Access

As stated in the report NCUK launched last week, together with Nous and the IC Global, The Impact and Benefits of International Pathways, pathway provision expands the diverse pool of students who can study overseas.

It broadens access and provides a route for students who need further academic or language support, or a bridge between local qualifications and destination countries’ education systems. For example, where students may have completed 12 rather than 13 years of secondary education.

Unlike any other pathway provider, NCUK was originally formed by a consortium of universities in 1987 for a specific purpose; to broaden access to higher education for international students.

We are born from the sector, and we are proud of our pathway routes; routes that are essential to standardising international education, providing international students with a well-rounded foundation for success in future academic studies.

Stability

It is unlikely that the currently volatile international market will become more predictable and stable over the next decade. Geo-political instability, shifting demographics and economic headwinds will continue to cause challenge for the sector.

The overall international higher education market in the UK alone generated approximately £37.4bn in 2021/22, of which pathway provision accounted for at least £830m.

Given the challenges described above, pathway provision gives universities an additional stable channel of recruitment which they can trust, supporting sustainable growth.

Typically, a given university agrees with a pathway provider to progress an agreed number of international students from a diverse range of countries, giving confidence in numbers in advance.

While this will vary year to year and is limited by the size of the student pool in those countries and the provider’s ability to recruit, it is a reliable stream.

Diversity                         

Diversification is a key goal in the UK government’s International Education Strategy, and at the heart of any university’s purpose is the drive to bring people from different backgrounds together; together in environments where they are encouraged to share their experiences so they can broaden understanding; and encouraged to share views so they can grow knowledge.

NCUK’s pathway programs are taught in over 120 schools, colleges and universities across 40 different countries and territories worldwide.

We go to the student with our pathway offer, and by default, we are international, we are diverse and we understand our students well – no matter their background.

This means we can really advocate for them, helping to nurture and support them on their journey.

Pathway providers operating in-country can provide a strong pipeline of international students from a diverse range of countries, supporting universities to reduce over reliance on specific markets. This helps universities to reach international students from new markets, where they have not been historically active, and to protect themselves against fluctuations resulting from events affecting particular countries that impact on international student demand.

In 2023, NCUK progressed pathway students from 77 different countries to its partner universities. As per the name of a campaign I led in my previous role at Universities UK International, one close to my heart, #WeAreInternational – and we are proud of it.

Success

Pathway providers embed English language tuition in their programs with the dual purpose of ensuring that students have the academic English ability and skills to succeed in their studies at university, and can navigate day-to-day life in an English-speaking country. It ensures international students are adequately prepared to meet all requirements of the course they progress on to.

At NCUK, we work with our university partners to set clear and transparent entry requirements for our students. Every individual pathway student’s journey is different, and we want to ensure they have the best chance of preparing for and succeeding at university.

“We need to gather more in-depth data on the outcomes of our students so we can further demonstrate the value of pathway routes”

Some 81% of our International Foundation Year program students (2021/22) passed and achieved the equivalent of 96 UCAS points (the equivalent of CCC), with 35% achieving over 144 points (the equivalent of AAA) and 70% progressing to graduate with a 2:1 or higher. We are proud of our students’ successes.

We need to gather more in-depth data on the outcomes of our students so we can further demonstrate the value of pathway routes in this context. This is acknowledged as an issue across the sector as we no longer collect enough information on international graduate outcomes.

Pathway routes bring many benefits.

Every student is different, and first and foremost, pathways support students with different needs, from different backgrounds and education systems around the world, empowering them to achieve their university ambitions. As our CEO, Stuart Smith, recently stated: “We should celebrate the power and impact of pathway routes in transforming lives through education.”

• You can read, The Power and Impact of International Pathways, here. 

About the author: Andy Howells is the Chief Marketing Officer at NCUK, a leading global pathway provider. He joined in November 2023, having previously held senior marketing and communications posts at Universities UK International, the University of Southampton and Royal Holloway, University of London.

He has worked in the sector for more than 15 years, leading his teams to multiple awards wins for marketing and PR campaigns. His claim to fame is delivering his second child, in his car, in a supermarket car park during Covid lockdowns!