International Strategy
2008-2011
Vision
To advance UCL’s position as one of the world’s most prestigious universities, operating in a global context, and committed to excellence, innovation, and the promotion of understanding and co-operation in the spirit of radical idealism.
Aims
I. To enhance UCL’s educational and research environment by promoting the international context in which the university operates
II. To contribute throughout the range of UCL activity (research, teaching, learning, business links, and community engagement ) to the resolution of problems of global significance
III. To contribute to UCL’s financial stability by maximising income generation from all aspects of international activity where the potential to do so exists
IV. To engage with public bodies, including UK Government, in matters of support for British HE in a global market.
Contexts: Market; Political; Technology; Social and cultural; UCL
Market context
1. HE and advanced training are rapidly becoming one of the largest enterprises in the world (even rivalling financial services). It is by no means clear, however, how this expansion will be managed and mediated.
2. There are currently 350,000[1], international students (EU and non-EU) in UK universities; the most optimistic British Council scenario estimates a tripling of these numbers by 2020 to 850,000. Furthermore, there are approximately 190,000 international students following UK HE programmes delivered in their own countries; optimistically, these numbers may grow to 800,000 by 2020.
3. There is also a pessimistic scenario that suggests that numbers might fall to 250,000 international students by 2020.
4. The reality is likely to lie somewhere between the two. Given such unpredictability UCL must adopt a flexible and alert approach to changing international markets and the factors which influence them.
5. Globally, demand for international student places will continue to outstrip provision, but competition among suppliers is fierce, with increasing numbers of European universities now offering courses taught in English, often with very low fees. Also, several Asian countries are now not only investing much more heavily in their universities, but also explicitly competing in the international arena.
6. There is significant growth in the number of corporate providers, which, inter alia, are ‘raiding’ universities; this is a problem especially in countries with relatively few ‘star’ researchers and teachers.
7. The history of private sector providers is very uneven but we need to ensure that our academic programmes are meeting the needs of the professions in an international context where businesses and individuals will increasingly operate in an international market.
8. In the context of developing the provision for open and distance learning, it should be remembered that the widespread assumption and oft-repeated statement that English is the lingua franca of the Web is an over-statement of reality. For example, 85% of websites in China are in Mandarin.
Political context
9. The Bologna process with its emphasis on student mobility and international employability offers great opportunities, but also challenges - in terms of length of programme, credit transfer, Quality Assurance, etc.
10. There is a risk that changes in the UK 14-19 curriculum proposed by Tomlinson will render UK school-leavers ill-equipped to take the kind of academically-demanding, three-year Bachelors degree programmes that we currently offer.
11. The diverse nature of UK HE, being both stratified and hierarchical, and UCL’s position within it, need to be taken into account. In presenting the university internationally, UCL must stress its leading position and unique qualities.
12. UCL needs to be aware of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) as this applies to Higher Education. There is an unresolved issue as to whether these regulations apply to HE. Should they do so, there would be a potential risk to the international student fee income stream.
13. The overall international security context must be factored into the development of all UCL international activities.
14. Widening Participation (WP) in the UK is extremely important. In the global context, equality of access to HE is even more important and UCL should ensure that, in line with its history and mission, we have a Scholarships Strategy that supports participation from third-world (developing) areas.
15. The implementation of an effective and innovative International Strategy will depend on the maintenance of institutional autonomy. UCL will therefore have to lobby forcefully to avoid constraints being imposed by UK Government, whilst also emphasising the worth of the work done as part of overall UK government policy such as the Prime Minister’s Initiatives.
Technology context
16. Historically, increased demand, coupled with new technologies, has changed all major industries. This is acutely true of HE today.
17. There is a global revolution in participation, driven by the possibilities offered by the new technologies. Continued growth in the world economy will depend upon access to HE being a reality in all countries.
18. Global technological inequalities already exist, and may be exacerbated by moves in the developed world to new, virtual learning environments.
19. It is unclear how the students of tomorrow will access HE. The advance in technology may impact on the current primacy of campus delivery.
Social and cultural context
20. As a result of a combination of globalisation, the development of new technologies and, in the UK, the shift from an élite to a mass higher education system, HE is undergoing what amounts to a revolution. It is important for UCL to recognise the magnitude of what is happening and to embrace the opportunity to change itself radically.
21. UCL is ideally positioned to promote and lead a sense of global citizenship and contribute through its research and scholarship to the relief of major international problems.
22. Many developing countries see HE not only as their way into the knowledge economy, but as a force for social justice and social cohesion; this is having a major impact on the debates around HE and internationalism.
23. There is little relevant data on international staff mobility and nothing on the UK situation. However, a US survey showed that the number of international scholars visiting the USA increased by approximately 18% between 2003/04 and 2006/07; interestingly, this was greater than the increase in the number of foreign students during the same period (2%)[2]. UCL needs to capitalise on the increased propensity for international mobility in academic careers.
UCL Context
24. The Provost’s White Paper (2004) and the Second White Paper (2007-08) provide the vision for a university operating in a global context. No single element of this International Strategy can operate in isolation, and international work cannot be disjointed and compartmentalised. UCL must recognise the challenge of changing internal cultures to enable optimum co-operation and efficiency in furthering the global vision.
25. UCL currently has approximately 11.9% of its students from the EU (excluding UK) and 20.9% of students from outside the EU, making a total of 32.8% of UCL students from outside the UK.
26. The international profile of UCL needs to be further strengthened.
27. UCL is a great metropolitan university, and its central London location with access to major scientific and cultural institutions, the multi-cultural environment and key transport hubs is a major attraction and resource. It is also a risk – in that the cost of living impacts on the recruitment of both international staff and students, and London’s international profile increases its exposure to a major security incident.
