Speaking at the 黑料官网 Middle East Scholarship and Partnership Summit in Muscat this week, Oman鈥檚 Minister of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation HE Prof Rahma bint Ibrahim Al Mahrooqi welcomed delegates from around the Gulf region and abroad, saying: 鈥淚t is without a doubt that your participation and informative presentations will greatly contribute to the success of this knowledge dialogue as we expand the horizon of shared knowledge and best practices in the fields of student and academic exchange.鈥�

Dr Al Mahrooqi added that the summit was 鈥渟upporting the country’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy, and the realisation of many other objectives of Oman鈥檚 . In addition, the Ministry is working on twinning Oman’s higher education institutions with the high-ranked international universities like those attending and participating in this summit today.鈥�

The Minister went on to explain that her officials are increasingly focused on opportunities in postgraduate study and research in areas identified as top priorities in Oman鈥檚 Vision 2040 strategy. These include energy, environmental science, logistics, fisheries, agriculture, and a range of technology fields. 鈥淗ence,鈥� she added, 鈥渢his ministry has focused more on sponsoring students in specialisations related to these fields, as well as specialisations that thrived as a result of the fourth industrial revolution, like artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, data management, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.鈥�

Omani officials indicated separately that there are now more than 5,000 foreign students enrolled in the country, and that the Sultanate is actively working to link policy development around international students to the internationalisation efforts of Omani universities and the government鈥檚 larger goals to internationalise its higher education system.

Dubai plans to double international student numbers

Meanwhile, Dubai is setting the pace in the region in the race to draw more international students. For example, Dubai 鈥� one of seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 鈥� announced an in November 2024 that includes a goal of increasing international students in its higher education system by 50% by 2033. Other related goals are to see:

• Educational tourism ramp up to 10 times the current level;
• Dubai ranked in the Top 10 Student Cities ();
• Three Dubai universities rank in the Top 100 QS university rankings.

Recently, growth in international student numbers has been very rapid: the number of international students in Dubai (including students coming to Dubai for the purpose of study and first- or second-generation foreign residents in the UAE) has increased by 25% since the 2022/23 academic year.

The following screenshot, shared by Dubai鈥檚 Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KDHA), shows some of the latest developments in Dubai鈥檚 educational expansion.

Much of this new activity is happening in the economic 鈥渇reezones鈥� of Dubai鈥檚 Knowledge Village (DKV) and Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). These zones are owned by a for-profit branch of the Dubai government (TECOM Group). TECOM provides 鈥渞eady-to-lease buildings and other services that allow institutions to quickly start operations.鈥�

More branch campuses in the works

A spokesperson from KDHA told delegates at a conference hosted by Middlesex University Dubai in January 2025 that the expectation is for international enrolments to double by 2040, and that this will require even more branch campus expansion beyond the roughly 30 already in operation. Up to 15 additional branch campuses are anticipated to meet demand.

Already, there are close to 60 鈥渋nternational鈥� campuses in Dubai, most of which are branch campuses in designated zones. The screenshot below shows the top home country origins of campuses in the emirate, and as you can see, Dubai welcomes both Western and non-Western partners. At least a third of branch campuses are from India, Lebanon, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran, and these campuses enrol a higher share of students from the local expatriate community than Western ones.

Almost 9 in 10 residents in the UAE have roots in other countries and can be first-generation, second-generation, or third-generation expatriates. They do not have citizenship but do have many other rights as residents in the UAE. The many countries represented by the expat community is part of the reason for the diversity of education options in the UAE and for the large number of branch campuses from all over the world.

After the UK, India has the most branch campuses in Dubai. Indians make up almost 40% of the total population of the UAE and number about 3.5 million across the seven emirates.

Indians represent the largest sending country

Across the UAE, international enrolments stand at about 220,000 鈥� including (1) those coming from other countries specifically to study and (2) expatriates that are already living and working in the Emirates.

Of those coming from other countries to Dubai for studies, most are from India (43%), Russia (5%), Pakistan (5%), and Saudi Arabia (3%). More than half of them study business (55%), with engineering and IT next (11% and 9%, respectively). Half are in undergraduate programmes (51%), and 39% are at the master鈥檚 level.

What students say about Dubai

Dubai is increasingly developing a reputation for being an exciting student city 鈥� and for unique reasons. Jill Ahrens, for her 2024 research project, 鈥�,鈥� interviewed international students in Dubai and noted:

鈥淪tudents, who lived in another Arab or Muslim-majority country prior to coming to Dubai, commented upon the lifestyle in the city, which permits its residents to follow moderate Muslim principles, while at the same time offering ample opportunities for entertainment. In this sense, Dubai is exceptional amongst the other GCC countries and even the other UAE emirates…Dubai occupies a curious 鈥榠n-between鈥� space, located west of the 鈥楨ast鈥� and east of the 鈥榃est鈥�.鈥�

One postgraduate student at a British branch campus, said:

鈥淚t was more comfortable for me to come here rather than shifting all the way to Canada and getting used to the whole new environment. So I think it was in my comfortable zone, so I agreed to it. Because usually things work out in the same way here or Saudi Arabia or take any country in the GCC, they all have the same rules and regulations that they follow, so I think that was the reason why I came to Dubai.鈥�

Saudi Arabia is trailing Dubai in international student growth

In 2016, Saudi Arabia sent over 100,000 students abroad for studies, mostly to the West. Many students were funded by the massive King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP), which has since been replaced by smaller, more targeted scholarships. The winding down of KASP contributed to a significant decline in outbound student mobility from Saudi Arabia, and in 2022, only around 50,000 Saudis were studying abroad.

As outbound declined, however, the Saudi government set its sights on becoming a regional education hub and top tourism destination, goals that support its need to diversify the economy beyond oil and gas and that are articulated in its project.

Inbound student numbers grew to over 74,000 international students in 2017, but this has since fallen to just over 64,000, according to UNESCO data (2022). There was a nearly 17% decline between 2017鈥�21, but a slight uptick in 2022. Two elements in the story of the decrease in international student numbers is:

• The UAE moving more quickly than Saudi Arabia to welcome branch campuses, and Dubai, in particular, dramatically increasing its attractiveness and ability to host international students in the span of a couple of years;
• Increased demand from Saudi students to remain at home for higher education, leading to capacity issues.

