More students from East Asia are choosing to study in countries closer to home, a new report has found.
The mobility of students from East Asia within the region grew faster than mobility of students from East Asia to major English speaking destination countries between 2013-2020, researchers found.
Using student mobility data from UNESCO Institute of Statistics, the British Council report found that East Asia mobility trends to the UK have been slowing since 2015/16, with a notable decline in the number of students enrolled in the UK from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Between 2002-2012, the number of enrolments from Southeast Asia (SEA) in the UK grew at a compound annual growth rate of 5.5 per cent, but between 2015-2019, growth fell to -3.2 per cent per annum, even before the onset of Covid-19, the report found. By 2019, enrolment of SEA students in the UK was 8 per cent, 3,500 lower than in 2015.
Enrolments of students in the UK from Northeast Asia (excluding China) have also plateaued since 2015, with China almost singlehandedly accounting for all growth in enrolments from East Asia during this period.
Intra-regional mobility within East Asia is poised for further growth over the medium term as East Asian governments adopt policies that support the internationalisation of their higher education sectors and set ambitious targets to attract international students, according to the report.
The need to shore up university enrolments amid declining youth populations, as well as growing demand for skilled workers, are driving governments in East Asia to develop policies to attract international students to study and work in their countries after graduation.
Established transnational (TNE) collaborations in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, improvements in global rankings, competitive fees, and the lower cost of living in East Asian countries compared to the UK, US, Australia and Canada, have all increased the attractiveness of East Asia as an international study destination for students within the region.
In 2024 East Asia had 23 universities in the QS Top 100 Universities, a 35 per cent increase from 2015, and 129 East Asia universities in the Top 600 compared to only 107 in 2015.
China hosted 140,000 international students from seven East Asia countries in 2018, Japan attracts the second largest number of international students from East Asia, hosting around 150,000 students in 2022, while South Korea ranks third with around 99,000 international students from East Asia in 2022.
The report also found that Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand send more students to China than to any English-speaking country, and more students from Vietnam study in Japan than in any English-speaking country.
East Asia has long been one of the UK’s largest sources of quality international students, with the UK enjoying more than two decades of steady growth in the number of students from the region.
Jazreel Goh, Director Malaysia, & East Asia Insights and Engagement Hub Lead, British Council, said: “At a time of increased competition for international students, the UK must aim to maintain its position as a global leader in higher education. This study outlines that there is work to be done to uphold UK higher education’s position as a preferred destination for East Asia students. The British Council will continue to engage with the UK higher education sector, help reflect on this research, and consider how we can engage with prospective students and partners from the region.”
Charley Robinson, Head of Global Mobility Policy, Universities UK International, said: “Whilst the UK and other English-speaking destinations remain popular among Southeast Asian students and families, this report details the growing interest in regional alternatives, and signals the need to clearly demonstrate the quality, diversity and strong return on investment of a UK education, as well as ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for all international students. As a leader in transnational education, the UK has an opportunity to harness some demand for regional study through our high quality and innovative TNE partnerships.”