News
International Student Barometer - prize winner announced for Autumn 2007!
We are very happy to announce the winner of the i-graduate prize for the Autumn 2007 International Student Barometer:
A male UG student studying Mathematics at Manchester Metropolitan University.
Congratulations to the winner and thank you to all students who took part in the study. Your feedback is important and the information you provide will help to improve the service your university provides to current and future students.
Wales Student Barometer launched
December 2007
i-graduate has launched a unique study that will compared the expectations and actual experiences of both UK and international students across an entire country.
The Wales Student Barometer will gather the opinions of up to 60,000 students across 10 Welsh universities and colleges. i-graduate will benchmark the responses so that each institution can see how well it is meeting student expectations compared with other groupings of institutions in the UK and the rest of the world.
The study's launch was reported in The Times Higher Education Supplement , University World News , and International Focus .
i-graduate release key findings from The Agent Barometer
17th December 2007
In one of the best-attended market intelligence seminars at this year's ICEF Berlin Workshop, i-graduate Director Will Archer released the initial findings from the the 2007 Agent Barometer study.
This innovative study was conducted in partnership with ICEF in summer 2007 and aims to gather new insights into the needs and perceptions of education agents working across the world. The initial findings from this year are based on responses from 880 agents from 115 countries—39% of which were based in Asia and 37% in Europe.
Click here for more details about The Agent Barometer.
For the full story, please click on the i-graduate information button below. Original story by Craig Riggs.
i-graduate shines at Times Higher Awards!
3rd December 2007
Okay, so we didn't actually win an award (!) but we were delighted to be asked to assess the award for "Outstanding support for overseas students". As part of the ongoing International Student Barometer we reviewed feedback from 27,813 international students during May and June 2007. Students rated their own experience against 55 separate measures in a confidential reporting process. All participating UK universities performed well and each received individual feedback on the findings. Six with particular strong ratings for student support were shortlisted for the Award. Loughborough University received the highest satisfaction ratings from its international students for support across a specified range of measures. Congratulations from all at i-graduate on this well-deserved award!
This is what Will Archer (Director of i-graduate) had to say...
"Strong support is no longer peripheral or nice to have - it is pivotal to the student experience. Any problem, if tackled well enough, will ultimately reflect postively on the institution. If support is lacking, small problems become big issues overnight. For students from other countries the significance cannot be understated - the impact of good or bad support is often multiplied by the number of miles from home. So it is right to recognise the excellence in this arena".
Some of the team at The Awards night!
From left to right:
Back row: Chris Tzourou, Jamie Lenney, Will Archer
Front row: Nannette Ripmeester, Lizi Milne, Jess Davison, Felice Nightingale, Beth Reed
Also in attendance: Carole Atkin, Simon Bush, Tamas Dobos, John Taylor, Louise Wringe
International Student Barometer - Autumn 2007
17th October 2007
The i-graduate team are delighted to annouce the launch of the International Student Barometer Autumn Wave 2007.
This Wave of the ISB is running at over 75 further and higher education institutions worldwide. We are pleased to welcome among our new partners for the Autumn Wave, Yale University, University of Brighton, University College Cork, University of Sheffield, K. U. Leuven (Belgium), London South Bank University and the University of Leeds as well as many other institutions both in the UK and internationally.
The International Student Barometer is the largest study of international students in the world, with feedback from over 150,000 students in the last 2 years. The ISB Autumn 2007 is our biggest Wave yet and many institutions have chosen to also survey their home student population in addition to their international cohort. Having such a large and diverse benchmark group means that more than ever partners are able to measure the success of their institution against national and international rivals and set realistic goals and objectives for improvement in their provision.
For further information, please contact Felice Nightingale felice.nightingale@i-graduate.org or call the i-graduate office directly on +44 (0)207 222 7890
Longitudinal study tracking student expectations in China!
17th October 2007
i-graduate is eagerly anticipating the launch of the third annual China StudentPulse in October 2007.
