Education System of the UK
In recent years, the education system has been internationalized and each year millions of international students study in the UK or make study in the UK. At the second position, international students prefer the USA in the world to study in English-language (Bhatia and Dash, 2011).
The essay topic is important to develop an understanding of the UK’s education system. The aim of this essay is to provide an understanding of the international education system, especially the UK’s education system. This study discusses the advantage and disadvantage of the education system of the UK for international students.
The UK education system is evaluated and compared with the education system of India. Finally, this study provides a recommendation about an effective international education system and issues faced by Indian students to accept the UK’s education system.
B. Viewpoints of Indian student and education system of UK
As per the viewpoint of an Indian student, the UK’s education system is well recognized worldwide and it is well ranked in concern to education quality, use of technology, and satisfaction level of the student.
On the other hand, Wilkins et al., (2013) stated that Indian student also prefers the UK for their higher education because the employer prefers the degree completed in the UK’s universities.
In addition, a number of universities or colleges are available in the UK for higher education which keeps high rank in QA World Ranking, Times Higher Education Ranking and Academic Ranking of world Universities that also attracts more students in the UK (Verbik, 2015). Indian students face several issues and challenges in the UK regarding its education system.
Indian education system
Kaiser et al. (2014) define that Indian education system is third largest higher education system in the world that is governed by University Grants Commission. Currently, it has more than 800 universities that provide educational degrees to the international students at affordable cost.
This education system also enforces the higher standards of transparency and rising the educational sector related to IT and engineering sectors (Phillips and Schweisfurth, 2014). In addition to this, there are several weaknesses of Indian college education system where it provides less human resources in the education department.
For example, in olden days, the government colleges in Telangana had limited human resource in the education department, due to this, single employee has several responsibility and charge of department such as sport department, administration work, teaching, etc. (Azharuddin, 2016).
But nowadays, it is identified that the government employed a large number of personnel to handle administration and departmental work to improve education quality in college in India.
UK education system
As per the research of Singal et al. (2011), it is identified that the education system of the UK is divided as per the geographical location of the country like Wales, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland. All these systems applied separate rules and regulations for their education system like individual laws and regulation, qualification system, etc.
On the other hand, Souto-Otero et al., (2013) depicted that the education system in both India and the UK has categorized into four separate categories like primary, secondary, higher and further education. According to the research of King et al. (2011), it can be defined that the term education system refers to schooling in public or high school education programs.
Conversely, it can be said that primary and secondary education system has key different for international students that show diversity. In this study, college education is selected to describe the education system.
B1. Advantages and disadvantages of the UK education system for an International student
Mehta et al. (2014) explained that the UK’s college education system provides a good opportunity to an Indian student where it can get a high-quality education with practical knowledge.
It is very important for a student to get a high-quality education to get success in their life because it provides an opportunity for the student that they could be hired by a good employer in their professional life. For example, UK’s college education provides an opportunity to share their talent in sports, and curriculum activities.
On the other hand, it is depicted by King et al. (2011) that the UK’s college education system provides good quality education, but it is necessary for the student that it must pre-define their objective of life. Woodhead et al. (2013) also described that most of the students do not decide what they want to become exactly in their life.
Due to this, they can miss the opportunity of a successful life because the UK education system provides too little time to learn and pass their degree.
From the research of Boliver (2013), it can be said that the UK’s college education system also provides an opportunity to the Indian students where they can complete their study with scholarships to get good financial support. For example, Indian students can apply for scholarships that are financially able to complete their study abroad like the UK.
In support of this, Brabazon (2016) stated in their study that most colleges in the UK are offering merit-based scholarship program and opportunities of funding in order to support the international student’s study and cost of living costs.
Beside this, Harland and Heppenstall, (2012), depicted in their study that the study in the UK is highly costly for the Indian students who have not received any financial support as a scholarship from the country as well as UK’s universities.
For example, Indian students have to pay expenses related to travel, tuition, books, utilities, room and broadband, local transportation, etc. that becomes a much higher cost for the Indian students. However, it can be said that the cost is a major issue for Indian students to complete their study in the UK.
Warwick (2014) correctly identified in their study that the UK’s college education system provides a unique diversified culture to international students. In this, Indian students have the chance to experience a multicultural environment by meeting international students.
It is the most effective place to develop an understanding of diversified culture because the universities in the UK include students from several countries. On the other hand, Croxford and Raffe (2015) depicted that the Indian students in the UK face different issues regarding language as well as culture shock.
Wilkins et al. (2013) also defined that a study in the classroom requires an effective communication system among the students to clear their problem and issues facing. However, it can be said that the language barrier in the classroom can also increase the conflict and issues among the students from a different culture.
