicted larger commitments of time and energy, a commitment to learning, and a commitment to board assessment, performance and accountability will be essential.

Trustees spent the most time at board meetings, Schwartz pointed out. But many colleges and universities are exceedingly complex. She compared running one to running a city and said work outside of board meetings is important.

“The rule of thumb for students is you spend about three hours of prep time for every hour of class,” Schwartz said. “I think that’s a good rule for board meetings as well.”

Schwartz called for appointing authorities and those tasked with recruiting new board members to be transparent about expectations and make clear to trustees what they will need to do to fulfill their responsibilities.

Another organization focused on trustees, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, emphasized a cultural change of “informed engagement” for trustees. Its president, Michael Poliakoff, called for trustees to apply their skills because they have the expertise that is well suited for discussing institutions’ program portfolio, academic rigor and skills needed to promote graduate success in the workplace.

“ACTA has long warned that the financial outlook for many colleges is bleak,” Poliakoff said in a statement. “That trustees are now realizing it is an important first step. But real culture change requires bold leadership. Above all, this means prioritizing instruction in resource allocation while trimming unnecessary expenditures in administrative, student services, and maintenance and operations categories to push down the cost of college.”

Other Findings

AGB’s polling indicates a gap between the way the public sees student debt and the way trustees see it. Just 23 percent of trustees said they thought the general public has an accurate understanding of the current debt situation in the country. Only 30 percent said the same about prospective students, and 34 percent said the same about policy makers.

On the other hand, far more trustees -- 83 percent -- felt that university administrators accurately understand the U.S. student debt situation.

Trustees largely think it’s important that they themselves communicate “accurate information about the current student debt situation to the public.” Almost six in 10 thought it was very important, with another three in 10 saying it was somewhat important.

Another notable survey finding is that the percentage of trustees agreeing that U.S. college graduates have “the skills they need to be competitive in the global economy” has fallen about 10 points since 2017, to 35 percent. Only a quarter or so, 26 percent, agreed that “colleges and universities in the U.S. have a strong understanding of what employers look for in job candidates.”

It’s notable because many college and university trustees come from the business world.

“They are mostly very successful businesspersons themselves, and have, I think, a realistic perspective of what’s needed,” Schwartz said. Trustees are also concerned about the speed at which higher education is adapting to changing workforce demands, she added.

A majority of trustees, 59 percent, said the admissions process is fair for all applicants. But their responses also indicated they might see admissions as more fair for some than for others -- 64 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that applicants who have wealthy parents are more likely than others to gain acceptance to selective colleges or universities.

Nine out of 10 trustees reported their own institutions are good places for students who are members of minority racial or ethnic groups. Fewer, seven out of 10, said the same about LGBT students, although the difference is largely because more trustees said they didn’t know.

Asked about the importance of increasing board diversity, trustees were most likely to say it is very important to diversify the boards on which they served based on members’ skills and abilities, with about six in 10 trustees at both public and private nonprofit institutions saying so. Far fewer felt diversifying based on political perspectives is important -- 29 percent of trustees at public institutions and 18 percent of trustees at private nonprofit institutions said so. Trustees also diverged significantly when it came to diversifying based on race and gender (as shown in the graph below).

It’s the third year AGB has surveyed governing board members. AGB randomly selected 10,000 of its members, representative of its overall membership, for the polling. A total of 919 completed surveys.

About one in five trustees surveyed were at public institutions, while almost eight in 10 were at private nonprofit colleges or universities. Trustees surveyed were 60 percent male and 84 percent white. Roughly equal numbers identified as conservative and liberal -- about three in 10 each -- with the remaining trustees identifying as moderate.

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A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Duquesne University’s status as a Roman Catholic institution exempts it from National Labor Relations Board's rules on forming an adjunct union.

If upheld, the ruling would effectively kill a union drive at the Pittsburgh university.

But the 2-1 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia suggests that more litigation in the case may be possible.

The majority framed the issue as one of religious rights. The dissenting judge saw the issue as primarily about the rights of adjuncts.

