Nearly 600,000 students earn UK degrees remotely

Higher Education Policy Institutions (HEPI) has revealed that a significant amount of 600,000 students (known as distant leaners) are officially earning degrees in United Kingdom (UK) without ever setting foot in the country.

The Telegraph reports in 2023 revealed that 16% out of 100# of UK higher education international students are studying abroad (remotely). Furthermore, 7% of the 16% were attending British universities’ foreign branch campuses.

Many British universities have expanded their educational offerings internationally by opening campuses overseas. Precisely, 30 UK higher institutions now offers degree programs to international students through their foreign branches.

Meanwhile, despite the benefits of the offshore degree program by the UK higher institutions to international students, concerns about data and degree quality arise. Concern rises about lack of detailed data on the subjects studied by transnational students, their graduation rates, and their career outcomes after finishing their studies.

Reports show that Hepi has urged the Office for Students (OfS), which oversees higher education in the UK, to gather more thorough information in order to better understand the successes and challenges of transnational education.

Josh Fleming, the Director of Strategy and Delivery at the OfS, expressed support for transnational education; he notes that the global benefits of UK higher education, stressing the importance of providing all students, whether studying in the UK or abroad, with a high-quality education.

The future of transnational education is expected to grow, offering more opportunities for students to earn UK degrees without leaving their home countries, but better data and oversight will be crucial to maintaining quality and integrity in these programs.