Branch campus activity is strengthening in Saudi Arabia, however, and it dovetails with an increasing emphasis on private sector funding and institutions in higher education provision in the Kingdom. The government wants the private sector to meet (1) burgeoning local demand for education (900,000 additional places need to be created by 2030, a 42% increase over the 2 million currently provided mostly by the state), and (2) regional demand for quality education.

University World News reported in September 2024 that:

鈥淭he Saudi Arabian government has awarded foreign investor licences to five international public and private universities, opening the way for them to set up branch campuses in the kingdom offering masters and bachelor programmes in priority areas such as healthcare, engineering, and business.鈥�

The licences are for the following universities, though University World News noted that details and final approvals are pending/opaque in some cases:

• Arizona State University (US)
• University of Wollongong (Australia)
• University of Stratheclyde (Scotland)
• The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
• IE University (Spain)

Increased investment in attracting investment and in international student recruitment

Oher signals of Saudi Arabia鈥檚 goal to compete more vigorously as an education hub in the region include:

• The platform, which includes an invitation for foreign companies to help the Kingdom reach 鈥渉uman capital and innovation goals.鈥�
• The platform, where international undergraduate and graduate students can apply for scholarships.
• Streamlined visa processing;
• More including 鈥渏oint research initiatives, student and faculty exchange programs, the development of new academic programs, and industry-academia partnerships.鈥�

The new push for private sector involvement may see Saudi Arabia join UAE, Egypt, and Oman in a much greater push to attract international students.

Egyptian universities hosted 26,000 international students in the academic year 2023/24 鈥� a 117% increase over 2019/20, according to Minister of Higher Education Ayman Ashour. Growth markets include Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, India, and Nigeria, and new priority countries are China, Malaysia, Iraq, Qatar, and Bahrain.

Egypt鈥檚 new Administrative Capital features branch campuses and dual degree partnerships including foreign institutions such as:

• The University of Prince Edward Island (Canada)
• Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada);
• Coventry University (UK);
• University of Hertfordshire (UK);
• University of London
• British University of Central Lancashire
• University of Exeter (UK)
• Nova University Lisbon (Portugal)

Egypt also has plans to establish Egyptian branch campuses across Africa and Asia.

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�Inbound and outbound student trends for South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco鈥�
• 鈥�Recruiting in the Emirates鈥�
• 鈥�Updated Saudi scholarship programme will send 70,000 students abroad by 2030鈥�

The post Student mobility in MENA boosted by foreign partnerships and branch campuses appeared first on 黑料官网 Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Targeted especially to Arab and African students, The Egyptian Initiative for Scholarships and Educational Tourism (EGYAID) is part of a broader project under Egypt’s National Strategy for Higher Education 2030.

At , Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Ayman Ashour explained that the EGYAID initiative is based around seven student-focused principles.

• “We take care of you
• We welcome the world
• You are in your second country
• You are integrated
• You are innovative
• You are an ambassador”

“We are preparing the appropriate environment for foreign students, so that innovation and creativity are integrated within the educational process,” said the Minister.

One of the cornerstones of EGYAID is the new educational visa for visiting students, which grants them all of the rights associated with residency during their stay, including access to health services and other social supports.

The initiative also provides for a new scholarship programme 鈥� the deadline for which is 15 September 鈥� that provides for a 50% reduction in tuition fees for graduate students and a 25% reduction for undergraduate studies.

Reflecting a “whole of government” approach for the EGYAID initiative, several other government ministries have joined to offer additional incentives and supports for visiting students. These include:

• A 50% discount on domestic transportation and communications charges
• A 50% discount for students visiting archaeological sites
• A 50% discount on concerts and cultural performances
• A 25% discount on travel via EgyptAir for students and family members

Ministry figures indicate that there were nearly 35,000 international applicants for undergraduate studies at Egyptian universities in 2022/23 鈥� an increase of roughly 33% compared to the year before. The ministry reports as well that three out of every four applicants were offered a spot at one of the country’s universities.

Top sending markets for Egypt have historically included UAE, Germany, Turkey, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. The cost of a degree programme in Egypt ranges from US$7,000-US$15,000 a year, and students can choose from roughly 20 public universities and higher institutes of technical and professional training and the same number of private institutions. Two Egyptian universities are ranked in the QS top 1000: Cairo University and Ain Shams University in Cairo.

鈥淓gypt has many advantages that could make it a hub for educational tourism,鈥� Magdi Tawfik Abdelhamid, research professor of plant physiology at Cairo鈥檚 National Research Centre, explained to .

鈥淏esides the low cost of living for students in Egypt compared to Western countries and competitive tuition fees compared to the rest of the world, English is the language of instruction in scientific, medical, and allied medical faculties and in many other disciplines. The new initiative will help Egypt get a higher share of the global educational tourism market.鈥�

For additional background, please see:

• “Inbound and outbound student trends for South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco“
• “A primer on international student recruitment in Egypt“
• “Closer to home: Intra-regional mobility in Asia“

The post Egypt rolls out new scholarships and residency rights in bid for more foreign students appeared first on 黑料官网 Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Here’s a look at both outbound and inbound trends in three important African markets: South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco. These countries offer competition to major destinations given their relatively low tuition rates and proximity. Egypt may become even more compelling given the Egyptian government鈥檚 new interest in partnerships with foreign institutions and embrace of branch campuses.

South Africa: Demand for study abroad is growing

South Africa has long been the major education hub on the continent, enrolling close to 41,000 international students in higher education in 2019, the vast majority from Sub-Saharan Africa (especially Zimbabwe). But internationalisation has lost some steam within South African universities. Tasmeera Singh, manager of international relations at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), reported in 2022 that:

鈥淭he percentage of international undergraduates registered in South Africa鈥檚 public higher education system had dropped from 5.93% to 3.09% at the end of 2020. The percentage of international postgraduates had dropped from 15.82% in 2015 to 12.94% in 2020.鈥�

Writing in , Ms Singh explained that for several reasons 鈥� from COVID to natural disasters to political turmoil 鈥� 鈥渢he leadership of all South African universities are besieged with crisis management, responding to the multiple daily challenges.鈥�

estimates that the average tuition cost of the first year of an undergraduate degree in South Africa is about US$3,000, making South Africa an affordable option for students from the region.

