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. The population is expected to grow by 1.2% by 2014.
China is also the fastest growing economy in the world. From 1991 to 2009, China enjoyed average GDP growth of 10.5%, reaching RMB3, 980 billion in 2010. In April 2011, the International Monetary Fund forecast that China's GDP would exceed US in five years and become the richest country in the world. However, we cannot ignore the fact that though China’s GDP ranking jumped from No. 11 in 1978 to No. 2 in 2010, the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita only ranked 124 in 2009¹
With the continued rapid economic growth, the number of wealthy households in China will continue to grow. The McKinsey Quarterly reported that by 2015, the country will hold the world’s fourth-largest concentration of wealthy people. Another HSBC Affluent Asian Tracker survey indicated that 82% of affluent families in mainland China plan to send their children to study overseas. This, coupled with a currency that has risen sharply against major foreign currencies since last year, would suggest an explosion in the number of Chinese families looking for, and being able to afford, overseas education in the next few years.
China ranks first in the world in sending students overseas. According to the UNESCO Global Education Digest 2009, there were 421,100 Chinese students enrolled in higher educational institutions in overseas countries in 2007, which accounted for 15% of the world’s mobile students. The Chinese Ministry of Education Statistics also show that 284,700 Chinese students went abroad in 2010, a 24.5% increase over the previous year. The figure will continue to grow in the next few years.
Chinese students are now the largest single overseas student group in the UK, including those from EU countries. In 2010, over 90,000 Chinese students were engaged in some kinds of learning experiences in the UK. Chinese students are concentrated in business / management, finance / accounting, computing science, and engineering.
In 2010, the number of Chinese students going to the UK increased by 27% when compared to 2009.
While the UK is still one of the countries of preference for Chinese students, the challenge is in ensuring sustainable market growth in a mature market. The USA saw an enormous increase in student visa applications in 2010, reaching over 100,000 applications, an increase of 30% from the previous year.
The international education market in China is facing no immediate threat from the financial crisis as suggested by the continued rise in Chinese students going abroad. Traditionally the Chinese place a high value on education and learning. Despite the current financial crisis, Chinese families’ spending on education overall will not decrease. Disappointed with domestic job market and attracted by the quality of overseas education, many families would rather borrow money to send their children to study overseas as an investment in their future. Depreciation of foreign currencies has also made overseas education more affordable to Chinese students.
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 a policy of 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 of learning and education authorities.
Government sponsored students increased to nearly 20,000 by the end of 2010. The key subject areas will be Telecommunications, Technology and Environment.
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 habits of learning as opposed to the once in a lifetime approach to education.
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 that 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 with regards to UK education.
Through our education promotion work in China, we aim to:
•maintain the UK’s annual market share of 15% in the marketplace
•maintain the profile of the Education UK brand and reinforce the brand messages associated with it
•provide more effective marketing support to Education UK partner institutions via a proactive approach to institutional decision makers, tailor made market intelligence and consultancy services
Some of the direct activities undertaken by the 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.
The British Council manages a strong Education UK brand, which distinguishes the UK from its major competitors. In 2009, we directly engaged with over 218K audiences and reached online audience of over 3.7million through marketing events and education UK activities. Our strong working 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 chat-room 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 Chinese audience.
In order to ensure effective engagement with education agents at the forefront in the process of marketing UK education, the British Council organises 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.
¹ http://opinion.china.com.cn/opinion_18_15518.html
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