Adjuncts first sought to create a union in 2012, with the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Allied-Industrial and Service Workers International Union. Adjuncts teach 44 percent of all credit hours in the university's core curriculum, which is the general education program. It includes math, writing, science, philosophy, theology and ethics. When the adjuncts voted to unionize, Duquesne asked the NLRB to disallow the union because the university is a religious institution. The NLRB refused, and the university sued.

The appeals court said the "seminal decision" on whether to consider unions at a religious college is NLRB v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago, a 1979 Supreme Court ruling that set strict limits on the NLRB. These limits were designed to prevent the "risk" of government interference with the religious work of an organization. In a key part of the ruling, cited by the appeals court, the Supreme Court said that it did not matter (as the NLRB had ruled) if the school or college required all of its teachers to hold to a faith or hired teachers who did not.

"The Supreme Court rejected the board’s approach," the appeals court said. "Reading the National Labor Relations Act to avoid the risk of violating the Religion Clauses, the court held in Catholic Bishop that the NLRA does not authorize the board to exercise jurisdiction over teachers in a church-operated school, no matter whether the school is 'completely religious' or merely 'religiously associated.'"

"Given this vital role played by teachers, exercising jurisdiction over disputes involving teachers at any church-operated school presented a 'significant risk that the First Amendment will be infringed,'" the appeals court noted.

The appeals court said that the Catholic Bishop decision set up a clear way to determine if unionization was permitted.

"Under this test, the board lacks jurisdiction if the school (1) holds itself out to the public as a religious institution (i.e., as providing a 'religious educational environment'); (2) is non-profit; and (3) is religiously affiliated."

The court found that the Duquesne adjuncts fit those criteria. "As an initial matter, the adjuncts here are clearly faculty members. In Duquesne’s faculty handbook, the adjuncts who make up the bargaining unit are identified as 'adjunct faculty' and listed among the different types of faculty at Duquesne. Furthermore, the adjuncts possess the key attribute of faculty members: They educate students," the decision said.

Further, the appeals court said that "it makes no difference whether the adjuncts are faculty members who play a role in Duquesne’s religious educational environment."

The appeals court ruling was written by Judge Thomas B. Griffith, and his decision was backed by Judge Judith W. Rogers.

Judge Cornelia T. L. Pillard filed a dissent.

She agreed with the majority decision that full-time faculty members could not unionize because of Duquesne's religious ties. But she said adjuncts were different.

"It is not at all apparent that temporary, part-time adjuncts whom the school does not even hold out as agents of its religious mission necessarily fall within an exemption from the National Labor Relations Act that was drawn to account for the 'critical and unique role' of faculty in 'fulfilling the mission of a church-operated school,'" she said.

Further, she said that court rulings adhering to the Catholic Bishop decision "did not address whether a bargaining unit composed of temporary, part-time adjuncts, like units of other, non-faculty employees of the institution, falls beyond that line."

"Because adjuncts often have a very different role from permanent faculty, it makes sense to treat as distinct the question whether adjuncts are exempted," she added. "Indeed, the board has long differentiated adjuncts from full faculty, concluding that 'the differences between the full-time and part-time faculty are so substantial in most colleges and universities' that certain 'part-time faculty' -- including 'adjunct professors' -- 'do not share a community of interest with full-time faculty and, therefore, should not be included in the same bargaining unit.'"

Reacting to the Decision

The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities released a statement that said, "Our faculty are invited to show students the faith-based motivations of famous artists, composers, writers, economists, political theorists, philosophers and more. No government office should ever have the power to decide, department-by-department, course-by-course, which ones are doing the Church’s work and which ones are not. As a member association, we have consistently noted that unions have been welcomed on a number of our Catholic campuses. Our point is more fundamental: Empowering government offices to decide which components of a university are faith-based is simply the wrong way to protect faculty."

