During a press conference in December the Ministry of Education (MoE) was asked whether it is concerned that students going abroad to study at HE level would lead to a loss of talent. In response to this question, the MoE stated that it continues to encourage Chinese students to study abroad and that it was a student’s choice whether to return home after graduation. The MoE said that their current education policy would continuous to support study abroad with the aim of cultivating international talent.
Analysis
Whilst the MoE remains supportive of Chinese students studying abroad, the ongoing pandemic continues to be an obstacle. Chinese students and parents remain very concerned about health and safety. UK institutions should focus messaging on measures in place to keep students safe on campus as well as availability of well-being support for international students. Universities should also consider sharing the experiences of current Chinese students in the UK as well as highlighting employability prospects.