#Brexit: Great opportunities for Malaysian higher education

Will 17,000 Malaysian students in the UK be effected by the #Brexit vote?

The new referendum addressing the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union has won with 52% of the votes in favor. This might not be a good step for the UK, especially in terms of the flow and diversity of the international students into the UK.

What did the EU mean for the UK’s relationship with international students?

• The mobility within the EU was the prime reason for the growth of the international students in the UK
• EU students made the UK the second most attractive destinations in the world
• It had improved diversity and created a holistic learning environment
• Brought expertise from Europe and the rest of the world
• Improved the immigration regulations in the UK and EU
• Helped EU and UK students with tuition fees and research grants
• Helped UK students who studied in other EU countries

#Brexit is introducing several factors that will definitely impact the mobility of international students into the UK.

These factors are summarized as follows:

• The strong anti-immigration stance of #Brexit
• Uncertain economic impact and the Pound is being noticeably effected
• International students would start considering alternative destinations such as Malaysia and other cheaper countries with better immigration regulations

A closer examination of the situation gives a better look at the bigger picture. Let’s examine the situation further.

International students in the UK

There are approximately 440,000 international students in the UK.

• EU students are 29% of the total number of international students in the UK. These students contribute significantly to the economy in the UK as they pay tuition fees and are significant spenders on rent, commodities, transportation, healthcare and other areas of expenditure. EU students are more likely to enroll in undergraduate programs, which means they will be in the UK for at least 3 years.
• Non-EU students are already at a stagnating decline:
  • Indian students have declined 18% between 2012-2015. This decline is attributed to increasing living cost and recent immigration regulations
  • China’s students in the UK are on a slow growth. The number of students from China grew only 7% in the same period (2012-2015)
  • Non-EU students are more likely to enroll in postgraduate programs which means their impact is significantly measured by the number of experts and research contributions.

This is all happening before the #Brexit vote.

So, before we take a look at the negatives, the question that many people are asking is (what is the positive side of #Brexit for higher education in the UK?)

Really? There is a positive side?

Positive side of #Brexit for higher education in the UK:

The pro-campaigners claim that this referendum will bring a sense of independence to the UK again. However, many researchers have expressed their disagreement and are warning against the impact of #Brexit.

Meanwhile, there seems to be some relatively interesting benefits for the UK leaving the EU:

• Generally, the financial performance of the UK institutions will not be effected as they have the capabilities to balance out the decline in number of international students
• More room opens for UK students to study in UK universities and other public institutions as a result of lower international students flowing into the UK
• Avoid EU regulation on clinical trials and other experimental research

The impact of #Brexit on the UK’s higher education:

The negative side of #Brexit can be summarized as follows:

• Loss of European research grants and other higher education funding
• Less exposure of UK students to diverse cultures and less holistic learning experience
• Restricted movement of UK students across EU countries
• Loss of high-caliber foreign academics in the UK from the EU and other countries
• More academics are expected to leave the UK to other countries, mainly the US.
• UK students abroad might suffer from the continuous increase in tuition fees and the anticipated devaluation of the Pound
• Tuition fees in the UK will increase to compensate for the loss of a significant number of international students

Fernando M Galán Palomares, the president of the European Students’ Union, mentioned that the expectation of lower student mobility between the UK and the EU countries is due to an expected increase in UK’s tuition fees , hostile visa regulations, a decreasing access to healthcare services, and limited to non-existing work opportunities.

What will happen now?

For now, nothing will change. The process of exiting the EU, officially and effectively, will take 2 years. However, uncertain economic state will negatively impact the future of international students not just in the UK, but in the EU and the effect might extend to commonwealth countries.

Cost of living are expected to rise and unemployment rates may increase. The UK is a divided country, politically and religiously. #Brexit is already pushing the Union of the UK to a breakup point.

Anti-immigration reforms supported by the leave campaigners is aimed at less migrants and international students are certainly a big part of the migration patterns.

What role can Malaysia play in this situation?

Malaysia is already in the top 10 most attractive study destinations and will be more attractive for international students from all over the world for the following reasons:

• Affordable tuition fees and cost of living
• Improved study visa regulations
• Branch campuses from the UK, Australia and China offer global quality education
• Malaysian institutions’ accreditation and collaboration with international universities
• Malaysian institutions offer foreign degrees from more than 15 countries at Malaysian prices
• Increasing research opportunities at postgraduate level in Malaysian public universities
• Great climate conditions, a tropical weather that suits everyone
• Nature and adventure, international students in Malaysia will benefit from the wonders that the country has to offer