Gabriel Welsch, a spokesman for Duquesne, said, “The university is grateful that the court recognized the importance of our religious mission in rendering this significant decision. The Constitution’s First Amendment protection of religious freedom from government intrusion and regulation is one of America’s most important rights, and we are pleased that the court upheld the religious rights of Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit.”

He also noted that the university works with four nonfaculty unions and has "deep respect and appreciation" for unions.

The union seeking to organize the university's adjuncts issued this statement: “We are disappointed with the court’s decision and even more concerned that Duquesne’s administration would fight this hard to keep their workers from having a voice on the job. Unlike other Catholic universities that recognized adjunct faculty unions, the Duquesne administration decided to invoke its status as a religiously affiliated institution in an effort to stop adjuncts from joining together to improve their working conditions and the university community. Adjuncts in Duquesne’s McAnulty College voted in favor of union representation. They deserve the same rights to come together and bargain collectively as all workers.”

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Watkins College of Art, a small private four-year art and design college in Nashville, Tenn., will merge with nearby Belmont University this August.

The acquisition is the second of its kind for Belmont University in the past two years. Belmont, a growing private Christian institution that is set to host the third and final presidential debate of 2020, recently merged with the O’More College of Design and sold the college’s former campus.

Both mergers speak to the challenges faced by small colleges to keep their doors open amid shrinking enrollments and spiraling overheads. Both O’More and Watkins were enrolling fewer than 200 students when Belmont stepped in to incorporate them into its campus.

The challenges facing small colleges aren’t limited to art schools. Marlboro College, a private liberal arts institution in Vermont with around 150 students, will soon be absorbed by Emerson College in Boston. Two former Marlboro faculty members are spearheading an effort to keep the college open and independent.

According to National Center for Education Statistics data, Belmont's enrollment increased to over 8,000 in fall 2018, up from around 2,000 students in the year 2000. Watkins’s enrollment has nearly halved in the last five years, from 304 in fall 2014 to around 160 students today.

“In today’s educational environment, obviously, let’s address it, it’s becoming more and more difficult for small colleges, particularly specialized [colleges] like ours, to perpetuate themselves,” said J. (Joseph) Kline, president of Watkins College of Art, at an event announcing the merger yesterday. “We have done that for 135 years. We have had many iterations. I assure you, with all sincerity, this is the best one we’re ever going to have. Hopefully, this is the last one.”

The merger was voted for “enthusiastically and unanimously” by the boards of both Watkins and Belmont, said Kline. A newly created Watkins College of Art at Belmont will take in students majoring in fine arts, graphic design, illustration, photography and art. Watkins students studying interior design will join peers in the O’More College of Architecture and Design. Watkins’s film major will merge with Belmont’s motion pictures program in the Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business. It is not clear whether all of Watkins's faculty and staff will be given jobs at Belmont.

Watkins’s 13-acre campus will be sold and the proceeds used to create an endowment that will support scholarships for Watkins students. Students who are currently enrolled at Watkins will continue to pay Watkins prices for the duration of their studies at Belmont. Watkins students pay approximately $31,600 per year for tuition, fees and on-campus housing, while Belmont students pay $49,920.

“I don’t expect everyone to embrace this decision immediately,” said Bob Fisher, president of Belmont University, at an event Tuesday. “Just two years ago we made a similar announcement [with O’More College of Design]. There’s always questions about relationship changes, but that has been a wonderful event for Belmont, and we have seen a resurgence in enrollments at O’More that has been really pretty remarkable.”

Belmont seems like a good fit for Watkins, said Susan Resneck Pierce, president emerita of the University of Puget Sound and a consultant for colleges and presidents (and an occasional contributor to Inside Higher Ed). “Belmont is bringing programs onto their campus that are consistent with their mission. They are expanding what they are already doing in a way that works for them and that they hope will work for Watkins.” She added, “Often mergers fail because they can’t agree on governance -- that doesn’t seem to be the case here.”