28. UCL has an active and growing network of alumni groups overseas.
29. UCL must develop its international strategy against a background of constrained resources, both in terms of finance and space; such constraints will require a flexible and creative approach to implementing this strategy.
30. Collaboration with international partners will become increasingly important - although we shall also need to be vigilant to maintain a competitive edge.
31. Guiding Principles which inform this Strategy
a) Excellence and high quality. All activity, links and partnerships should be aimed at positioning UCL as a knowledge and education provider of the highest quality.
b) The primacy of UCL’s academic strategy. International activity should be driven by UCL’s academic strategy. If a new international opportunity emerges requiring a deviation from the agreed academic strategy, this deviation should be as a result of a conscious decision – and the academic strategy should be modified accordingly.
c) Co-operation. Activity with an international focus should be planned and undertaken within a co-ordinated UCL framework linking Educational Liaison/International Office, the Pro-Provosts/Special Advisers, UCL Business and the Development Office, overseen by the Vice-Provost (International) who reports to the Provost.
d) Integration. Wherever possible, activity with an international focus (e.g. aimed at the recruitment of students, the provision of financial support to students, or alumni relations) should be integrated with activity of a similar nature directed at the UK market.
e) Diversification. Given the volatility of the global economy and the rapidity of market change, UCL should strive to ensure that both the nature and the global spread of its international activity are sufficiently diversified.
f) Securing UCL’s long-term financial position. While income generation is an important aim of much of UCL’s international activity, the main focus should be the long term. UCL should firmly resist undertaking activities that produce a short-term financial gain but at the cost of one or more of the other core principles.
The International Strategy has four key aims:
Aim I: To enhance UCL’s educational and research environment by promoting the international context in which UCL operates
32. Internationalising HE will drive a need to change our curricula to foster improved understanding of international issues.
· All Departments should consider the international dimension of their curricula and develop ways of internationalising them.
· All Departments should ensure that all students include some international dimension in their studies.
33. An international dimension should be introduced into the academic framework, including clear institutional understanding of equivalence in international qualifications and credit transfer and in particular UCL should address international and culturally specific issues in assessment.
34. Given UCL’s recruitment strategies, in considering the future structure of UCL Masters programmes and the length of undergraduate and PhD programmes, UCL should take account of all relevant thinking in the Bologna Process, but make informed decisions on our own account of what is appropriate and desirable in the world of trans-national education.
35. The partnership priorities will vary from country to country, but international work should initially focus on the following areas: China (including Hong Kong), India, Japan, Singapore, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Africa.
36. UCL should seek to establish Strategic Partnerships with high-quality international research-led institutions. A policy and guidelines for the development and management of international partnerships and formal Agreements is available in the Academic Manual at section M.
37. UCL ought not to join formal groupings such as Universitas21. A more fluid approach is desirable, with UCL working with those partners best able to realise the particular objective(s) of a planned partnership. Ensuring by research that potential partners are of a sufficiently high quality and standing is imperative.
38. It is important to remember that a university is culturally specific; for this reason, partnerships and where appropriate overseas campuses are important strategic opportunities. Where Strategic Partnerships involve teaching or CPD, the curriculum will need to be modified and perhaps even specially co-written with overseas partners.
39. Training and support for academic and non-academic staff should be provided to enable them to be attuned to international sensitivities.
40. The Graduate School’s role in providing training and other support for graduate students should be expanded to include an international dimension (and be funded so to do beyond ‘Roberts’ income).
41. The establishment of further formal study abroad agreements should be actively encouraged under the guidance of the International Office. The number of students studying abroad should be increased incrementally by a specific number established annually in line with the Study Abroad Strategy
42. UCL should take steps to create an environment that meets the expectations of international students. An increase in the numbers of international students will have implications for both accommodation and student support. It must also be recognised that overseas students are not a homogenous group. The gap between expectation and reality is a real issue for high-fee students and needs to be addressed – not only in terms of infrastructure but also and just as importantly in terms of student support.
43. UCL will continue its annual process of review of the Scholarships Strategy to ensure that it is meeting the needs of UCL and is working in partnership with charitable foundations, overseas government agencies, FCO, etc).
44. UCL should ensure that the student make-up of individual classes does not become unbalanced. This will require sensitivity to the impact of increased overseas student numbers on home/EU students as well as overseas students being in classes composed of predominantly single nation groups.
45. UCL should consider the creation of joint positions with overseas universities, especially with developing countries at post-doctoral level, whilst at more senior levels more visiting professorships, research attachments and staff exchanges should be considered.
46. As part of the HR strategy, UCL should address the issues of reward, retention and remuneration that will arise in increased international staff recruitment.
47. The work of the student national societies within UCL should be encouraged and promoted in co-operation with UCLU. UCL should continue to promote services such as the VSU which facilitate the engagement of international students with the wider community.
48. UCL should build on the capacity of the UCL Language Centre to support cultural awareness training for students studying overseas and language training for both staff and students.
49. Building on work that is already underway, UCL should establish and sustain a long-term relationship with our alumni with a view to their support for overseas internships and as a source of expertise on internationalisation of the curricula and support services.
Aim II: To contribute throughout the range of UCL activity (research, teaching, learning, business links and community engagement) to the resolution of problems of global significance
50. There are ethical, political and cultural issues at stake in internationalism as well as pedagogical ones. The Provost’s White Paper makes clear that for an institution with a strong liberal tradition, going global for UCL should mean actively promoting a sense of global citizenship, social justice and environmental responsibility.