These are the three countries which sent the most students to Welsh universities in the 2021/22 academic year:
1. China = 4,745 students enrolled
2. India = 4,595 students enrolled
3. Nigeria = 2,330 students enrolled
Compared to the top EU country, Poland, which had 605 students attending Welsh universities these numbers are much greater.
It is the same story UK wide, the only difference is that the number of students from China and India are much closer in Wales.
Of course, these countries have extremely large populations - so you would expect high rates of students from these places.
But if that was the only factor in play, you would expect the USA to come before Nigeria.
There are a couple of other important factors worth noting.
- These countries have been impacted (to various degrees) by British imperialism, and with this comes a strong awareness of the British education system.
- These countries have large, developing economies where there are enough wealthy students to afford high tuition fees. However, since a lot of the wealth in these countries has been generated more recently, their universities perhaps do not have the same reputation for quality thatthe UK's historic institutions possess.
However, this last point is certainly changing - and while I think these countries currently sit in a liminal space where the education in Britain is still highly valued, will this be the case as their own universities develop?
If education is currently a global export for Wales, will people keeping buying the product?
These are the three countries which sent the most students to Welsh universities in the 2021/22 academic year:
1. China = 4,745 students enrolled
2. India = 4,595 students enrolled
3. Nigeria = 2,330 students enrolled
Compared to the top EU country, Poland, which had 605 students attending Welsh universities these numbers are much greater.
It is the same story UK wide, the only difference is that the number of students from China and India are much closer in Wales.
Of course, these countries have extremely large populations - so you would expect high rates of students from these places.
But if that was the only factor in play, you would expect the USA to come before Nigeria.
There are a couple of other important factors worth noting.
- These countries have been impacted (to various degrees) by British imperialism, and with this comes a strong awareness of the British education system.
- These countries have large, developing economies where there are enough wealthy students to afford high tuition fees. However, since a lot of the wealth in these countries has been generated more recently, their universities perhaps do not have the same reputation for quality thatthe UK's historic institutions possess.
However, this last point is certainly changing - and while I think these countries currently sit in a liminal space where the education in Britain is still highly valued, will this be the case as their own universities develop?
If education is currently a global export for Wales, will people keeping buying the product?
Dyma’r tair gwlad a anfonodd y nifer fwyaf o fyfyrwyr i brifysgolion Cymru ym mlwyddyn academaidd 2021/22:
1. China = 4,745 o fyfyrwyr wedi cofrestru
2. India = 4,595 o fyfyrwyr wedi cofrestru
3. Nigeria = 2,330 o fyfyrwyr wedi cofrestru
O gymharu â gwlad uchaf yr UE, Gwlad Pwyl, lle roedd 605 o fyfyrwyr yn mynychu prifysgolion Cymru, mae'r niferoedd hyn yn llawer uwch.
MAe'r DU yn ei chyfanrwydd yn dilyn yr un patrw,, yr unig wahaniaeth yw bod nifer y myfyrwyr o China ac India yn llawer agosach yng Nghymru.
Wrth gwrs, mae gan y gwledydd hyn boblogaethau eithriadol o fawr - felly byddech yn disgwyl cyfraddau uchel o fyfyrwyr o'r llefydd yma.
Ond os mai dyna oedd yr unig ffactor, byddech yn disgwyl i UDA ddod cyn Nigeria.
Mae yna gwpl o ffactorau pwysig eraill sy'n werth eu nodi.
- Mae imperialaeth Brydeinig wedi effeithio (i wahanol raddau) ar y gwledydd hyn, a chyda hyn daw ymwybyddiaeth gref o addysg Brydeinig.
- Mae gan y gwledydd hyn economïau mawr sy'n datblygu lle mae digon o fyfyrwyr cyfoethog i fforddio'r ffioedd dysgu uchel.
Fodd bynnag, gan fod llawer o'r cyfoeth yn y gwledydd hyn wedi'i gynhyrchu'n fwy diweddar, efallai nad oes gan eu prifysgolion yr adnabyddiaeth o ran ansawdd ag sydd gan sefydliadau hanesyddol y DU.
Fodd bynnag, mae'r pwynt olaf hwn yn sicr yn newid - ac er fy mod yn meddwl bod y gwledydd hyn ar hyn o bryd ar bwynt lle mae addysg ym Mhrydain yn dal i gael ei gwerthfawrogi'n fawr, a fydd hyn yn wir wrth i'w prifysgolion lleol ddatblygu?
Os yw addysg yn allforyn byd-eang i Gymru ar hyn o bryd, a fydd pobl yn parhau i brynu'r cynnyrch?