UK may review post-Brexit academic fees

KUALA LUMPUR: The British government is likely to review its tertiary education tariffs to woo foreign students to study in the United Kingdom, amid the looming Brexit uncertainty.

New British High Commissioner to Malaysia Charles Hay said it was too early to come up with a definite figure as the UK had yet to leave the European Union (EU).

“We have not begun to ‘formulate’ a post-Brexit policy and I will encourage my government to take necessary measures to encourage more Malaysians to study in the UK,” he said.

Hay said there would be a new system for foreign students studying in the UK.

It was learnt that EU students studying in the UK would receive substantial discounts of about half of the total price (tuition fees) compared with students from other regions, who were required to pay a full amount.

“When the UK leaves EU, it is open to the British government to change the tariffs,” said Hay.

The Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute Centre of Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said the British government should seriously consider looking at Asia and the Commonwealth countries, with preference for commonwealth citizens studying in the UK. “The centre of gravity is now moving to Asia and not to EU. If Brexit is confirmed, Britain must look away from the EU and focus on Asia and Africa.”

Ramon said Britain should charge Malaysian and Commonwealth students lower fees or lose out to the rest of the world. “This is because more Malaysian students may leave the UK, if the fees are raised.”

According to British Council data, about 18,000 Malaysian students study in the UK every year.

As the UK is reportedly seeking more collaborations with emerging economies in Southeast Asia, investors too are concerned about the post-Brexit policy, which will have short-term bilateral impacts on trade and investments.