Internationalisation of Higher Education and UK Universities: Deficiencies and Opportunities

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:30 in Discussion Forums

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Prof Nick Foskett

Where: Keele Hall, Keele University
Date: 18 January 2012
Time: 12:30-14:00
With: Professor Nick Foskett, Vice-Chancellor, Keele University

Abstract

Education as a mechanism to improve the quality of life both in individual and social level deserves bigger highlight these days in which the British society among others has been burdened with the loads of the recent global economic crisis. As a result of the crisis, a bitter pill to swallow namely cuts in public budget has affected the public consciousness critically especially due to those problems related to educational sector. In this context of economic depression, social unrest has reached such a degree that thousands of students, teachers and academics attended demonstrations to protest the dramatic reduction of public support for education particularly for university fees. Moreover, in the near future, this problem might give birth to other social problems regarding not only the youth but also the wider British society concerning the decline in the rates and efficiency of higher education as well as quality of labour market. This round table discussion aims to shed light on the current problem of financing higher education in the UK. In this respect, “internationalization” approach to higher education will be brought to the table as a possible remedy for the side effects of the recent economic measures. Can internationalization suggest new opportunities to enhance British higher education regime?

Biography of Prof Nick Foskett

Professor Nick Foskett has been Vice-Chancellor of Keele University since August 2010. Previously he was Dean of the Faculty of Law, Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Southampton, where he was also Professor of Education and, previously, Head of the School of Education. Professor Foskett's academic expertise lies broadly in the field of educational policy and leadership, with a particular focus on higher education and further education. His internationally recognised research has considered a number of specific themes:

The marketisation of education
Educational and career choice processes by young people, including the nature and impact of the funding of students in HE
Widening participation
The management and leadership of Schools, Colleges and Universities
The interface of government policy and the management of educational institutions
The internationalisation of higher education
Capacity building in Universities in the developing world

His work in these fields has included many national and international invitations as a keynote speaker, and work as a consultant to government both in the UK and overseas and on the development of policy in fields such as HE fees, widening participation and educational careers advisory systems.