session 6.03

PREPARATORY PATHWAY

PROGRAMMES: WHY AND HOW?

Welcome to session 06.03

Ronda, Level 1, Fibes 1, Thursday 14 September 2017, 11.30-12.30

• Gunilla Carlecrantz

Senior Adviser External Relations

Division of External Relations

Lund University, Sweden

• Suzanne Alexander

Director, International Office

University of Leicester, UK

Welcome and introductions

• The changing environment and context

• Why engage in preparatory pathway

programmes: pros and cons

• How to engage in preparatory pathway

programmes: creating a real partnership

September 22, 2017 Slide 3

Session overview

The changing environment

and context


• Preparatory pathway programme

A programme of study designed to build an academic

“bridge”, combining English language preparation, study

skills and some academic content for students who do

not yet meet the standard for admission to their chosen

degree programme

• Third party provider partnerships are contractual

agreements between universities/colleges and private

sector entities to provide these pathway programme


Definitions

Preparatory pathway programmes

(PPPs)Depending on scope and provider, these may be called:

• (International) Foundation course/programme

• Pathway course/programme

• Gateway course/programme

• University preparation course/programme

• Access course/programme

• Bridging course/programme

• Embedded course/programme

• Integrated course/programme

• Pre-Master’s course/programme

• …

Who works at a University/College which:

- already has a pathway programme with a private provider?

- offers its own in-house pathway programme?

- is considering a pathway programme with a private provider?

- is considering its own in-house pathway programme?

- has decided not to offer a pathway programme(so far)?

- has not yet discussed pathway programmes?

Who works for a pathway provider?


Some questions for you …

The global context

• 3.8 million mobile higher education students globally by 2024

• India and China will contribute 35% of the global growth in

international students

• The USA, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Canada will

continue to be the world’s major destinations for international

students

• Big bilateral student flows will continue to be from China and

India to traditional host markets such as the USA, UK and

Australia

• Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan, Iraq, Brazil, Turkey and

Indonesia will emerge as important source markets.

• China - as well as other European and Asian countries - could

become significant host countries in the next ten yearsSource: ”The future of the world’s mobile students to 2024”

British Council, 2013


Top host destinations for international

students: 2001 and 2016

Source: Project Atlas,

Institute of International Education


Global education balance by region

Source: Project Atlas and UNESCO

How does the market work?

• Recruitment of (fee-paying) international students can be divided

into four main sources:

1 Students applying directly

2 Students recruited through agents

3 Students recruited through partnerships:

education institutions, sponsors (such as governments,

scholarship funding bodies)

4 Student recruited through preparatory pathway programmes

• The balance of recruitment from these different sources varies

considerably: for example, by source country, host country,

institution, level of study

Who is involved in PPPs?

• Differ in scope and content, depending on individual universities’

need(s)

• Relatively new trend which has grown primarily to attract more

international (fee-paying) students, mainly in the UK and

Australia, but is growing also in the USA and the rest of Europe

• ”Russell Group” in the UK (http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/): only

four out of 24 not offering a preparatory programme

• In Australia, all of the Group of Eight (https://go8.edu.au/) are

offering some kind of preparatory programme

• Some offer in-house programmes, but many are collaborating

with an external provider

http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/

https://go8.edu.au/

Why engage in PPPs?

Pros and cons


• Internationalisation

• Increase international student numbers quickly and

without substantial investment

• Access to pathway providers’ recruitment networks

(agents, in-country offices, admissions hub/centre)

• Widening participation


Main reasons for considering PPPs

• Concerns about academic standards

• Concerns about loss of control over admissions and

recruitment process (quality and autonomy)

• Contract terms with third party provider (duration,

investment required)

• Concerns about impact on institution

(staffing/HR issues, morale, ethical issues)

• Concerns about legal constraints – is it allowed?

• Prefer to develop own in-house course(s)


Main reasons for not considering PPPs

Pros

• Cost-effectiveness

• Quick results

• Specialist expertise

• Customer service

• Recruitment networks

• Market access

• Market competitiveness

• Low financial risk

• Low investment requirements

• Enhanced visibility and

branding

Cons

• Conflicting cultures

• Competing objectives

• Staff resistance

• Student resistance

• Quality concerns

• Uncertain financial benefits

• Reputational/brand risks

• Potential in-house competition

(with ELP courses)

• Loss of autonomy

• Accountability gaps between

provider and institution


Outsourcing: pros and cons

• Do the risks outweigh the benefits?

• Like all risks, they have to be assessed - and managed

• Decisions about PPPs have implications for admission, recruitment, student support servicesas well as strategy and leadership

• For many institutions PPPs raise some very fundamental questions about- institutional mission and values- core and non-core activities- engagement and relationships with

international students- guaranteed progression


Decisions, decisions

How to engage in preparatory

pathway programmes:

creating a real partnership


Steps towards a partnership

• Identifying our needs and objectives

• Reviewing the options

• Securing buy-in and support from colleagues

• Selecting the partner

• Securing buy-in at University level

• Negotiating the agreement

• Managing the partnership relationship

• Maintaining buy-in and support from academic and

administrative colleagues, and from senior management

“Them and us”

• Ideological/cultural and operational differences

- ways of working

- decision-making

- approaches and attitudes to new developments

- staffing and continuity

- timescales and responsiveness

- management styles

- ownership of issues and problems

• Misunderstandings, misperceptions and assumptions

• Communication!

The lessons we have learned …

• Secure ownership and buy-in across the whole

University - not just from the project champion(s)

• Understand (and respect) your own institutional culture -

be patient but persistent

• Select a compatible partner, and ensure that each

partner knows what the other wants from the relationship

• Present a convincing and realistic business plan

• Ensure continuing commitment to the management and

development of the relationship (including resources)

• Recognise what is an opportunity - and what isn’t!

Thank you!

Questions and comments?


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