Indian students in the UK satisfied with their university, says survey
The number of students going to the UK to study from India has seen a spike only recently
NEWDELHI: Indian graduates who have studied in the UK say that they earn above average salaries in their work life. 51 per cent of all Indians graduating from the UK say they earn above or well above average and 90 per cent of women in this group say they earn average or above. 87 per cent graduates were satisfied with the learning experience at their UK university. These are some of the findings of the Indian Graduate Outcomes 2019 study, conducted by Universities UK International (UUKI), a consortium of more than 130 universities from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The report was launched recently by members of the UUKI and the Uk-india Education Research Initiative (UKIERI). A delegation of senior representatives from 20 UK universities is currently in India to engage with Indian stakeholders to identify shared priorities for future collaboration particularly in education and research.
Close to 1,000 Indian students of a total of 16,000 students from different nationalities who had completed their studies between January 2011 and July 2016 were surveyed to understand their experience of studying in the UK, their satisfaction with their education and their current jobs. The top ten nationalities (as a percentage of respondents) in the study include United States of America, China, India, Germany, Nigeria, Greece, Malaysia, Italy, France and Romania representing 45 per cent of the respondent base.
“The job satisfaction of UK graduates is higher, because chances of getting the job of one’s choice markedly increases. I think this also leads to more effective work performance and logically, more recognition for one’s work. The likelihood of UK graduates working in India in managerial roles was 23 per cent higher than the global average,” said Vivienne Stern, Director, UUKI.
60 per cent of Indian respondents surveyed said they were in their current jobs because it was exactly the type of work they wanted to do, with 82 per cent saying they are satisfied or very satisfied with their careers. Indian graduates were more likely to work in smaller organisations with 35% of Indian respondents saying they worked in organisations with 1 to 49 employees. Computing/it remains the top industry where Indian graduates found work followed by education and manufacturing.
The majority of Indian respondents were aged between 25 and 39 and had studied a postgraduate taught degree in the UK. Indian respondents were more likely to have studied a postgraduate taught degree than respondents of other nationalities. 32% among these were female and 68% were male. 62% of Indian respondents returned home to work, with 16% working in the UK, 4% in the USA, 4% in the UAE, 2% in Australia and the rest working elsewhere.
The number of Indian and international students heading to UK for an education is on the rise. There has been a 42 per cent increase in the number of Indian students going to the UK for studies, in one year according to the latest immigration statistics released by the UK Home Office.
Globally, 90 per cent of UK graduates are satisfied or very satisfied with all aspects of their lives, beyond just careers, with 82 per cent of respondents feeling that studying in the UK is worth the investment.
Further, 81 per cent of graduates felt they would not have been able to get their job without their UK degree, with 1 in 4 saying that a UK education was the most important thing to their employer. Over time, the number of graduates that believe they earn a higher than average salary increases, indicating a faster than average salary progression for UK graduates in their home countries. 69 per cent of respondents feel that having a UK degree meant they could progress more quickly than peers educated elsewhere.
“Students across the world increasingly want a holistic exposure to the real world of work and life. The UK has a diverse, world-leading higher education system which focusses on employability and equips students with real world skills. UK universities are known for the culture of openness and innovation they foster. International students and particularly Indian students are made to feel at home in the cosmopolitan, warm atmosphere, both on and off campus, which contributes to a wonderful student experience,” added Vivienne.
Aakshi Vashisht, a recent graduate of the University of Liverpool and currently education consultant at SI-UK, echoed this sentiment at the report launch. According to her the USP of studying at a UK university is not just a world-class degree or education but a world-class personality.
THE MAJORITY OF INDIAN RESPONDENTS WERE AGED BETWEEN 25 AND 39 AND HAD STUDIED A POSTGRADUATE TAUGHT DEGREE IN THE UK