The shift in student mobility patterns due to the current geopolitical affairs may result in Canada surpassing UK as the preferred destination in some regions and in terms of enrollment rates, according to the latest research by QS. Even though the US and UK are still the leading study destinations overall, Canada is surpassing UK as the second most population destination for candidates in Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East and Africa.
Canada’s success can be attributed to the lower cost of tuition fees, high quality of student experience and global perception of Canada as a nation that stays committed to liberal immigration policy. If Canada is able to sustain this level of growth, the UK may have to accept a relegation in terms of its rankings.
Students choose their destination based on the following factors (1) scholarship/financial aid availability (2) international recognition of qualification (3) change in students’ motivations when selecting a program.
The most commonly-cited reason for pursuing a master’s degree used to be career-related. However, as of 2018, most students chose to advance their higher education because they view an undergraduate degree as being insufficient. At the same time, the opportunity to participate in exchange programmes was less a priority among respondents of the survey. The report noted that level of interest in study abroad experiences may be due to the fact that internationalisation of its universities is still in its development phase.
Source: The Pie News