More mergers of small colleges, not just art schools, are likely on the horizon, said Pierce. “These colleges provide an alternative approach to education that was very desirable at one time. But research shows that students want large rather than small, urban rather than rural. The misguided, in my opinion, value placed on pre-professional education over the arts has made these colleges even more vulnerable.”

While many college presidents are thinking about mergers and the potential benefits of greater economies of scale, some leave it too late. “Often places wait too long for a merger, until they are so weak they are no longer a desirable partner. Two weak links don’t make a strong chain.”

Operating a higher education institution of any kind with fewer than 200 students is “extremely challenging,” said Deborah Obalil, president and executive director of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design. “You have all the same administrative and compliance requirements of a larger institution, without any savings afforded by scale,” she said. AICAD is a membership organization that represents 39 art and design colleges in the U.S. and Canada, including Watkins College of Art.

“While art and design enrollment has been on the rise in the last two years over all, and while interest in art and design majors is projected to continue increasing in the near future, we’ve seen that individual very small institutions face challenges in growing their enrollments fast enough to mitigate the rising operating costs in higher education,” said Obalil.

For some small colleges, particularly in the arts, mergers can have positive outcomes, said Obalil. She noted that the merger of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston into Tufts University a few years ago “resulted in greater investment in both faculty and student support while maintaining the unique culture for which SMFA was known.” The 1998 merger of the Art Institute of Boston into Lesley University “ultimately resulted in a purpose-built campus for art and design with much greater resources available to both faculty and students,” said Obalil.

“That said, if history has taught us anything, it is that each merger is unique and none are without unexpected challenges along the way.”

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The admissions scandal shook the public’s trust. At a national conference, enrollment leaders discussed winning it back.

A case of the highly infectious respiratory illness has been confirmed at Arizona State University.

A campuswide email about ├ó┬Ç┬£unkept├ó┬Ç┬Ø appointments at American University landed with a thud, but the problem is a familiar one at colleges around the country.

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In the latest generation of company-campus partnerships, more parts of the college experience are up for sale than ever before, experts say.

The arrest of Charles M. Lieber, chair of the chemistry department, occurred amid escalating tensions with China.

The UK’s representative body for universities has welcomed the Migration Advisory Committee recommendations on a points-based system and salary thresholds for immigration as a “step in the right direction”, but warn that the new arrangement must allow the UK to continue to attract the “brightest” talent.

The MAC’s latest report recommends that the previously proposed salary threshold of ┬ú30,000 for migrants, should be reduced to “about ┬ú25,600”, but Universities UK has argued that this threshold should ┬ábe lower to attract the diverse workforce universities need.

“We are concerned that standard salary levels in higher education sectors would no longer be recognised”

If the government wants to introduce a points-based system, it ought to retain the Tier 2 (General) visa for those seeking to work in the UK and have received a job offer, the authors suggested.

Additionally, the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) should be modified in a point-based system to include an overall annual cap and points should be given for characteristics the government want to attract such as priority areas like STEM and creative skills, among other recommendations.

According to┬áAlistair Jarvis, chief executive of UUK, it is “vital┬áthe UK remains a world leader in science and research and is open and welcoming to global talent┬áto maximise universitiesÔÇÖ positive impact on the UK economy and society” as the country leaves the EU.

“Some of the MAC recommendations are a step in the right direction, recognising the importance of employer demand but concluding the skilled entry route needs reform,” he said.

“While there is welcome recognition that the salary threshold of ┬ú30,000 was too high, there should be a further reduction to attract the diverse workforce, including lab technicians and language assistants, who are vital to supporting the success of our universities,” he continued.

“We are also concerned that standard salary levels in higher education sectors would no longer be recognised, meaning it will be harder to attract international talent into key lecturer roles.”

A recent poll showed the British┬ápublic overwhelmingly believe that immigrants should be welcomed into the country on the strength of their skills and “potential and not be judged on their salary alone”,┬áJarvis added.

Chair of the UK’s association of modern universities┬áMillionPlus and vice-chancellor of Canterbury Christ Church University, Rama Thirunamachandran, said that the Tier 2 general salary threshold had “been a long-standing issue for universities and businesses across the country”.

