The latest news shows that the UK government could ask Brussels for an extension of article 50 and that there is a possibility the EU will endure an extension until 31 March 2020.
If that be the case, April Fools’ Day could actually become the very first day for the UK to be outside of the European Union.
As the country prepares to leave the EU, the UK government is planning manoeuvers that could help English people come to terms with the new changes just around the corner.
The UK Government’s initiative
As a matter of fact, one of the biggest ambitions is to boost international student numbers in the UK. To make this possible, the UK government has announced a new international education strategy.
The centre of the new UK International Education Strategy is to increase international students numbers by 30% to push up the economic impact of the industry by 2030 and, in this way, strengthen its status as a world leader in education.
The manoeuvre points to boost the sector’s role in the global market. In doing so, the UK will be at the same time increasing its education offer and attracting more international students.
But how to attract international students?
One of the bedrocks of the strategy aims to continue attracting international students and it consists of three important steps:
- Improve the visa process
- Extend the post-study work visa
- Support students employability
The new policy, included in the immigration white paper announced in late 2018, will give bachelor’s and master’s graduates six months and PhDs a year of post-study work leave.
These improvements will send a clear message of welcome, although Universities will keep seeking for a more generous provision.
In addition, the strategy foresees a collaboration across government departments on international education policy that aims to promote the UK internationally and to create real benefits for students across the globe.
The plan is to increase the number of international students from 458k to 600k by 2030 and to raise the £20bn a year generated by education export and transnational activities to £35bn over the next 10 years.
Thanks to the new international education strategy, the government hopes to promote the UK as “the premier destination for English language learning” and to retain links with Europe, while strengthening the profile of the education sector in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
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