Globally mobile international students are more employable and more highly paid, says report
A new report has found that globally mobile international students are less likely to be unemployed and are more likely to be better paid.
Pixabay
12 March 2015
Go International, a government programme offering resources and advice to students from the UK wishing to undertake some or all of their studies overseas, has issued a new report providing a snapshot of where UK students are choosing to study and their following employment outcomes.When comparing globally mobile and non-mobile students the evidence is clear that, six months after graduating, not only are a lower proportion of international graduates unemployed but also, on average, they earn more than their non-mobile contemporaries. Furthermore, a higher proportion of mobile students achieved a First Class or Upper Second Class in their degree (87 per cent) compared with non-mobile students (69 per cent).However, the report also finds that, while the numbers of students from the UK choosing to study abroad has increased, the UK is lagging significantly behind other European countries sending undergraduates to foreign universities. For example, the number of UK students taking part in the Erasmus programme (where students study for part of their degree in a foreign university) has increased from 9,212 in 2010/11 to 10,284 in 2012/13, whereas France sent 44,910 students abroad through the Erasmus programme in 2012/13 while Germany and Spain sent out over 50,000 students. Vivienne Stern, Director of the UK HE International Unit said, “Higher education systems and governments worldwide are recognising the importance of giving more students an international experience as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate study. We want to increase the proportion of UK students who have an international experience whilst at university. ” “This analysis is the first step in testing the hypothesis that mobility has a positive impact on the academic and employment outcomes of undergraduate students,” Ms Stern continued. “It provides an intriguing snapshot of outcomes [and] provides a baseline for further studies to describe trends and demonstrate impact, helping the UK higher education sector to develop and market new mobility opportunities.”