The presence of good universities in South Africa has kept outbound mobility relatively low over the years. According to QS, seven of the top ten universities in Africa are in South Africa. The University of Capetown almost made the global (coming in at #237), and the University of Johannesburg, the University of Witswatersrand, and Stellensbosch University are in the top 500.

Currently there are about 12,000 South African students abroad. However, a 2022 study of over 30,000 higher income households by South African Internet research firm Brandmapp indicates that demand for overseas education is ticking upwards. Fully 12% of respondents said they were considering study abroad, and this intention rose to 48% of those aged 25 and under.

Growing interest in study abroad 鈥� and emigration – among young South Africans is linked :

鈥淪eeking residency in other countries with better economic prospects is becoming increasingly attractive, especially for young South Africans faced with stagnant growth, rising living costs, and rampant corruption.鈥�

According to UNESCO, the UK, the US, and Cuba (for medical studies) are the major hosts of South African students abroad. The US hosted 2,375 South African students in 2021/22, up 14% compared with the previous year. Canada hosted 1,370 South African students in 2022, up 36% y-o-y and up 86% from 2019. And the UK hosted roughly 2,000 in 2020/21.

Egypt: Expanding higher education through branch campuses

In 2020, there were more than 43,700 Egyptian students studying outside of the country, making Egypt the fourth largest sender of international students in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) after Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Syria. Roughly a third of Egypt鈥檚 outbound students choose to study in UAE (5,260) or Saudi Arabia (4,890). In addition, close to 4,000 Egyptians are studying in the US, and between 2,000鈥�3,000 are studying in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, and Malaysia. Most of those countries enrolled record numbers of Egyptians in the past two years.

At the same time, Egypt also attracts many international students from an eclectic assortment of countries 鈥� more than 34,000 according to UNESCO. Top sending countries are UAE, Germany, Turkey, the US, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. In a bid to boost the quality of its education system, the Egyptian economy, and Egypt鈥檚 attractiveness to international students, the Egyptian government has been welcoming a record number of foreign branch campuses to set up shop. University World News reports that the new Administrative Capital in Egypt now hosts:

• Two branches of the University of Prince Edward Island in Charlottetown, Canada, and Toronto Metropolitan University, hosted by the Canadian Universities Foundation;
• The Coventry University in the UK鈥檚 branch hosted by the International Knowledge Universities Foundation;
• A British University of Hertfordshire branch hosted by The Global Foundation;
• A branch for the University of London and the British University of Central Lancashire hosted by the European University Foundation.

International students now have a wider array of quality institutions at which to study in Egypt, and this should boost Egypt鈥檚 reputation as a preferred regional destination. The cost of a degree programme in Egypt ranges from US$7,000-US$15,000 a year, and students can choose from roughly 20 public universities and higher institutes of technical and professional training and the same number of private institutions. Two Egyptian universities are ranked in the QS top 1000: Cairo University and Ain Shams University in Cairo.

Morocco: More than 20,000 international students and growing

Morocco is a priority student market for both Canada and France, and both destinations have seen a surge of new Moroccan students in recent years. More than 31,000 Moroccan students were enrolled in France in 2021, up 3% y-o-y. Canadian institutions hosted a smaller number in 2022 鈥� 7,220 鈥� but this represents growth of 23% over 2021 and an increase of 60% since before the pandemic in 2019. Before the invasion, Ukraine hosted about 7,000 Moroccan students, and Germany hosts a fair number as well (3,000+). Overall, there are at least 63,000 Moroccans abroad.

Like South Africa and Egypt, Morocco is also a regional education hub for North Africans. Students from Gabon, Mali, Cote d鈥橧voire, Guinea, and Senegal are the top nationalities represented in Morocco鈥檚 roughly 23,500-strong foreign enrolment.

Morocco鈥檚 Minister of Higher Education Abdellatif Miraoui Morocco鈥檚 growing popularity among African students reflects 鈥渢he effective involvement of the kingdom in favor of strengthening its cooperation links with partners on the continent, within the framework of student mobility programs and teacher researchers.鈥�

Most Moroccan degree programmes charge less than US$10,000 a year. There are courses available in Arabic, French, and English. Universit茅 Mohammad V de Rabat, Cadi Ayyad University, and Universit Internationale de Rabat rank in QS鈥檚 Top 100 Arab University Rankings.

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�A primer on international student recruitment in Egypt鈥�
• 鈥�Africa ascending: Four growth markets to watch鈥�

The post Inbound and outbound student trends for South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco appeared first on 黑料官网 Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Most fundamentally, it is crucial that foreign universities and colleges have a thorough plan not just for enrolling Egyptian students, but also for ensuring that students are well prepared for success in programmes taught in English, French, German, Japanese, or other languages. Language schools have an important role to play in this regard. English proficiency rates are low in Egypt.

Fast facts

Geography: Northeast Africa, bordering Israel, Palestinian territories (Gaza strip), Libya, and Sudan.

Population: 107 million. An interesting exercise is to compare that to the populations of other increasingly prioritised student markets, for example Turkey (82,000) Thailand (70,000), Ghana (32,000), Nepal (30,000), and Sri Lanka (22 million).

Official language: Arabic. English and French are widely understood by well-educated segments of the population.

Language of instruction: Arabic in public schools, with instruction in other languages available at some private schools and at international schools.

Religion: 90% Muslim, rest mostly Christian.

Main cities: Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Port Said, Suez.

Economy: Egypt鈥檚 economy , double the growth of the previous year, but the war in Ukraine and related commodity price shocks are dampening this trend. Egypt鈥檚 currency fell to record lows against the US dollar in November 2022 and inflation is hovering around 15%. The Egyptian military exerts tremendous control over the economy, and many to the country鈥檚 private sector development and the economy鈥檚 diversification. Overall, agriculture, media, petroleum imports, natural gas, and tourism are the top sectors, and China, the US, and Saudi Arabia are the top trade partners.

Currency: Egyptian Pounds (EGP).

Opportunities abound

The potential for Egyptian outbound to grow dramatically is huge, not the least because of Egypt鈥檚 expanding population and youth demographic. Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world (107 million), and it is expected . This will represent the largest population increase in the MENA region. Almost 20% of Egyptians are aged 15鈥�24, and a quarter of them are unemployed. Of those who are unemployed, 36% hold tertiary degrees.

