Recruiting Students from Mainland Europe John F Poulton Subject Leader, Computing Glyndŵr University

Agenda Why me? Why Europe? Where in Europe How

Europeans @ Glyndwr Of just 7,300 people studying in 2006-07, 1,300 were from overseas - with by far the largest number from France and Spain. Glyndwr has more Spanish students - 600 - than any other UK university - almost a tenth of the 6,350 Spanish students in the UK. It is also top for French students, with 520 studying here out of 13,070 in the UK. Again, more French students study at Glyndwr than at any other UK university. Together the two nationalities make up more than 15% of Glyndwr’s students

Why Europe Since September 2003 there has been a 50% reduction in student applications to UK Computing (source - UCAS data) The number of students taking A-Level Computing courses has fallen even more sharply

Why Europe A-level Computing students declined by 10 per cent to 5,068 in 2008, compared with the year before and by 50 per cent compared with 2003. The number of students taking ICT at A-level dropped to 12,277 in 2008, from 18,029 in 2003. Computing A-levels now make up just 0.6 per cent of all A-levels taken in the UK

Why Europe There are approximately 325 institutions in the UCAS scheme including universities, colleges of higher education and further education colleges that offer HE courses Universities UK has 133 members UCAS - 3327 Computing courses. (5 per course?) (In 2007-08 there are estimated to have been nearly 50,000 fewer full time male students aged 18-20 than female (and over 100,000 fewer full time students of all ages), whereas in the population at large there were 70,000 more males than females aged 18-20. )

France There are 87 universities and over 300 Grandes Ecoles in France - In the UK - In France After 2 years - HNC, HND,FdSc - DEUG, DUT, BTS After 3 years - BSc - Licence Professionnelle Universities and the Instituts universitaires professionnalisés (IUT) attached to them offer two year vocationally based courses The main qualifications - Diplome Universitaire de Technologie (DUT) and the Diplome d’Edudes Universitaires Scientifiques et Techniques (DEUST) Lycées also offer non-university higher education courses leading to the Brevet de Technicien supérieur (BTS) At the start of the 2006 higher education year, France had 2.287 million enrolled students including 1.357 million in the universities, 113,500 in the university institutes of technology

Spain Spain has 70 universities ( universidades), 48 of them state-run and 22 run by private enterprises or by the Catholic church. 88 per cent of students attend state-run universities. Two-cycle studies with an intermediate diploma: The first cycle leads to the award of the Diplomatura (Bachelor), or Arquitectura Técnica and Ingeniería Técnica (Bachelor degree in Architecture or Engineering), Students can continue to the second cycle for the award of the degree of Licenciatura (Masters degree), They are distributed throughout the country but the cities with the highest number of universities are Madrid (13), Barcelona (8) and Valencia (4).

Spain There are four different types of university establishment in Spain: University Schools ( escuelas universitarias) – offering three-year courses of a vocational or non-academic nature leading to a diploma; University Colleges ( colegios universitarios) – offering five -year courses of an academic nature leading eventually to a licenciatura or tesina and two-year courses for those with a diploma Faculties ( facultades) – offering five-year academic courses leading to a licenciatura or tesina Higher Technical Schools of Engineering & Architecture ( escuela superior de ingeniería y arquitectura) – offering five-year vocational and technical courses leading to an ingeniero superior y arquitecto degree.

Germany There are more than 330 institutions of HE, out of which 117 are universities, 159 universities of applied sciences ( Fachhochschulen) Studies at Fachhochschulen (FH)/Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) last 4 years and lead to a Diplom (FH) degree. Studies at Universitäten last 4 to 5 years (Diplom degree, Magister Artium) or 3 to 6.5 years (Staatsprüfung).

Fees A basic fee for an UG course in France in 2008/9 is €169 per year; for a masters course €226 per year; for a doctorate it is €342 per year. Spanish university fees are low from € 300 to € 1,000 a year. Grants and scholarships are available to Spanish and around one in seven students receives a grant. Spanish students under the age of 28 are covered for health insurance. No tuition fees are payable in Germany although there are exceptions

Erasmus Erasmus is an EU-funded student mobility scheme It is based on partnerships between higher education institutions in different countries within the EU The Erasmus Student Mobility programme enables students to undertake a period of study or a work placement in Europe of between 3 and 10 months as a part of their degree programme The maximum grant per student for 2008-9 is currently €2,940 for a study period. Grants paid at a rate of €245 per month of study to help cover the travel and subsistence costs Erasmus student mobility is carried out in the framework of prior “inter-institutional agreements”.

Different types of European student recruitment Students with or without the transfer of the curriculum of the course concerned Students who remain enrolled at their original university and who come to study in UK for one or more semesters Students who want work placements in UK Summer School students Joint degree courses with a double qualification thereby making it possible for students to continue their studies either in UK or in their home country

Recruitment Strategy Market selection and penetration Identify and focus on limited number of key countries and universities Contact international offices Visit Planning Embed recruitment of European students in University planning processes

Recruitment Strategy Data-driven decision-making Collect and use data to inform decisions regarding European student recruitment Joined-up approach Across the University, ensure sharing of expertise and best practices Enhancing the student experience Strengthen and join up key academic and non-academic services supporting the quality of the student experience

Barriers Three key barriers common to all countries were identified: -     Language. Europass (CEF)     Finance Erasmus, bursaries     Recognition of qualifications and/or admissions procedures ECTS , APL

How to make it work Regular contact Good information - Website Involve academics on a regular basis with exchange schemes Use of credits essential - European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) Curriculum transparency and recognition between the partner institutions

The End Any questions?