University to increase international student population to 5,000 by 2020

 

In its recently published five-year strategic plan, the University of Glasgow has outlined its intention to increase the international student population to 5,000 by 2020.

The new internationalisation strategy also includes providing and facilitating more international experiences for students at the University of Glasgow, allowing at least 20% of students to have the opportunity of studying abroad each year. International collaboration on research will be encouraged with the aim of increasing annual international research income to £29 million.

According to the University Strategy Report, the University of Glasgow aspires to become a “globally connected, globally influential” university. It aims to expand the number of international students applying to the University by offering more scholarships and bursaries, as well as internationalising the curriculum and making programmes and courses more suitable for international students. Furthermore, the University Strategy states that the number and range of international placements will be expanded and awareness about international opportunities and their benefits is to be increased in order to encourage more students to study or work abroad. Staff exchanges and residencies will also be encouraged more firmly through enhanced support and the University aims to establish at least five more partnerships with other universities around the globe.

The internationalisation strategy supports the University’s overall vision of becoming a “world-class, world-changing university.” It is a response to the current challenges that the University faces, which include a growing competition in the global higher education sector, a growing demand for higher education from an increasingly diverse number of students, and expected reductions in public spending. A more international outlook could enhance the University’s reputation and rankings due to increased awareness of the University of Glasgow, which will attract a wider range of international students with high academic potential. Furthermore, internationalisation could help the University of Glasgow increase their revenues, as tuition fees for international students currently range from £15,250 per annum for Arts, Social Science and Law degrees, to £33,950 per annum for medical degrees.