The number of Egyptian students going abroad for higher education has nearly tripled in the past decade, from 12,300 in 2008 to more than 43,700 as of the last UNESCO count.

According to UNESCO, Egypt is the fourth largest sender of international students in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Syria.

Reflecting strong academic, immigration, and commercial ties within the region, roughly a third of Egypt鈥檚 outbound students choose to study in UAE (5,260) or Saudi Arabia (4,890). In addition, close to 4,000 Egyptians are studying in the US, and between 2,000鈥�3,000 are studying in Canada, the UK, France, Germany, and Malaysia. Most of those countries enrolled record numbers of Egyptians in the past two years.

Egypt currently has over 20 public universities (enrolling 74% of Egyptian tertiary students) and over 20 private universities. To accommodate more students, the government has lately embraced international branch campuses (IBCs). However, given Egypt鈥檚 massive youth population, even a significant expansion of the domestic higher education sector and of IBCs will not accommodate enough students, and so demand for study abroad is likely to grow.

Where the students are: K-12

Egypt has the largest K-12 student population in the MENA region: 23 million students in 2020, 20% of whom are in Greater Cairo. reports that 鈥淓gypt鈥檚 private sector K-12 student growth has almost doubled in the last five years.鈥�

Colliers International says that:

鈥淭he most popular curriculum among the top private schools in Greater Cairo is the British system, followed by American, IB and Canadian curriculums. However almost 35% of these schools offer more than one curriculum.鈥�

According to director Karim Rogers, Egyptian high school students are becoming more attracted to European destinations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain. Asian destinations 鈥� especially Malaysia 鈥� are also in high demand because they are more affordable than the US or UK, according to Noor El Mahallawi, founder of the , a platform that helps students prepare for English-language university programmes.

Recruiters may find private schools offer an interesting opportunity. While these schools hold a small share of the overall K-12 market (10.6% in 2019/2020), reports that:

鈥淓nrolment at private schools has grown at a CAGR of 6.3% compared to 3.6% CAGR in public schools, thus indicating a preference for private education amongst parents in the country. Supply of private schools has also grown at 4.4% CAGR between 2014-15 and 2018-19, which is more than double the rate of growth in public schools, which indicates increasing investor interest in the sector.鈥�

International schools will enrol some of the most suitable candidates for study abroad given their foreign curriculum. This is a list of international schools in Egypt:

Where the students are: university level

There are currently 3.6 million students at public and private universities in Egypt, representing a major opportunity for foreign educators offering post-graduate programmes. Demand for undergraduate programmes and for graduate programmes tends to be balanced, but in recent years, post-graduate programmes have become more popular. For example, the number of Egyptians pursuing post-graduate programmes in the US has risen by 26% over the past decade.

According to multiple experts who specialise in study abroad for Egyptian students, applications for overseas institutions did not slow down even during the pandemic, and nor did the applications for scholarship programmes.

Nevine Sharaf, programme manager for the UK government-sponsored Chevening scholarship, told online Egyptian news site in April 2022 that,

鈥淸We] didn鈥檛 see a change in the number of applications from Egypt [during the pandemic]. The scholarship program鈥檚 most recent round saw somewhere between 2.8K-3K applications from Egypt, which is on par with the annual average.鈥�

A list of international scholarships for Egyptian students can be found and .

These are the top seven universities in Egypt as determined by QS:

• American University in Cairo (in the top 500 in the global ranking and in the top 20 in the Arab Region) – private
• Cairo University (just outside of the top 500 in the global ranking and in the top 20 in the Arab Region) – public
• Ain Shams University (in the top 1,000 in the global ranking and in the top 20 in the Arab Region) – public
• Alexandria University (in the top 1,000 in the global ranking and in the top 20 in the Arab Region) – public
• Mansoura University (28th in the Arab Region) – public
• Assiut University (in the top 50 Arab Region) – public
• Helwan University (in the top 50 in the Arab Region) 鈥� public

More universities can be explored at .

Market limitations and important considerations

A PWC report points to a major tension in the current state of Egyptian educational progress. On the one hand, primary and secondary enrolment rates are very respectable compared with the global average. However, the quality of education that millions of students are receiving is poor.

Foreign educators need to be prepared to offer Egyptians plenty of academic and language support and a foundation year may well be necessary for many students. Egyptian students have consistently lagged at least a year behind students from other parts of the world. UNESCO has determined that, 鈥淢ore than half of Egyptian students don鈥檛 meet the benchmark in international learning assessments.鈥�

Speaking with , Stefan Trines, research editor at the World Education Services, explained that in Egypt:

鈥淐hildren from more affluent households may be able to circumvent problems in the public-school system by enrolling in private schools or compensating with private tutoring. Those who can attend private schools, which have more autonomy and better facilities, are more qualified and are in an advantageous position to meet the demands of the job market compared to the students from the lower classes. Research has shown that youths from the highest wealth quintile in urban areas are more than nine times more likely to gain access to higher education than youths from the lowest wealth quintile in rural Egypt.

Keys to the market

Every Egyptian student considering their future 鈥� and study abroad 鈥� will be highly aware that good job opportunities are currently very limited in their country, except for students from the wealthiest and/or most connected families. They will therefore be highly interested in programmes with a clear link to in-demand jobs in the wider global economy.

In 2016, one Egyptian student told (a US thinktank devoted to US policies around global engagement that: 鈥淎n 鈥榠nvisible wall鈥� separates the people from the decision-makers, and for youth it鈥檚 impossible to break through that wall. Ministers, managers, people in high positions, are old men without vision for the future 鈥� there are no youth in leadership positions.鈥�

Mohamed al-Saadani, a political science professor at Alexandria University, told the Arab News in 2018 that, 鈥淢ost of [Egyptian youth] who leave or want to leave are after high-paying jobs, better living conditions and a better future for their children 鈥� things they will not achieve by staying.鈥�

Families may need substantial guidance when choosing foreign university programmes, as there is a long tradition in Egypt in which securing a government job (and lifelong career) has been the ultimate goal, much more so than aspirations for a job in a private sector or for an entrepreneurial career path.

Post-study work rights will obviously be a major draw for prospective Egyptian students given high demand for emigration, so educators that can leverage these opportunities should definitely do so 鈥� and involve career counsellors and successful Egyptian alumni in their webinars and other outreach.