The China StudentPulse project offers a unique insight into the attitudes and opinions of students across China who are actively considering international study. The survey provides educators with a detailed picture of the perceptions, expectations, motivations, motivations, influences, interests and aspirations of students preparing to invest in education overseas.
We take the Pulse annually, targeting parents and students considering international education. Following the success of last year's China StudentPulse which gathered the opinions of more than 6,000 students, this year students will be able to complete the survey either by following a link from the British Council website or at education exhibitions in the major cities of Beijing and Shanghai.
Students will be able to complete the China StudentPulse 2007 survey online at the i-graduate stands at the following locations:
The European Higher Education Fair in Beijing (October 20 and 21)
The Education UK Exhibition in Shanghai (October 27 and 28)
Every student who completes the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win ¥5000.
If you think your institution may be interested in the findings of the China StudentPulse, please contact Jess Davison at jess.davison@i-graduate.org for more information, or call the i-graduate UK office on +44 (0)207 222 7890
Britain gets vote of foreign students
28th September 2007
UK universities are the best in the world for teaching and supporting their international students, the International Student Barometer has found.
The findings, released exclusively to The Times Higher, conclude that the UK is a "world leader when it comes to international education", ahead of global rivals across key measures such as teaching, course content and student support.
The report, commissioned by the Council for Industry and Higher Education, conflicts with another major study this week by the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), which warned that the UK's multibillion pound share of the international student market, a vital income source for some institutions, was "vulnerable".
Does the UK lead the world in international education?
September 27 2007
Overseas students studying in the UK find it difficult to integrate with fellow British students, according to a report commissioned by the Council for Industry and Higher Education. Our report was based on the views of over 30,000 international students in the UK and 8,500 studying in other countries. The study shows universities in Australia, South Africa, the US and the Netherlands are better at integrating international students.
The International Student Barometer shows that British institutions score better in academic areas (fair assessment and good teachers) than their overseas competitors. The British also score well on transport links and visa advice, compared with their foreign competitors.
The full results will be presented by Will Archer, i-graduate Director, this week (October 4th and 5th) at the Internationalising Higher Education conferences, organised by the Council for Industry and Higher Education.
For the full story, please click on the i-graduate information button below. Original story by Lucy Hodges
Reaching for new shores: 19th Annual EAIE Conference
12 - 15th September 2007
Last week, four members of the i-graduate team flew to Trondheim, Norway, to join 2,200 other delegates for the 19th Annual Conference of the European Association for International Education. Despite the weather, the conference was a great success. We're already looking forward to next year's EAIE conference, Antwerp 2008!
i-graduate Director, Will Archer, spoke at a variety of sessions / workshops. If you attended any of these and would still like to receive handouts, please email us at info@i-graduate.org . Handouts are available for the following:
Workshop 27 M&R/IRM: Market Research: what is it, why should you want it
Session 7.01 M&R Opening Event: What are we like? The International educators' report
Session 7.04 M&R/IRM: Getting to know your customers, is Europe really world class?
Costs deter foreign students
16th September 2007
Growing numbers say British university courses do not provide value for money and look to US for education, study finds.
Britain's reputation as a world-leading destination for international students could be under threat as new research reveals that almost 30 per cent do not think the education they receive is worth the money.
But it was not a view shared by everyone. One organisation, i-graduate, which tracks opinions of students, pointed out that although significant numbers were dissatisfied, far more enjoyed their experience and felt the cost was reasonable.
For the full story, please click on the i-graduate information button below. Original story by Anushka Asthana
i-graduate launch new website
September 2007
We are proud to introduce our new website, designed by Webexpectations.com. We hope you find the site functional and easy-to-use and would welcome any feedback on features / information you would like to see made available on the site.
