Bis research paper number 128 The wider benefits of international higher education in the uk

5.1.3 Distinctive pedagogy: A motivation for study in the UK 
Alumni’s original intentions for study in the UK were not investigated systematically during 
this research, partly because this had been covered quantitatively in the preceding i-GO 
study (BIS, 2012). However, as part of our investigation of how their UK HE study was 
positioned within alumni’s career trajectories, in the interviews we sought some information 
about study motivations and, in particular, reasons for choosing the UK for it.
The alumni were roughly evenly split between those who applied only to the UK and those 
who applied to the UK as well as other countries, dominantly the USA and less commonly 
79 

---

The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK 
Australia (and also Spain, mostly by Latin Americans). The reasons most popularly cited 
for selecting the UK (only, or over the USA) were:

Expected personal ‘fit’ with the UK culture and environment – the graduate (and/or their 
family) had felt that they would personally be more comfortable in the UK, sometimes 
on the basis of direct family experience. Several cited the perceived safety of the UK 
and its HE environment, in comparison with their perceptions of the USA. Others had 
thought the fit would be better as they were not very outgoing or extrovert, or due to 
their particularly thoughtful personality. 

Expected ‘fit’ with the UK education system – some from Commonwealth countries 
thought it would be easier to be apply successfully to a UK HE course, and that it would 
be more straightforward to undertake it, due to the greater congruence of education 
and qualifications between their country and the UK. 

Perceived quality of HE – some graduates had simply felt the UK offered the ‘best’ HE 
opportunities, again particularly amongst those from Commonwealth countries. This 
was rarely articulated with much concrete understanding of how UK HE might be 
different or better from other options, but International Student Barometer research 
suggests that teaching quality or (perceived) learning experience are the biggest 
differentiators for international students when comparing potential HE providers, along 
with perceptions of HEI reputations.
3
 

Format and cost – the single-year format of UK taught Masters courses was very 
attractive to many, in comparison with the 2-year courses offered by most competitor 
nations. Most citing this factor had seen the benefit as a major financial saving, in 
comparison with costs over two years, even if the annual fees were somewhat higher in 
some cases. Some also stated that they had preferred to be away from their home 
country for the shorter period.
One American graduate applied similar reasoning to her choice of a 3-year BA course in 
the UK, as even with international fees this would be cheaper than home fees for a 4-year 
course in a US institution of (as she saw it) comparable quality. 
Many alumni reflected on what they perceived to be the distinctive pedagogical style of 
their UK HE studies, in comparison with their prior HE in their home country. They 
articulated this style as less formal, more open and more participatory, and especially the 
deliberate invitation of discussion and challenge. While some had found this disconcerting 
when they first encountered it, almost all who mentioned it now considered it to have been 
a very positive characteristic of their study, and something from which they personally 
benefited. Several compared this style with the more directed learning on offer in their 
home country (where students expected to 
“sit back and be given knowledge”
).
Perceptions of this distinctive style did appear to have permeated into some graduates’ 
motivations for choosing study in the UK, as they alluded to perceived differences with 
courses in the USA where they felt postgraduates might well “
receive more knowledge
” but 
not develop their own ability to analyse, challenge, research and ultimately learn further. 
80 
3
Unpublished feedback to Kingston University

---

The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK 
This also applied to those considering PhD programmes. This perception was held by 
more graduates than had actually experienced US HE for themselves (which was very 
few). It was also interesting that these graduates assumed the style was generic to the UK, 
and applied the argument irrespective of their chosen HE institution. 
A number of alumni, reflecting on their experience of UK HE, were sufficiently positive 
about their learning experience to harbour personal intentions at some stage to teach 
“
properly
” (i.e. in a same way) at a university in their home country, so that others could 
benefit from the same style of learning.
The combination of a shorter course format and ‘better’ (as some perceived it) potential 
personal learning benefit comprised much of their rationale for recommending UK HE to 
others, in addition to the more generic benefits of study overseas.