Page 38 - StudyTravel Magazine September/October 2021 Issue

uK

destInatIOn

The Covid-19 pandemic and the
intermittent lockdowns resulting from
it in the UK had a severe impact on
the country’s study abroad industry,
especially the ELT sector. Joshua
Walton learns how schools hope for an
upturn in business during the remainder
of the year and in 2022.

lAnguAge secondAry

lthough schools in the UK faced She adds that even though the “We have seen strong growth in
a turbulent time during the pan- study abroad situation in the UK is our international student community,
Ademic, many are working hard to looking more hopeful now, the school with applications increasing for 2022
promote the country as a top destina- still has to prioritise the safety of and beyond,” reports Andy Towse,
tion for international students and students and host families, and “the Director of Boarding at Reddam House
remain hopeful that student enrol- situation is still just too risky”. Berkshire http://reddamhouse.org.
ments will increase in the near future. Chris Polatch, Director at English uk/, part of the Inspired Education
Carolyn Llewelyn, International Naturally www.english-naturally. Group. He adds that there are cur-
Director at Oxford International Study com in England, comments, “It has rently students from 35 different
Centre www.oxintstudycentre.com been nothing short of a disaster and I countries attending the school, and
in England, notes, “2020 was very have written off the rest of this year. while following government guidelines,
poor…about a 90 per cent reduction Summer 2022 might happen, but it all students were able to travel safely
in bookings, although online grew might not. There is actually no point in and observe the necessary quarantine
enormously. 2021 is slow but better predicting what may occur.” periods before joining the school.
and everything hinges on international Chris notes that the UK’s vac- Andy also highlights the impor-
travel. We are optimistic for 2022. The cination rollout has allowed for the tance of the UK’s vaccination rollout
growth of online was very welcome easing of Covid-19-related restric- in helping to allow more international
and will continue.” tions. “But international travel is still students to study in the country. He
Dr Rosalind Lyons, Director at Lyons difficult, with onerous requirements says, “We feel the vaccine rollout has
Languages www.lyonslanguages.com for travellers. Students won’t return been hugely successful and has pro-
in England, says, “We offer short Study in numbers until travelling becomes vided our parents and students with a
Holidays for adults and juniors, and much easier. The UK has shown it has sense of security. In fact, many of our
have not been able to have any inter- an amazing capacity to respond to boarders have expressed an interest
national students since summer 2019, challenging events and that has been to join the vaccination programme
and now we’re looking ahead to 2022. publicised globally. The vaccine rollout whilst in the UK.”
We had hoped to run summer courses hasn’t helped ELT yet, but it should do At the time of writing (late
this year but the second Covid wave soon, and our reputation as a dynamic July 2021), students on visitor
put paid to that.” country has been enhanced.” visas were able to travel to

SEpTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 35