China is one of the largest countries in the world, with a population exceeding 1.3 billion – around one fifth of the world's total.
China has enjoyed swift economic growth from the 1990s. Following entry into the World Trade Organisation, the Chinese government aims to create an effective economic environment for stable and sustainable growth. China is now one of the world's largest and fastest growing economies.
China's economy is internationalising and, following the trend of globalisation, Chinese education authorities are placing greater emphasis on international education exchanges, including permitting large numbers of young Chinese to study abroad on their own or at government expense. The government also seeks to broaden the cadre of qualified personnel through international training that is delivered in China or overseas. China's increased presence on the world stage was crowned by the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Education, in 2007, over 130,000 Chinese students departed for overseas study. Annually, we will see over 30,000 Chinese students returning to China upon completion of their overseas education, and this figure is increasing by 15 per cent each year, as domestic opportunities for personal and professional enrichment grow. These alumni are contributing to China's unprecedented economic growth and development, either in the private sector or by returning to public sector jobs with added-value knowledge, skills and experiences.
Chinese students are now the largest single overseas student group in the UK, including those from EU countries. In 2007, over 60,000 Chinese students engaged in learning experiences in the UK. Chinese students are concentrated in business / management, finance / accounting, computing science, and engineering.
From January to December 2007, the number of Chinese students going to the UK increased by 11 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. Visa issue rate was around 84 per cent in 2007 and we are seeing an increase in the number of applications to the UK.
While the UK is still one of the preferred countries for Chinese students, the challenge is in ensuring sustainable market growth in a mature market. The USA, Australia, and other European countries are performing extremely well, with some of them reporting a growing demand.
There have been enormous developments in education in China over the past ten years, affecting every level and field of education. Education legislation has been updated in line with policy on internationalisation. Many education leaders and teachers are undertaking overseas training, leading to new educational approaches being tried in Chinese institutions. The concept of education management has been introduced and a great need for management development and training has emerged in institutions and education authorities.
The consumer market for education is developing rapidly in all sectors. English language teaching and training programmes that lead to professional qualifications have become widely recognised and popular. There is growing demand for Continuing Professional Development, particularly on taught postgraduate courses, and distance education, with people developing lifelong learning as opposed to the once in a lifetime approach to education.
A local survey indicated that one-third of overseas returnees choose to work in Shanghai and Beijing. This has intensified competition in the currently rather sluggish job market, especially for recent local university graduates. As an alternative, those who can afford overseas study will choose to study further overseas because the competition for postgraduate studies in the country is fierce due to the recruitment expansion at undergraduate level in the last few years.
We maintain close relationships with the Chinese Ministry of Education, as well as with provincial and municipal education authorities, and proactively develop Sino-UK co-operation at a strategic and operational level. We are actively engaged with, and contribute to, policies to support education partnerships between the UK and China. We are the official UK organisation in China that provides information to the Chinese government and public on UK education.
Through our education promotion work in China, we aim to:
- promote diversification of student choice
- promote recruitment quality
- develop relationships with alumni
- improve market intelligence and services to clients; build strong marketing partners.
Some of the direct activities undertaken by British Council China to promote Education UK include a prolific programme of over 70 outreach and in-house Education UK activities around China and the Education UK exhibitions. In 2007/2008, we engaged with nearly 123,000 Chinese visitors attending our events in major cities. Our strong relationship with the Chinese media ensures that all Education UK activities gain maximum exposure and coverage.
Under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Initiative for International Education (PMI2), British Council China carries out a variety of programmes to secure the UK’s leading position in international education and to sustain the managed growth of UK international education in the China market.
The British Council manages a strong Education UK brand, which distinguishes the UK from its major competitors. In 2007, some of the direct activities undertaken by British Council China to promote Education UK include a prolific programme of over 70 outreach and in-house Education UK activities around China and the Education UK exhibitions. We engaged with nearly 123,000 Chinese visitors attending our events in major cities over the last year. Our strong relationship with the Chinese media ensures that all Education UK activities gain maximum exposure and coverage.
The Education UK website is the only Chinese language website that provides unbiased information about UK education to students and the public in China. It provides a wide variety of information and opportunities, such as an on-line chatroom with visa officers as well as leaders of British institutions. The website currently attracts an average of 200,000 unique visitors each month. Lately, SNS and other Web 2.0 technologies have been adopted on the Education UK website to attract a younger generation of Chinese audience.
In order to ensure effective engagement with education agents as frontline soldiers for marketing UK education, the British Council organizes regular workshops and national conferences to keep all agents motivated and up-to-speed with developments in UK education. Agents are also actively involved in various events and campaigns for the promotion of education opportunities in the UK.
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