An informative guide to market entry strategies for Egypt, including digital strategies and considerations, is here at . Highlights include:

• Egypt is the top Middle Eastern country for Facebook penetration;
• Twitter is also widely used, with Egyptians responsible for 17% of all tweets in MENA 鈥� only Saudi Arabians tweeted more;
• Top regional websites geared at Middle Eastern, Arabic-language users are: Youm7.com, Google.com.eg, Yallakora.com, Almasryalyoum.com, Filgoal.com, Elbalad.news, Masrawy.com, Cima4u.ws, Iegybest.co, Elwatannews.com;
• Egyptians make more search queries than people in any other MENA country except Saudi Arabia, and are just behind Saudi Arabians in how much they stream YouTube videos;
• Over 60% of Egyptians prefer websites in Arabic and also like local content, including blogs;
• Fashion is the most viewed local content (52%), with technology next at 31%.

Market projection for Egypt: See chart below.

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�UAE sets a new tone for scholarship programmes in the Persian Gulf鈥�
• 鈥�Updated Saudi scholarship programme will send 70,000 students abroad by 2030鈥�
• 鈥�Growing Egyptian demand for education pressures domestic capacity鈥�

The post A primer on international student recruitment in Egypt appeared first on 黑料官网 Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Egypt

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world, and its economy grew by more than 5% in 2018. One in five Egyptians is aged 15鈥�24, and fully a third of them are unemployed. Of those who are unemployed, 34% hold degrees.

Most university-bound students attend one of Egypt鈥檚 24 free public institutions, while students who achieve lower grades in high school tend to enrol in one of the country鈥檚 23 private institutions. Many graduates do not find jobs matching their skill level.

With a higher education crisis looming, the government passed legislation in 2018 that allows international branch campuses to operate in the country. As well as offering domestic students a better future, Egypt hopes to become a Middle Eastern education hub through this new strategy.

Given Egypt鈥檚 massive youth population, however, even a significant expansion of the domestic higher education sector will not accommodate enough students. The number of Egyptian students going abroad for higher education has nearly tripled in the past decade, from 12,300 in 2008 to at least 32,000 today, and this growth trend will almost certainly continue.

Roughly a third of Egyptian students are studying in Saudi Arabia or the UAE. The US is third, with just under 3,600 Egyptian students as of March 2019. While Egyptian enrolments in US institutions have been relatively flat, enrolments have increased by 78% in Canada over the past five years and now number around 2,500. Other top destinations include France, Malaysia, and the UK, each with roughly 2,000 Egyptian students in 2017/18.

Location

Northeast Africa, bordering Israel, Libya, and Sudan

Demographics

• Population: 101 million
• Population growth rate: 2%
• Population aged 15鈥�24: 19%
• Population under 25: 52%
• Youth unemployment: 34%
• Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
• Religions: Muslim (90%), Christian (10%)

Keys to the market

Colleges and universities establishing a presence in Egypt would do well to focus on linkages with the private sector to connect students to the real needs of the marketplace. SMEs (small- and medium-sized enterprises) are major sources of employment in Egypt, and therefore programmes fostering entrepreneurship and innovation are much needed.

Ghana

A democracy that consistently ranks in the top three countries in Africa for freedom of speech and of the press, Ghana is a peaceful oasis in a region often plagued by unrest. Its economy is growing steadily; 2019 is expected to be the third year of GDP growth exceeding 6%.

However, there is inadequate economic diversification. Many jobs in the country鈥檚 dominant agricultural and resource extraction industries require little formal skills training, and youth unemployment is disproportionately high among those with some higher education. A dearth of job opportunities at home motivates Ghanaian prospects to look carefully at post-graduate work and immigration policies in destination countries. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that three-quarters of Ghanaians would emigrate if they had 鈥渢he means and opportunity.鈥�

With Ghanaian universities able to accommodate only around 20% of those who apply, and given quality issues in the private education sector, demand for study abroad is increasing sharply. UNESCO counted 12,560 Ghanaians studying abroad in 2017, up 40% from 8,965 in 2012. This is a conservative estimate, given that there are at least 7,000 studying in China alone.

While Ghanaians traditionally favoured the US and the UK as destinations, they are now considering a much wider range of study abroad options. Australia, Canada, China, South Africa, and Ukraine have carved out strong positions in the market. China is offering thousands of scholarships per year to Ghanaian students, and Germany, Japan, and Russia are also notable for their incentives.

Location

West Africa, bordering Burkina Faso, C么te d鈥橧voire, and Togo

Demographics

• Population: 30 million
• Population growth rate: 2%
• Population aged 15鈥�24: 19%
• Population under 25: 57%
• Youth unemployment: 14%
• Languages: English (official and language of instruction), Akan, and Hausa (among Muslims)
• Religions: Christian (71%), Muslim (17%)

Keys to the market

Twenty-two accredited agencies are recognised by the Government of Ghana. As Michael Aidoo, the CEO and executive director of the Accra-based agency CELC International, explains, 鈥淚n Ghana, you have to be a registered agency. You must register with the Ghana Education Service. Not only that, you should be a registered company in Ghana. That is the most important thing.鈥�

Kenya

Kenya boasts one of the most diversified economies in Africa; agriculture and resource industries remain the most important sectors, but manufacturing, technology, tourism, and financial services are also well developed. The economy grew by 5.7% in 2018 and is expected to take a similar track in 2019.

The British Council projects that Kenya will have a population of 5.7 million college-aged students by 2024. These students hold the promise of meeting Kenya鈥檚 goal of becoming a middle-income country by 2030, but at present, its education system does not equip enough of these students with skills the country needs. Kenya鈥檚 higher education system has expanded rapidly in recent years thanks in large part to the entry of several private universities and polytechnics. But there are persistent quality concerns and government funding has been declining.

UNESCO estimates that 14,000 Kenyans are studying abroad, and the US, Australia, the UK, and South Africa host the bulk of them. That said, Kenyan outbound study has been essentially flat for several years. Partly this is because many Kenyans no longer see the value in higher education and need to find jobs as soon as possible. Demand is growing substantially for skills training. China is now a major player in providing vocational education in-country, with many graduates of programmes going on to find jobs in China-owned, Kenya-based companies.

