China, India major players behind doubling foreign students in UK universities in last decade India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

A recent report on the 'Patterns of Higher Education Institutions in the UK' has found that students from China and India have played a major role in almost doubling the number of foreign students at UK universities in the last decade. According to figures from universities in the UK, some 2,29,640 students were recruited from outside the European Union in 2007, compared to 1,17,290 students in 1998. Out of the figures, some 41,375 students from China were on degree courses or undertaking research at universities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2007/8, while some 23,880 students from India were registered at the same time, The Telegraph reports. Several researchers believe that the figures have almost doubled as the UK universities were challenging their counterparts in Europe, particularly in research and development, which was attracting international students. "The proportion of adults in the UK holding a degree is above average with them enjoying a better return on their qualifications than most comparable countries and as this report confirms our world class universities continue to attract the highest number of foreign students after the United States," a spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said. Apart from students from China and India, 11,250 students from Germany, 11,125 students from the United States and 8,730 students from Hong Kong were among the highest foreign nationals at universities across the UK.