Reasons
- Education quality is very important for the potential success of the student in their professional life (Warwick, 2014). Indian students can be impacted by the education quality that develops the skills and knowledge of the student.
- Cultural diversity is also an important reason that can be considered by a student to get success. It provides skills and knowledge to students related to different geographical areas. The international student can gain the advantage to obtain a job in professional life to achieve success.
B2. How does it compare to the education system in India?
The college education system of the UK can be compared with the college education system of Indian in several aspects. In concern to this, Verbik (2015), defined in their study that India is also providing a good opportunity to the international students to complete their study at a lower cost as well as with using good technology.
The Indian education system provides a vast and diverse environment for the international students that are affordable for them as compared to universities in the USA, Australia, UK, NZ, and Canada. But Nedbalová et al. (2014) depicted that the study in India by international students can be challenging to search for jobs in a most reputed organization in the global world.
On the other hand, Indian students can face issues related to living in the country but lots of things attract them to study in Indian universities and colleges. For example, India has a great history in regards to diversity like cultural diversity, language diversity, traditions and natural beauty that are most attractive to international students.
Bhatia and Dash (2011) identified that the technology and innovation sector of India’s rapidly growing that also attracts the students in the subject of management, philosophy, politics, classics, and management in college education.
However, it can be said that the Indian education system can be compared with the UK’s or other country’s college education system. There are some portions that can compare the UK’s education system with the Indian education system:
- As per the findings of Brown and Carasso (2013), it is identified that the UK’s education system focuses on the practical knowledge that allows students to develop creativity and Beside this, Johnson and Adams (2011) depicted that Indian education system mostly focuses on theoretical understanding instead of practical skill development.
- In addition, the formal education process is followed by Indian universities that is a part of a person’s routine due to this the international students only get a degree in information technology, history, management, culture development, and medical sector. On the other side, Robertson et al. (2012) said that universities in the UK have only aimed to improve skills and learning process of international students.
- At the same time, Singal et al. (2011) also defined that the UK education system includes curriculum activities to improve skills and learning like sports, arts, etc. that is not available in the Indian education system that differentiates it.
- According to McGettigan (2013), the international students have limited options in India continue their study such as management, art, science, and commerce, whereas UK education provides equal chance to study and sport for the success of the student.
- Students in Indian universities have the force to follow the educational trend of the country such as a study gets good marks in medical and engineering then they can only have the opportunity to take admission in the medical and engineering (Woodhead et al. 2013.). On the other hand, UK universities provide freedom to take admission as per their interest.
Comparisons
- The main comparison is related to the quality of the study system. For example, Indian college education system provides the theoretical knowledge and UK’s college education system provides the practical knowledge and skill development. In support to this, Robertson et al. (2012) defined that the quality in study is necessary to be successful in professional life.
- The Indian college education system includes only limited options of the study. For example, study in management, art, science, and commerce. On the other hand, UK college education provides equal chance to study and sport for the success of the student such as Cricket, Football, paintings, singings, dancing, etc. (McGettigan, 2013). The students can make their career in art also.
a. Changes that would be recommended for the education system in India
From the above discussion, it can be recommended that the Indian education system should focus on the practical as well as theoretical concepts. Though this, Indian universities will focus on creativity and innovation.
In addition to this, the Indian education system should be aimed to improve the skills and learning process of the students by applying several curriculum activities such as art and sports activities.
In addition to this, it will also be helpful for the student to develop their career in other areas like Boxing, Hockey, Cricket as well as other interesting areas in the art (Middlehurst, 2014). However, it can be recommended that the Indian education system should adopt different curriculum activities to make successful to the students in their life.
In addition to this, it is recommended that the Indian government should provide free of cost education to the students who are from low cost. In concern to this, Croxford and Raffe (2015) suggested that the government should allow the amount of the fund for the primary schools to provide free of cost education to the student.
At the same time, the Indian education system also focuses on the other options for the study except for management, science, commerce, and art to encourage a number of International students in the country (Schweisfurth, 2013).
In regards to this, the government should provide equal weight to education and sport to produce more successful students from their universities. It is also recommended that the Indian education system should also implement new technology in classrooms to increase the creativity of the students.
b. Evaluation of why and how they could implement these changes
On the basis of the above recommendation, it can be said that all the recommendations should be followed by the government of India. It is necessary to develop the country because the current students will be a new profession in the country and they will make an effective decision for the development of the country (Phillips, and Schweisfurth, 2014).
In addition to this, the implementation of the recommended challenges also necessary to improve employment for their students in the future. Below points are defining how the government of India could implement these changes:
- By effectively implementing the education laws in the country
- By providing betterment in government schools
- By eliminating the reservation system in education on the basis of the cast
- By implementing technological changes in schools and provide ecology-based education
- Development of health education among the people of the country through their education system (Robertson et al., 2012)
- Implementation of the better syllabus and practical knowledge among the students
On the basis of the above study, it can be concluded that the UK education system includes several advantages and disadvantages for their international students where cost and language are most.
