UK Students Moving Away from Study Abroad
by Robyn Tellefsen
Twenty-first century education is borderless, and international business is the norm. So when it comes to being successful in our world economy, studying abroad is no longer just a nicety, it's a necessity. With that in mind, why is it harder finding UK students abroad than finding "Waldo"?
According to the British Council, the United Kingdom's international cultural relations body, fewer than one in every 200 UK students spend part of their university degree program in another European country. While some students plan their own study abroad experience, the vast majority go through Erasmus, a European Union student exchange program operating in 31 countries. On average, 0.91 percent of a country's undergraduates participate in Erasmus. Last year, 1.31 percent of France undergrads and 1.24 percent of Germany undergrads participated. The percentage of UK students taking part? 0.46 percent.
The Last Monolingual Culture
British students may not be as prepared to go overseas as those who study abroad in the UK, the British Council suggests. While other countries are sending students out to learn science, business, and technology, the UK is relying on international experience to help its students gain foreign language skills that others have already acquired: Of the 0.46 percent of UK students who participated in Erasmus last year, about 40 percent were studying a modern language, compared with 5 percent of Erasmus students from other countries.
This language deficit may be a key factor in British students' reluctance to study abroad and, the British Council fears, could lead to the country's becoming the last monolingual culture in the world.
Consequences for a Nation
Mindful of the merits of studying abroad, the British Council has recognized additional repercussions of an insular population. Unless students take advantage of overseas education opportunities, the Council warns, the country's economic future could be in jeopardy.
Countries that place a premium on study abroad experiences produce university graduates with invaluable experience of other parts of the world, which in turn enables the country to maintain a competitive edge. Study abroad nurtures the growth of student talent, building cultural fluency and the ability to work effectively in an international context.
With students taking part in overseas education, entire nations stand to reap the rewards of a culturally minded workforce. The rewards can be realized in the increase of national income as well as a boost in the national knowledge economy and high-caliber research. Lack of cross-cultural experience, on the other hand, can lead to an erosion of expertise and declining international influence over time.
An Imbalance of Power
Paradoxically, after the United States, the UK is the second most popular study abroad destination in the world, having no trouble attracting international students. UK postgraduate courses in biotechnology, computer science, and engineering, for example, recruit 93 percent of their students from overseas. Without these international students, the programs would hardly exist.
But what happens when a country is populated by citizens with limited horizons? The contradiction could result in the UK becoming a less desirable education destination, bringing the nation's days of international domination to an end.
If UK students continue to look inward in a globally focused economy, the consequences for an entire country could be devastating.
