Higher Digital in UK and Europe
Higher Education is relatively universal, and all Higher Education is experiencing the impact of Covid-19, though there are nuances in the challenges and priorities being faced within this region. Higher Digital is ready to offer locally tailored services to help you in your Digital Transformation journey.
As examples, let us reconsider the 3 key challenges facing Universities in the UK as impacted by Covid-19.
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Global Competition
Competition has become fiercer as international student recruitment has taken a heavy toll from Covid-19; the Financial Times reports that institutions are preparing to lose potentially 50 per cent to 75 per cent of their international students. UK Universities face significant competition for students from the Far East, Middle East, and South Asia—notably from Australia, Canada and the USA. But according to John McNamara, global research manager for international education services at the British Council, “It might not just be about the major English-speaking destinations being the UK’s competitors; it might increasingly be countries like China and Malaysia.”1 Higher Digital will benchmark your University against peer institutions, then apply our unique insight to produce recommendations for improving your relative standing.
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Rising Student Expectations
Students are demanding better value for their money and a better student experience. But Institutions have been forced to hastily introduce Remote Learning as a response to the pandemic and many will continue this path for the next academic year. Higher Digital’s emphasis on Digital Transformation puts the student at the forefront. We are prepared to provide advice in areas such as User Experience and Distance Education to enable your institution to better serve its students.
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Increasing Costs
Higher Education requires more and more investment, yet your ability to grow revenues is hampered. Indeed, the US experience anticipates that tuition fees may need to be reduced to satisfy students. And in the UK, The National Union of Students (NUS) is campaigning for a Student Safety Net, stating that “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an economic crash and students are being hit hard.” Such a Student Safety Net would impact both costs and revenue if it were introduced. Higher Digital’s (SEA)results® can help you focus investment in areas which will bring the best returns, mitigating the impact on services of any fee reductions or extended academic periods.
1 “Asia ‘may compete with UK’ on international students post-Covid”, Times Higher Education, Ellie Bothwell, June 12 2020.