This is a market ripe for some of the disruptive innovations transforming post-secondary education, such as short-term vocational training and micro-credentials.

Location

East Africa, on the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Demographics

• Population: 52 million
• Population growth rate: 2%
• Population aged 15鈥�24: 20%
• Population under 25: 59%
• Youth unemployment: 19%
• Languages: English and Swahili (official and language of instruction), Hausa (among Muslims)
• Religions: Christian (83%), Muslim (11%), small Hindu and Sikh minorities

Keys to the market

Quality vocational education is in demand in information technology, accounting and project management, geology, engineering, pipe fitting, welding, drilling, and operation and maintenance of equipment used in resource extraction. Partnerships with corporations to deliver skills training could be promising, and Kenyans will see value in educators that can match them with employers.

Nigeria

Nigeria鈥檚 domestic higher education system simply can鈥檛 educate the number of young people applying for spaces. According to Nigeria鈥檚 National Universities Commission, between 2012 and 2017 fewer than 20% of applicants to Nigerian universities gained admission, leaving 6.3 million qualified students without a place. One in five Nigerians is aged 15鈥�24, and this is the fundamental reason that Nigeria will be one of the fastest growing markets for study abroad for the foreseeable future.

UNESCO estimates that there are around 90,000 Nigerians studying abroad today.

The country shook off a two-year recession in 2017 and returned to modest growth of 1.9% in 2018. While the government has endeavoured to make the economy less dependent on oil and gas, diversification is happening slowly and jobs outside natural resource extraction and agriculture are scarce: nearly a quarter of Nigerians were unemployed in 2018 and many more were underemployed. Boko Haram鈥檚 terrorism continues to plague the country and widens the divide between the poorer North and more affluent South. Basic infrastructure is generally weak, with frequent labour strikes, underfunded hospitals, and electricity shortages.

Many middle-class Nigerian families have a common goal: to start new lives in other countries. For that reason, Nigerian prospects, like Ghanaian ones, tend to look closely at immigration opportunities in destination countries. Top destinations include the US, with 15,980 students in early 2019; Malaysia, with roughly 13,000 in 2019; Canada, with 11,290 in 2018; and the UK, with 10,540 in 2017/18. Ghana and South Africa are popular regional hubs drawing thousands of Nigerians.

Location

West Africa, bordering Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin

Demographics

• Population: 201 million
• Population growth rate: 3%
• Population aged 15鈥�24: 20%
• Population under 25: 62%
• Youth unemployment: 37%
• Languages: English (official), Hausa, Yoruba
• Religions: Muslim (52%), Christian (47%)

Keys to the market

In Nigeria, vocational education retains a stigma; families see practical rather than academic programmes as appropriate only for the lower classes. Yet highly skilled graduates in specific trades are the employees Nigeria most needs. Intelligent branding of vocational education 鈥� combatting outdated stereotypes 鈥� will be important for colleges recruiting in Nigeria. Nigerians are also frustrated by student visa hassles and will look for destinations where their visa applications are most likely to be accepted.

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�Africa ascending: The demographic juggernaut driving student mobility in the 21st century鈥�
• 鈥�Growing Egyptian demand for education pressures domestic capacity鈥�
• 鈥�From the field: Recruiting in Ghana鈥�
• 鈥�Strengthening Nigerian economy bolsters outlook for study abroad鈥�
• 鈥�From the field: Affordability shaping Kenyan outbound trends鈥�

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Add to this that the substantial economic reforms currently underway in Egypt are now helping to stabilise the economy. Economic growth surpassed 5% in 2018, and inflation, while still high, has cooled considerably over the last two years.

This improved performance has been driven by public investments, expanding consumer consumption, and rising export values. Supported (even required in some cases) by major international funders such as the World Bank, Egypt is also making targeted investments in health and education to help alleviate poverty and promote social development.

These macro social and economic trends have combined to set the stage for expanded participation at all levels of education.

Egypt relies on a highly subsidised public education system, which, as of the constitutional reforms of 2014, is compulsory for Egyptian students until the end of secondary school. Roughly 90% of Egypt鈥檚 K-12 students, and 94% of higher education participants, are educated at public institutions and schools.

As of 2018, there were nearly 21 million students enrolled in K-12 schools, and another 2.4 million in higher education. The following illustration provides an overview of the system, with key oversight bodies noted as well.

An overview of the Egyptian education system, 2018. Source: PwC

Factoring out enrolment in religious education and technical secondary education, there were 19.4 million students enrolled in Egypt鈥檚 general K-12 system. A recent from PwC highlights that enrolment in this system grew by 32% over the last decade (compound annual growth rate of 2.8%).

Enrolment in Egypt鈥檚 general K-12 system, 2008/09鈥�2017/18. Source: PwC

This growth trend is poised to continue in the decade ahead. The UN forecasts that population growth in the country will accelerate through 2025. That increase, along with a culture that places a high value on education and a more stable economy, has also led to projections for growing school enrolments and increasing demand for higher education in the years to come.

Higher education numbers are following a similar trend. The population of college-aged students in Egypt is growing, and so too is the higher education participation rate. The following chart tracks both of these metrics between 2012/13 and 2016/17 with projections through 2021/22 as well.

University enrolment and higher education participation rates in Egypt, 2012/13鈥�2016/17 and projected through 2021/22. Source: PwC

Egypt鈥檚 public universities are among the largest in the region, and Egyptian students study in these institutions free of charge. PwC points out that the system is under pressure to keep up with the growing demand for higher education, and that this is likely to open the door to increasing participation by private providers in the future.

The government has also taken steps to welcome in foreign providers. New legislation governing the establish of international branch campuses came into effect in August 2018. As PwC notes, 鈥淭he law aims at facilitating the procedures and streamlining the licensing requirement for establishing a branch of a foreign university. Under this law a foreign university can establish its own branch, agree with an education institute in Egypt to host the branch or enter into a form of partnership with an Egyptian university to grant a joint degree.鈥�

Along with a looming supply-demand gap, Egypt is facing high levels of youth unemployment, including for university graduates. The average unemployment rate in Egypt was 12% in 2017, but this rate spiked up to 33% for the country鈥檚 youth in that same year. Also in 2017, 34% of all unemployed Egyptians held either undergraduate or graduate degrees.

