Despite the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, studying abroad remains an attractive proposition to prospective students, with over 90% of those originally intending to pursue a higher education qualification – at either undergraduate or postgraduate level - still planning to apply for international study opportunities.
An ongoing global survey – conducted by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, higher education think-tank and compilers of the QS World University Rankings – is capturing the student response to the pandemic, including its effect on their study plans. In total, the survey has captured responses from 19,464 prospective international students.
The current cohort of responses nation indicates that:
Nunzio Quacquarelli, CEO at QS Quacquarelli Symonds, said: “Our dataset shows that any potential drop in international student enrolments likely to be temporary: only one in fourteen survey respondents have told QS that they do not intend to pursue international study at all. QS continues to provide prospective students around the world the opportunity to connect with leading higher education institutions and receive the information required to make an informed decision about their study plans at this complex time. Most universities are responding to this unprecedented challenge by being flexible around applications deadlines, by adapting some of the entry requirements, especially around language tests and other tests, such as GMAT or GRE, and by introducing online learning until in -person teaching will resume.”
Quacquarelli continued: “Last year we organized 348 events across five continents, allowing over 225,000 prospective students to meet face-to-face the admissions directors of hundreds of international universities and business schools. This Spring, we have rapidly transformed our events into engaging and interactive digital experiences, connecting candidates with institutions as successfully as ever. By participating in our Virtual World MBA Tour, Connect MBA, QS World Grad School Tour and Connect Masters events, candidates are accessing essential information to help them navigate these uncertain times”.
QS recently ran digital events for MBA candidates based in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, Greece, and Russia as well as events dedicated to master’s and PhD candidates in Greece and Russia, via a digital platform, which proved very popular.
The representative of Goethe Business School commented “All in all the virtual event was even better than the face to face meetings” while the representative from EDECH said” “Very good experience. Hoping the digital events will be proposed again in the future” James Mellman, a prospective student, who recently attended a QS virtual fair, said: ”I think the virtual format was awesome, and I recommend it over the face-to-face.”
Key features of the upcoming QS Virtual Events in India from 26th May to 4th June
For more information about QS’s research and events please contact:
Simona Bizzozero
Director of Communications
QS Quacquarelli Symonds
simona@qs.com
+44 7880 620 856
Notes for Editors
QS Quacquarelli Symonds
QS Quacquarelli Symonds is the world’s leading provider of services, analytics, and insight to the global higher education sector, whose mission is to enable motivated
people anywhere in the world to fulfil their potential through educational achievement, international mobility, and career development.
The QS World University Rankings portfolio, inaugurated in 2004, has grown to become
the world’s most popular source of comparative data about university performance. Their flagship website, www.TopUniversities.com – the home of their rankings – was viewed 149 million times in 2019, and over 94,000 media clippings
pertaining to, or mentioning, QS were published by media outlets across the world in 2019.
Also, If you want to know how to make an Academic CV, CV Clinics brings an exclusive webinar with QS.
MBA Aspirants can register here and Masters Aspirant here.