Memorandum submitted by British Council,
Turkey
1. This note sets out a broad analysis of
the Turkish demand for UK higher education (UKHE) and the opportunities
for the British Council over the next few years.
BACKGROUND
2. Stringent economic policies since 2000
have helped bring economic stability to Turkey. In the first 3
quarters of 2007 the economy grew by 4% whilst the inflation rate
was kept at 8.5%. In the first half of 2007 the GDP growth was
5.3%
INCREASING DEMAND
FOR HIGHER
EDUCATION
3. The increase in wealth and living standards
for a small but significant element of the Turkish population
has allowed a growing number of Turkish parents to take more responsibility
for the education of their children through private school education,
extra tuition and overseas study.
4. This is in part a response to the significant
salary differential between those who complete higher education
and those who complete only secondary level education. The former
achieve 80% higher disposable annual income—a larger differential
than most developed countries.
PROBLEMS WITH
SUPPLY
5. In addition, there are around six million
people aged 17-21. This group represents a huge demand on a higher
education system which is already significantly over-subscribed.
In 2007, 1.5 million students applied to enter Turkish Higher
education of which less than half a million were actually placed.
This shortfall represents a considerable potential market for
UK institutions.
6. There are currently 120 universities
in Turkey, 85 of which are state universities and 35 of which
are private foundation universities. More universities are being
planned and developed but it is a relatively slow process as there
has to be the parallel development of qualified teaching staff.
It is unlikely that Turkey will be able to absorb the number of
young people seeking higher education in the foreseeable future.
7. 65% of Turkey's 71 million population
are under 35. These young people have the potential to support
workforces in Western European, but only if they receive the education
and training to equip them for the modern work place.
TURKISH STUDENTS
IN THE
UK
8. Turkish demand for UK higher education
has seen a 50% growth over the last three years. There are currently
1,515 Postgraduate students and 845 Undergraduate students from
Turkey studying in the UK. The number of Turkish students studying
in the FE sector in the UK peaked around 2000 but has seen a sharp
decline since this appears to be the result of the increased provision
of vocational training in Turkey.
9. The USA is undoubtedly the market leader
in the provision of higher education and a high proportion of
Turkish Ministry of National Education scholarships are awarded
to students choosing to study in there. Turkey has had strong
political ties with the USA since the 1950s, when many Turkish
high schools and universities adopted the US education system.
Germany's close ties with Turkey mean it is the second-most popular
study destination. The UK is third in terms of market share.
10. Turkey is primarily a word-of-mouth
recruitment market where a long-term commitment is required from
UK institutions to establish a presence within the market place.
The most successful UK institutions are not those highest in the
rankings—but those that have been active in Turkey.
BRITISH COUNCIL
IN TURKEY
The British Council was established in Turkey
in 1940. Now we operate centres in Ankara and Istanbul and a contact
point in Izmir. We employ 53 country-appointed staff and nine
UK staff. The total turnover for last year was £6 million
comprising £3.85 million of grant-in-aid from the FCO and
£2.15 million contract and customer income. Our activity
in-country includes:
— administering more than 30 Chevening
awards each year;
— managing £200,000 of FCO Global
Opportunities Fund projects;
— online training for Turkish educational
agents to promote the UK as the destination of choice;
— briefings for UK higher and further
education institutions exhibiting at education fairs;
— creating a web-based training package
for teachers of English in primary schools which meets the training
needs of 40,000 teachers in Turkey;
— managing a vocational English skills
project reaching 65,000 students in 100 schools;
— coordinating a series of summer schools
for 700 teachers of English in Turkey's provincial cities; and
— delivering 20,000 English and professional
exams a year.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
THE UK EDUCATION
SECTOR
11. Whilst the Higher Education Council
in Turkey is unlikely to allow open access to trans-national education
(ie UK education being offered directly in Turkey) there are increasing
opportunities for UK institutions to develop joint and dual diplomas
with UK institutions and the British Council is committed to encouraging
the development of the partnership arrangements.
12. For example, the University of Abertay
Dundee and Izmir University of Economics will launch a dual diploma
Masters programme, MSc in Computer Gaming and Technology, in October
2008. This will be based on a two-year programme with two terms
spent at each university, and incorporating student internships
over the summer months. Other course areas are being explored
for joint delivery at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels.
13. The Turkish Government is also seeking
to expand opportunities for Higher Education via the development
of joint ventures with a number of EU countries. The Turkish Ministry
for Foreign Affairs (MFA) has approached the British Embassy to
express interest in a joint venture UK-Turkey university, a key
proposal of the UK-Turkey Strategic Partnership signed by the
Turkish and British Prime Ministers in October 2007.
14. There is likely to be an increased demand
for UK educational goods and services in the area of vocational
education and training as Turkey seeks to address its systemic
problems. This issue is particularly crucial for the development
of skilled workers in an increasingly globalised economy, where
Turkish industry is in direct competition with India and China.
There is likely to be increased government and EU spending on
projects around the development of vocational education and training.
15. One example of the value of the UK expertise
is the fact that an Izmir Vocational School will be established
in 2009 to provide Scottish Qualifications Authority SQA endorsed
vocational qualifications delivered in Turkish. This project has
taken shape over the last year and is driven by the recognised
need for Turkish young people to gain transferable skills to be
employable.
16. The British Council is doing considerable
work in the area, linking with UK awarding bodies, authorities
and institutions to support the aspirations of Turkish government
and industry and to further position the UK in terms of this important
potential market.
17. Turkey is a strong market for English
language provision—either through language schools based
in Turkey or for courses of a variety of lengths in the UK. English
UK are active in the market and attend education fairs and provide
familiarisation tours for student counsellors and education agents.
23 March 2008
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