Barring a dramatic expansion of higher education in Egypt in the very near future, we can anticipate that many of these factors 鈥� limited university spaces at home, growing population, strengthening economy, and poor employment outcomes for local graduates 鈥� will also lead to a growing demand for study abroad among Egyptian students.

Poised for outbound growth

UNESCO reports that the number of Egyptian students going abroad for higher education has tripled in the last decade, from 12,300 in 2008 to nearly 32,000 as of 2017.

Those numbers give us an important indicator of how Egyptian enrolment is trending and how it is distributed across destinations. Some of the destination numbers, however, appear to be understated. If we supplement the UNESCO values with destination-supplied data, it appears that the actual number of Egyptian students abroad is higher still, likely on the order of 35,000 (or more) students abroad in 2017/18. This places Egypt among the top sending markets in the Arab World, after Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Syria.

Reflecting strong academic, immigration, and commercial ties within the region, roughly a third of Egypt鈥檚 outbound students choose to study in Saudi Arabia or the UAE.

The US remains the third most-popular destination and hosted just under 3,600 Egyptian students as of March 2019. While enrolment has been relatively flat in the US, Egyptian numbers have jumped upward in other destinations, notably in Canada, which hosted more than 2,500 Egyptian students in 2018 (an overall increase of 78% over the past five years).

Other top destinations include France, the UK, and Malaysia, each with roughly 2,000 Egyptian students in 2017/18. As a recent from World Education News + Reviews points out, 鈥淎side from the thriving educational exchange with both the UK and Malaysia, student flows to European countries are likely stimulated by access to scholarship funding. More than 1,000 Egyptian students have benefited from European Erasmus scholarships as of 2017, in addition to other funding opportunities.鈥�

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�Using social media to reach students in the Middle East and North Africa鈥�
• 鈥�English skills a key for mobility and employment in the Middle East and North Africa鈥�

The post Growing Egyptian demand for education pressures domestic capacity appeared first on 黑料官网 Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is now one of the most important emerging markets for study abroad in South Asia, and it currently sends out more than 63,000 students for higher education. It is the eighth most populous country in the world, with nearly half of its 160 million citizens under the age of 24 and just over a third under 15.

The country鈥檚 middle class is expanding rapidly, and consumer confidence is rising. A recent Boston Consulting Group (BCG) survey of Bangladeshi consumers found that 60% expected their incomes to rise over the next 12 months.

A street scene in the capital city of Dhaka.

But Bangladesh is only now making it onto the radar of foreign companies and universities, a fact alluded to in the title of the BCG survey report: . Zarif Munir, a partner in BCG, says, 鈥淐ompanies that move now to get into position have an opportunity to build a lasting competitive advantage.鈥�

The landscape for recruitment in Bangladesh is changing quickly. Currently, more than half of Bangladeshi tertiary students go to Malaysia, but students are also choosing China, the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia as well as an increasing range of emerging destinations in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Engineering and medical degrees are currently popular, and students are highly motivated by scholarships and affordability in general.

Nepal

Nepal鈥檚 economy is growing quickly, with GDP growth of over 7% in 2017 and projected growth of 5% in 2018 鈥� a remarkable recovery after 2015鈥檚 devastating earthquake. But the earthquake inflicted severe damage on the country鈥檚 educational infrastructure, a further blow for young Nepalese already frustrated by a university system that many say is failing to link degrees to employment. An article in the Kathmandu Post notes that 鈥淭his contributes to a bleak outlook for students who study in Nepal 鈥� many of our students obtain degrees not knowing what to do after graduation.鈥�

And so young Nepalese are going abroad; more than 44,200 Nepalese are currently enrolled in foreign higher education, with Australia, the US, and India claiming nearly two-thirds of this total. Nepal is the second-largest sending market in South Asia for the US after India, and the fastest growing market overall (20% in 2017). In Australia, Nepalese enrolments grew by 60% from 2016 to 2017. More than 23,000 Nepalese are studying in Australian institutions today.

While there are fewer Nepalese students abroad than Chinese, Indians, or Vietnamese, Nepal鈥檚 outbound mobility ratio (i.e., the proportion of international students in its overall student population) is higher than the ratios of those big sending countries.

According to the World Bank, university-aged Nepalese made up more than a third of the total population in 2016 and the British Council expects Nepal to be among the top ten countries for growth in the 18鈥�22-year-old bracket over the next five years.

Ghana

Ghana鈥檚 GDP has risen faster than any other in Sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade, and analysts believe that in 2018, it may surpass even India鈥檚 growth rate. However, growth has been fuelled mostly by oil revenues and masks a history of underinvestment in the rest of the economy, including education.

Faced with a labour market in which there are an estimated 200,000 unemployed graduates but limited job opportunities beyond those in extraction industries, Ghanaian students are increasingly seeking to study abroad. Outbound students 鈥� most of whom are studying in China, the US, or the UK, with the balance distributed among institutions in Canada or Europe 鈥� number around 12,400.

As in the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, cost is the most prohibitive barrier for Ghanaians with dreams of an overseas education. The US is comparatively
expensive, and universities from a growing list of countries are beginning to recruit in Ghana. The Ghanaian newspaper Joy Online recently noted that 鈥淚t has become common for agents of schools in the United States, United Kingdom and other parts of the world to travel to Ghana to meet prospective students face-to-face. It is in sharp contrast to the past when people
had to struggle, either to travel abroad for admission or have relatives abroad facilitate the process for them.鈥�

Kuwait

Newsweek Middle East recently compared the cost for Kuwaitis of higher education in Kuwait versus the cost of studying overseas. For many fields of study, it is actually more affordable for Kuwaiti students to study overseas: 鈥淭he price tag for studying certain majors in Kuwait can be as much as double the price of studying the same major abroad.鈥�

Add to that the facts that Kuwait鈥檚 major public university, the University of Kuwait, has a serious overcapacity problem, that its private universities offer limited master鈥檚-level programmes and no PhDs, that 15鈥�34-year-olds represent more than a third of the population, and that many Kuwaiti families are very wealthy 鈥� and you have a recipe for high demand for study abroad.

Kuwaiti government statistics show that 33,000 Kuwaitis are studying abroad today, with the bulk of students in the US (12,000), Egypt (8,500), and Jordan (6,000). The remainder are in the UK (4,000), UAE (3,000), and Bahrain (2,500), with smaller numbers in Australia, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, France, and Lebanon.

