UK riots spark concerns for international student recruitment

Recent unrest across UK cities has raised fears that the country’s appeal to international students could be further damaged after a period of political turbulence.

The far-right, anti-immigration riots targeting mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers have prompted several key student source markets to issue travel warnings, potentially impacting the upcoming academic year.

India’s High Commission in London advised nationals to “stay vigilant” and “avoid areas where protests are under way”, while Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that violence has “assumed dangerous proportions” with “Muslim immigrants or persons of colour being targeted.”

Malaysia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates issued similar cautions.

Education agents have expressed concern about the potential impact on student recruitment.

Sushil Sukhwani, director of India-based agency Edwise International, stated: “This could have an impact on the present intake. It will surely create anxiety amongst students and parents from India irrespective of community.”

Sadiq Basha, chief executive and founder of Edvoy, reported that their teams across south Asia, Africa and the Middle East had been approached by “friends and recruitment partners who have expressed concerns regarding the situation”.

He added: “There is a lot of misinformation being shared, and... students and their families will be very concerned about their safety.”

The timing of these events is particularly unfortunate, according to Adam Pettit, director of partnerships at AECC Global.

“After a period of negative publicity from the UK and uncertainty around the graduate route, things were starting to look more optimistic this summer, so it’s unfortunate the anti-immigration riots have started just as the UK market was picking up,” he said.

Research from IDP has highlighted the importance of safety in international students’ decision-making processes.

In a 2024 survey, safety ranked as the third most critical factor for students, following education quality and employment opportunities.

Janet Ilieva, founder of Education Insight, commented:

“Student safety is a critical factor in students’ decisions to study abroad. It is fair to assume that safety would be even more important to their parents, who are likely to be the main funders and significantly influence their children's study choices.”

Universities are now working to reassure prospective students.

Stuart Easter, director of student recruitment and international at Edinburgh Napier University, stated they were “proactively offering support and guidance to new students who may have concerns about this, to reassure and remind them of the support services we have in place and to ensure students feel welcome during their studies.”

Dr Ilieva emphasised the importance of current students in influencing prospective applicants:

“By proactive and culturally sensitive communication with students and their parents, universities can help them feel safe and supported during a difficult time. The well-being and safety of current students are perhaps the most impactful means of reassuring prospective students.”

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