Page 39 - StudyTravel Magazine December 2016 Issue

language secondary tertiary vocational associated

directiOn tHE YEar in rEviEW

the year in review

News Editor, Matthew Knott, looks back at the major stories of 2016, a busy year that featured court
cases, government stings, mixed growth trends, sudden closures and examples of industry collaboration.

nternational students heading to the to funding eligibility for EU students Plans and policies
UK will likely soon become familiar commencing in 2017, regardless of Brexit Th e drama wasn’t restricted to the UK,
with the British penchant for soap timing. Disappointingly for agencies, the of course, with government interventions
i operas on TV. And with court uncertainty followed an earlier StudyTravel – positive and negative – aff ecting the
challenges, fl irtation, divorce, arguments Magazine investigation that found UK sector. Th e USA had the most spectacular
and recriminations, it was a dramatic year universities were intervention with
for the UK’s relationship with international increasingly a mind-boggling
education, students and agents, worthy of a courting EU agents three-year ‘sting’ to
TV serial. (June, p.4) following entrap more than
the lifting of EU 1,000 students and 21
Brexit wound? and domestic onshore agents at the
Th e UK’s vote in June to leave the recruitment caps and ‘fake’ University of
European Union inevitably dominated the introduction of Northern New Jersey
media discourse in the UK and beyond. new postgraduate (June, p.5). More
In the immediate aftermath, the UK’s student loans. proactively, the US
international education associations called Brexit ushered government fi nally
for sector protection. A special StudyTravel Th eresa May into extended post-study
Magazine survey of EU-based agents (ST the role of Prime work rights for STEM
teachers striking at vancouver english centre
Magazine, September 2016, page 71) found Minister, and graduates to 36
that 61 per cent thought it would negatively sounds from the months, and there was
aff ect business and 78 per cent thought the Home Offi ce and Number 10 around non- a welcome report that showed agent usage
vote sent a negative message to European EU students have been far from positive was increasing at US higher education
partners and students. On the plus side, since then, with a two-tiered visa system institutions (August, p.4), following the
over half believed that in the short-term for universities reportedly being considered National Association of College Admission
the weaker pound sterling would assist as part of a consultation. To add some Counselling (Nacac) move in 2013 to
language sales to the UK. Indeed, agents intrigue to the already complicated plot, offi cially endorse the use of commission
generally believed it was the secondary the Home Offi ce is itself being investigated payments to overseas agent partners.
and higher education sectors that would be for its sledgehammer approach to the Toeic In South Africa, months of
most aff ected. testing scandal of 2014 after successful procrastination by the Departments of
Clarity of visa rules will remain elusive appeals against deportations by two Home Aff airs and Higher Education and
for some time, but the UK has committed international students (June, p.5). Training led frustrated ELT association

36 | Studytravel Magazine | deceMber 2016