I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak today. I originally come from Mumbai in India. Let me run you through the steps and give you an idea of the other side of the coin by describing what goes through a student’s mind when they are choosing a university to study at.
Five years ago, I was sitting with a group of friends and we were deciding whether to go and do further study. I said to my friends, “Look, I’m going to do a masters outside India somewhere, as I need the experience.” My friend said to me, “Oh yes, I’m doing the same.” My third friend was sitting silently, and he said, “You’re not discussing where you’re going and what you want to do.” We looked at him and I said, “Of course it’s the UK—it’s a no-brainer.” The reason that he said that is because we know that the quality of the universities in the UK is high, the legacy is great and the reputation is fantastic. Deciding to choose the UK was not a problem, but choosing a university in the UK was the point at which the research started.
I will give you a little background and perspective on how we go through the steps of choosing. First, we look at the tuition fees. I did my masters in strategic marketing at the University of Glasgow in 2010. The fee was £12,000, which equates to 1.2 million rupees. We then look at accommodation and at what the public transport and the cost of living are like. We consider all that. My accommodation was £450 a month: that is at least 45,000 rupees a month, which is more than the average wage in India.
We then look at living expenses, because we do not come here without any financial cushion in the background. We come with £2,000 extra, which is at least 200,000 rupees. We also bring £1,000 to cover miscellaneous expenses. That all adds up, even before entering the country, to about £20,400, which equates to more than 2 million rupees. That amount would buy a house somewhere on the outskirts of Mumbai, so you can imagine that the decision to come here to study involves a great emotional and financial investment. We do our research strongly—we do not just choose somewhere and arrive. Our research has to be strong and we have to look at what the offer is and at what kind of support is provided before and after the course. It is about not just the course, but the ecosystem of learn, build and apply. It has to be about that.
When I arrived at Glasgow university in 2010, I knew for a fact that after university I would get my post-study work visa. I knew that before I even came to the country, and that was a major point in my decision to come to the UK, and especially to Glasgow university. I knew that after the course I would get two years of stability and, through that, if I was capable and skilled enough, I would probably get a job.
In choosing a university, we look at four important points. We look at the quality of the course that is offered and the reputation of the university. The third—and most important—point is the kind of support that we get before and after the course. That is key for a student who is investing such a huge amount in going to university, travelling 7,000 miles away from home and arriving in the country alone. It is a very nerve-wracking and scary situation.
The fourth point is the kind of experience that we can get after the course, including whether there is support and fair and balanced administrations where we can broaden our horizons. All that is taken into consideration. I have been lucky enough to pass through the student visa and get a post-study work visa. I am currently on a tier 2 visa. I work for an employer based in Coatbridge. It is a small and medium-sized enterprise, and it is a good company. My employer had to apply for a licence before I could be given a tier 2 visa. My performance in my job has been fine, but there are hurdles and complications. As a result, there may be a situation in future in which, in spite of me entering the Indian market now and probably creating 10 new jobs in North Lanarkshire, I might have to pack my bags and leave just because there is a certain threshold in place.
All that comes into play. It is the whole ecosystem of learn, build and apply. At the moment, the UK is offering “Learn here, build and apply elsewhere”. With such a large amount of emotional investment, you have to take into consideration that we will do our research, and we will go to a place that has a better offering.