On the other hand, this study also provides differences between the education system of the UK and India, where it is found that the international student more prefers the UK’s education system instead of the Indian education system. The main reason identified that the quality of UK education system is higher.
At the same time, this study also provided some recommendations that should be implemented by the Indian education system to provide an effective shape for the UK’s education system. Finally, the study has concluded that this education system can be implemented the recommendation to improve the performance of students in their life.
Bhatia, K. and Dash, M.K., 2011. A demand of value based higher education system in India: A comparative study. Journal of Public Administration and Policy Research, 3(5), pp.156-173.
Boliver, V., 2013. How fair is access to more prestigious UK universities?. The British journal of sociology, 64(2), pp.344-364.
Brabazon, T., 2016. The University of Google: Education in the (post) information age. Routledge.
Brown, R. and Carasso, H., 2013. Everything for sale? The marketisation of UK higher education. Routledge.
Croxford, L. and Raffe, D., 2015. The iron law of hierarchy? Institutional differentiation in UK higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 40(9), pp.1625-1640.
Gupta, D. and Gupta, N., 2012. Higher education in India: structure, statistics and challenges. Journal of education and Practice, 3(2).
Harland, K. and Heppenstall, A.J., 2012. Using Agent-Based Models for Education Planning: Is the UK Education System Agent Based?. In Agent-based models of geographical systems (pp. 481-497). Springer, Dordrecht.
Johnson, L. and Adams, S., 2011. Technology Outlook for UK Tertiary Education 2011-2016: An NMC Horizon Report Regional Analysis (pp. 1-22). The New Media Consortium.
Kaiser, F., Maassen, P., Meek, L., van Vught, F., de Weert, E. and Goedegebuure, L. eds., 2014. Higher education policy: An international comparative perspective. Elsevier.
Kapur, D., 2012. Indian higher education. In The Globalization of Higher Education (pp. 177-208). Palgrave Macmillan, London.
King, R. and Raghuram, P., 2013. International student migration: Mapping the field and new research agendas. Population, Space and Place, 19(2), pp.127-137.
King, R., Marginson, S. and Naidoo, R. eds., 2011. Handbook on globalization and higher education. Edward Elgar Publishing.
McGettigan, A., 2013. The great university gamble: Money, markets and the future of higher education (p. p102). London: Pluto Press.
Mehta, N., Verma, P. and Seth, N., 2014. Total quality management implementation in engineering education in India: an interpretive structural modelling approach. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 25(1-2), pp.124-140.
Middlehurst, R., 2014. Higher education research agendas for the coming decade: a UK perspective on the policy–research nexus. Studies in Higher Education, 39(8), pp.1475-1487.
Nedbalová, E., Greenacre, L. and Schulz, J., 2014. UK higher education viewed through the marketization and marketing lenses. Journal of marketing for higher education, 24(2), pp.178-195.
Phillips, D. and Schweisfurth, M., 2014. Comparative and international education: An introduction to theory, method, and practice. A&C Black.
Robertson, S., Mundy, K. and Verger, A. eds., 2012. Public private partnerships in education: New actors and modes of governance in a globalizing world. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Schweisfurth, M., 2013. Learner-centred education in international perspective: Whose pedagogy for whose development?. Routledge.
Singal, N., Jeffery, R., Jain, A. and Sood, N., 2011. The enabling role of education in the lives of young people with disabilities in India: Achieved and desired outcomes. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 15(10), pp.1205-1218.
Souto-Otero, M., Huisman, J., Beerkens, M., De Wit, H. and Vujić, S., 2013. Barriers to international student mobility: Evidence from the Erasmus program. Educational Researcher, 42(2), pp.70-77.
Verbik, L., 2015. The international branch campus: Models and trends. International Higher Education, (46).
Warwick, P., 2014. The international business of higher education–A managerial perspective on the internationalisation of UK universities. The International Journal of Management Education, 12(2), pp.91-103.
Wilkins, S., Shams, F. and Huisman, J., 2013. The decision-making and changing behavioural dynamics of potential higher education students: the impacts of increasing tuition fees in England. Educational Studies, 39(2), pp.125-141.
Woodhead, M., Frost, M. and James, Z., 2013. Does growth in private schooling contribute to Education for All? Evidence from a longitudinal, two cohort study in Andhra Pradesh, India. International Journal of Educational Development, 33(1), pp.65-73.
Azharuddin, S., 2016. Reflections on the state of higher education in Telangana. [Online] Available at: https://thecompanion.in/reflections-on-the-state-of-higher-education-in-telangana/ (Assessed on 24 M