International Student Barometer™ - largest international student feedback survey in New Zealand
August 2007
Earlier this year i-graduate's International Student Barometer (ISB) was adopted by five New Zealand universities. Through an innovative partnership between i-graduate and Education New Zealand, New Zealand universities were offered the opportunity to run the ISB free of charge. The University of Canterbury, Massey University, University of Otago, University of Waikato and Victoria University of Wellington all participated - receiving over 3,800 student responses at an average response rate of 36%. The survey was available in both English and Simplified Chinese which ensured a large, representative sample of international students in New Zealand.
The results were presented by i-graduate Director, Will Archer, at the New Zealand International Education Conference held in Christchurch between the 8th and 10th of August. The interest shown by institutions from all sectors in New Zealand has ensured that the ISB will run again in 2008 and will provide the five early adopters with the opportunity to identify any changes in the international student experience.
The findings have provided the participating universities and the New Zealand international education industry as a whole with vital data that will allow for enhanced marketing campaigns and targeted improvements to the international student experience.
IT skills are old school: 8 out of 10 employers prefer integrity and confidence
August 2007
Students should worry less about IT skills and numeracy and more about building their character and personality, our new study shows. It is no surprise to see communication skills and teamwork topping the list of skills and capabilities sought by employers. But the new International Employer Barometer (ieb) highlights for the first time the importance of integrity (83% of employers), confidence (80%) and personality (75%). And a degree from a good university? Only 38% say this is important. A good degree classification remains important for almost two thirds (60%). The report's author William Archer says "Today's employers will look beyond your university tie or scarf. It is what you do with your time at university, how you develop as a person that matters most." And today, being top of the class is not enough. Intellectual ability is taken for granted - it's a no-brainer. Integrity, confidence and passion are all more important.
The ieb separates the opinions of small, medium and large employers: "Only 5% of UK graduates will join a traditional graduate trainee programme with a large company. It is time to listen to what the employers of the other 95% are looking for." The ieb also compares the expectations and experiences of overseas corporations with UK multinationals and domestic employers. The first wave of the study took feedback from 233 employers representing 750,000 employees. The i-graduate Employer Barometer™ (ieb) is an ongoing initiative with further results to follow.
Institutions interested in joining should email louise.wringe@i-graduate.org
International students positive
9th August 2007
A major university survey has found international students have a positive experience in New Zealand, but they may not recommend it to others.
Education New Zealand today released the findings from the UK-based International Graduate Insight Group's comparative survey. The survey compared the responses of over 3800 international students, in five New Zealand universities, with tens of thousands of responses from students all over the world. Education New Zealand chief executive Robert Stevens said international students were very satisfied with their experience in New Zealand, and in particular, their education. "New Zealand comes out of the largest international comparison ever undertaken amongst international students with a glowing record. Satisfaction ratings were higher than international averages across a range of key indicators, including teaching, staff expertise, safety and cost."
The study found that New Zealand was well ahead of the global benchmark in areas such as living costs and support, but behind in areas such as student unions and internet access.
Seventy per cent of respondents from New Zealand would recommend their university to others, compared with 83 per cent of respondents abroad. The report issued by Education New Zealand cited this as the most concerning of the results.
"There are a couple of clouds in this generally blue sky," Mr Stevens said. "The rate of further study engagement was lower than for other countries, and a lower than average number said they would refer New Zealand to others. This may reflect the continuing challenge we have to position New Zealand as a first choice destination - the good news is that if we are selected, then we are significantly better than average."
How overseas students rate NZ
10th August 2007
Almost a third of international students would not recommend their university to prospective students. Findings of the largest study of its type in New Zealand released yesterday showed students from Fiji, France, Indonesia and India were the most likely to recommend the experience to others.
But students from Asia - our biggest market - were least likely. Of almost 4000 students from five universities who responded to the i-Graduate International Student Barometer survey, 70 per cent would recommend their university to others.
The same survey in Northern Hemisphere universities last year found 83 per cent would. Export education sector body Education New Zealand commissioned the study and released results at its annual conference in Christchurch. Chief executive Robert Stevens said the lower likelihood of referral showed the continual challenge in getting New Zealand to be the first choice.