The Kuwaiti government offers thousands of scholarships per year for students wanting a foreign education. In addition, many students are self-financed through the spending power of Kuwaiti families.

Egypt

Egypt is a fascinating market in international education today: an important sender of students as well as an emerging hub for students in the region. It鈥檚 also noteworthy because of where its students choose to study abroad:everywhere.

The latest UNESCO data counts 29,000 Egyptians abroad for higher education. Here鈥檚 the spread:

• More than 5,200 in UAE;
• More than 4,800 in Saudi Arabia;
• Close to 3,000 in the US;
• Close to 2,000 in France;
• Roughly 1,700 each in Germany, Qatar, and the UK;
• More than 1,000 in Malaysia, Canada, and Jordan.

All this means that Egyptian students are considering a wide range of options for study abroad. In 2017, Egypt鈥檚 Daily News reported on a survey by , a firm that helps Egyptians choose where to study. The survey showed that the US is losing ground to other countries, and that the most preferred destinations for Egyptians now are Canada, Australia, and the UK. The US is fourth, followed by Ireland, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, and New Zealand 鈥� still more evidence that the playing field is remarkably open in Egypt, a country where 40% of the population is under age 18.

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�A roadmap for building more diversity in your international enrolment鈥�
• 鈥�Five emerging markets to watch鈥�
• 鈥�Megatrend: The shift to emerging markets鈥�

The post Diversification and the next five markets appeared first on 黑料官网 Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment.

This statement opens an important new study from the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education (OBHE), and it kicks off a wide-ranging survey of the scale and shape of online learning in key markets around the world.

In Whatever Happened to the Promise of Online Learning? The State of Global Online Higher Education, the OBHE sets out case studies for 12 selected countries and regions, and finds widely varying rates of adoption and experiences of online learning across this sample:

• China
• Egypt
• England and Scotland
• India
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Saudi Arabia
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa)
• United Arab Emirates
• United State of America

The study places these markets into one of five descriptive categories as follows:

• 鈥淒istance, Not Online.鈥� These markets have a large distance learning sector but one that makes little use of of online learning (e.g. Egypt, India).
• 鈥淥nline Learning as Marginal.鈥� These education systems are characterised by strong growth in enrolment on campus, but with very modest use of online learning (e.g. Saudi Arabia, UAE and Sub-Saharan Africa).
• 鈥淏lurred Growth.鈥� The OBHE considers that these countries have a muddled online learning context, with elements of distance learning, that nevertheless is growing more quickly than conventional delivery modes (e.g. Mexico, Spain).
• 鈥淐lear Online Growth.鈥� As distinct from 鈥淏lurred Growth鈥� markets, these countries feature a clearly defined online learning sector that is growing more quickly than campus-based programming (e.g. United States).
• 鈥淧eaked/Decline.鈥� Countries belonging to this final group have seen their online enrolment flatten or even decline in recent years (e.g. England, South Korea).

Keeping those broad categorisations in mind, the following chart provides a summary of the market share of online learning, and recent growth trends, for the 12 case study countries and regions.

Estimated share of fully online, blended, and other distance students in domestic higher education, with recent-year growth trends illustrated, for case study markets, 2016. Source: OBHE

One of the questions that the study aims to explore is why online learning has grown in some markets, but not in others. In the two markets where online and distance learning are more established 鈥� the US and China 鈥� the OBHE sees some common factors at work. This essentially boils down to a systemic commitment to online learning as a means of serving student populations that might otherwise have difficulty accessing higher education, whether because of geography, affordability, or lifestyle factors (i.e., family or career commitments).

“It is striking that online learning is the subject of so much hype and speculation around the world but there is so little objective, comparative analysis of how the delivery mode is actually playing out in different countries,鈥� said report author and OBHE Director Richard Garrett. 鈥淥ur hope is that this report 鈥� and the supporting case studies 鈥� help address this gap.”

The connection to international mobility

Of particular relevance to international recruiters, the study also considers the extent of online provision across borders 鈥� that is, the scale of 鈥渧irtual international mobility鈥� where students pursue online programmes offered by an institution overseas.

鈥淸One] strand of dotcom-era enthusiasm for online learning was the notion that the technology would disrupt national higher education systems, prompting large virtual student flows across country borders,鈥� says the study report. 鈥淐hampions foresaw in online learning a way to dramatically increase access to high quality programming, addressing absolute capacity limitations in some countries and quality or cost restrictions in others.鈥�

Even acknowledging that data on cross-border enrolments is limited in many markets, the OBHE finds little evidence of growth in this area. Looking back over a decade or more, total growth in international mobility has been significant, and the volume and variety of transnational education has also expanded considerably via more conventional modes such as international branch campuses and joint or dual degree programmes.

In the following chart, we see this pattern playing out through the examples of Australia, the UK, and the US as it tracks the volume of higher education provision for inbound cross-border students, those enrolled in campus-based TNE initiatives, and those following distance or online programmes that reach across borders. The overall growth rate since 2009 is also shown for each delivery mode.

International student enrolment for 2016 in Australia, the UK, and the US by mode of delivery. Source: OBHE

In the final analysis, the report anticipates a continued variability by market going forward in terms of the pace of adoption and nature of online learning provision. The OBHE projects continued growth in the sector, buoyed in large part by the strong underlying global demand for higher education. Its view of the sector鈥檚 outlook, however, is more tempered than the revolutionary forecasts offered in the past by other observers.

鈥淔or many institutions and students, a blend of online and in-person study may be the best way forward,鈥� notes the report. 鈥淏lended learning means that online learning complements rather than competes with the traditional campus, supports learners, faculty and staff where they live (in urban areas at least), and affords creative combinations of individualised and group, online and in-person learning. This vision of online higher education aligns online and campus development. Until online learning can embody at scale the best of one-to-one and small group interaction, most students will need more than online alone.鈥�

For additional background, please see:

• 鈥�The continuing expansion of online learning in the US鈥�
• 鈥�Major MOOC providers shifting focus to fee-paying students鈥�
• 鈥�How language schools are integrating online with traditional delivery鈥�
• 鈥�Online learning still expected to pressure traditional higher education models鈥�

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