Transnational education contributes £28bn to the economy

Department for Education publishes latest data on education-related exports

It is hard to listen to any current discussions involving universities without detecting a note of panic around falling numbers of international students. Data released yesterday by the Department for Education on the value of these students for the UK economy was therefore timely—if, for many higher education institutions, bittersweet.

In an analysis published last month, Universities UK said international enrollments to UK universities in January 2024 were down by 44 per cent on the previous year. It blamed uncertainty among applicants on post-study work opportunities, as well as the government’s decision to prevent international students—except those on postgraduate research courses—from bringing dependants with them.