“Summer schools which take on staff during peak periods only are particularly concerned”

“Any arbitrary figure creates problems, but the current ┬ú30,000 threshold means that the UK is losing out on global talent. The reduction, which MillionPlus argued for in its submission, would be a step in the right direction and we hope the government will take this on board,”┬áThirunamachandran said in a statement.

However, English UKÔÇÖs membership director,┬áHuan Japes said that its members are disappointed with the MACÔÇÖs minimum salary recommendation.

ÔÇ£It is difficult for language centres to recruit for certain positions, especially in some parts of the UK, and summer schools which take on staff during peak periods only are particularly concerned that they will not be able to keep on hiring from outside the UK as they do now,” he added.

ÔÇ£We understand the government may or may not take on board the MACÔÇÖs recommendations; we ask them to take on board our concerns.ÔÇØ

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The English Network kicked off the new year with the announcement that two new schools, The London School of English and Discovery Summer, are joining their network.

A group of English language training providers in the UK, TEN members have a combined experience of over 400 years in delivering courses and services.

“Joining such a highly respected group of independent schools seems like a natural step”

It was established in 2010 to raise the profile of the quality, independent language school sector, and regularly runs workshops for agents around the world.

The London School of English, which has two branches in London and one in Canterbury, said they were looking forward to being part of the ÔÇ£growth and development of TEN in the years aheadÔÇØ.

ÔÇ£We have known many of the TEN schools for such a long time and share many core values, so joining such a highly respected group of independent schools seems like a natural step,ÔÇØ said Hauke Tallon, the companyÔÇÖs chief executive.

The second new addition, Discovery Summer, was founded in 2002 and last year welcomed students from over 50 countries. It runs short, intensive summer courses in several locations around the UK.

ÔÇ£With 2020 being the 10th anniversary of TEN and the dawn of a new decade, could there be a better time to join such a like-minded group of ELT professionals?”┬áJane Merrick, the managing director of Discovery Summer, said.

“We are thrilled to be members and looking forward to sharing ideas and meeting new partners from around the world.ÔÇØ

TENÔÇÖs chair, Richard Day, said he was delighted to welcome the new additions and was looking forward to working closely with them.

Other members are BEET Language Centre, ELC Bristol, The English Language Centre Brighton, The English Language Centre Eastbourne, Cambridge Academy of English, English in Chester, Torquay International School, Wimbledon School of English.

It will be celebrating its 10th anniversary around the world this year.

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Accommodation platform HousingAnywhere has acquired German classifieds website Studenten-WG, as it further cements its foothold in the German student housing market.

With an existing leadership position in European cities including Berlin, Vienna, and Rotterdam, HousingAnywhere is already they biggest platform for mid-term rental in Germany, but the Dutch company will immediately gain market share in a range of German cities as a result of the deal, a statement explained.

“We are committed to the German and Austrian market”

Studenten-WG has┬áthree million users, and more than┬á20,000 listings are currently active. The website’s users will now be directed to the┬áHousingAnywhere platform.

“We will be welcoming millions of new users to our proptech platform, and they can immediately enjoy the benefits of increased choice in accommodation and convenience,”┬áDjordy Seelmann, CEO of HousingAnywhere said in a statement.

“In addition to our diverse, accessible, and affordable accommodation, the platform offers easy-to-manage bookings by curated landlords and tenants.”

HousingAnywhere is aiming to become the largest online rental platform in Europe by 2022.

The site currently has over 50,000 active advertisements and more than eight million users in 60 countries.

“We are ready to accelerate our already strong growth momentum. Over the previous months, our team undertook an amazing effort which resulted in sustainable triple-digit growth,”┬áSeelmann added.

“Realising our future growth through M&A is part of our vision. We are committed to the German and Austrian market and we plan to bring a strong contribution to improving the experience for both tenants and accommodation providers, to make online rental easier, safer and ultimately, more efficient.”

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