Enhancing the Employment Success of UK-Educated Chinese Students Professor Lawrence Young University of Warwick

Background Context UK-China golden era Healthy Chinese economy - 6% growth Chinese Higher education rapidly developing UK remains an important destination for Chinese students seeking an excellent HE experience

Why Research? To support Chinese students’ employability, UK HE needs knowledge of Chinese employment outcomes; career preparation & aspirations; and the Chinese labour market. With these insights, UK HE can develop resources, data and materials to help meet student needs. Plus demonstrate our collective commitment to Chinese students and their employment success.

Why Research? Chinese student numbers are steadily growing 90,000 Chinese students currently studying in the UK

Project Aims To provide evidence-based employability and entrepreneurship support for UK-educated Chinese students before, during and after their UK studies. To effect a systemic change in Chinese student employability in the Chinese labour market by providing labour market and recruitment knowledge, alongside student, employer and alumni perceptions, to enable UK HE to be better informed and resourced to support the needs of all UK- educated Chinese students.

Project Partners Project funded by British Council China Led by University of Warwick In partnership with –Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) –Institute for Employment Research –UK HEIs and Peking University –Chinese students, alumni and employers

Project Overview

For the first time in the UK, this project enabled UK HEIs to share Chinese graduate Destination of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) data Providing an evidenced-based picture of UK-educated Chinese graduate destinations Phase I – Destination Sharing

Phase II – Research To gather detailed qualitative and quantitative feedback from Chinese employers, students and alumni on graduate success for returning UK- educated Chinese students Insights into the Chinese labour market and how UK-educated Chinese students can enhance their employment prospects

Phase III – Education and Resources Development of new workshops, events & online resources for careers professionals Online resources delivered via new AGCAS web interface UK HEIs free to choose how to use and disseminate the online resources

Key Findings - Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Data

Thank you to: Aston University Bath Spa University Kings College London Robert Gordon University Sheffield Hallam University University of Bradford University of Brighton University of Cambridge University of Central Lancashire University of Edinburgh University of Essex University of Kent University of Leeds University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Northumbria University of Oxford University of Reading University of Strathclyde University of Sussex University of Warwick University of Worcester

Graduate Destination Research 2013/14 graduate destination data shared by 22 UK HEIs Sample of 3,289 students Compared with 88,000 Chinese students in the UK in 2013/14

DLHE Student Sample – 3,289 Female: 57% Male: 43%

Destination of Chinese Graduates 2013/14 Base: 3,289 Chinese graduates

Destinations of Chinese UG/PGT/PGR Graduates Base: 1220 UG; 1717 PGT and 219 PGR Chinese graduates

Where Chinese graduates work 71% work in China 11% work in the UK 8% in Hong Kong, Taiwan, SE Asia Those most likely to stay in UK are male, PGR graduates from STEM or Social study disciplines Base: 1568 Chinese graduates

Most popular subjects studied in the UK

Industry Sectors Where Chinese Graduates Work

Employability & Chinese Economy Since 2008, Chinese Government has invested 4 trillion Yuan into the economy Key investment into infrastructure, towns and cities creating demand for graduates from Architecture, building and planning

Growth Industries Continuous expansion of education generating many job opportunities Fast development of wireless internet - creating technical roles and also need for Arts and Design graduates to develop appealing Apps and online content

Outcome of Chinese Investment Plan A higher proportion of graduates from Architecture (88%), Education (65%) and Creative arts and design (60%) are in employment 6 months after graduation; compared to other disciplines

Phase II – Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Research Methodology Quantitative surveys with: –2174 Chinese students from 54 different HEIs –335 alumni from 44 different HEIs –Broad range of Chinese employers Plus qualitative interviews with employers and students

Student Sample Over-represents higher tariff universities and also females Majority studying Business & Administration and Engineering courses (very similar to HESA data) Majority studying Postgraduate Taught degrees 20% are the first in their family to attend university Majority come from higher social classes

Why Chinese Students Study in the UK Excellent academic reputation of UK HEIs To acquire the skills I need To speak English fluently Academic reputation of the specific HEI is also extremely important Alumni responses echo these reasons for studying in the UK

Why Did You Choose Your UK HEI? My university has excellent academic reputation My degree course has excellent reputation Personal interest in my degree course = 3 rd Compared with UK students where the specific degree course is the most important factor Again highlighting the importance of UK HEI academic reputation

Student Career Planning 25% have a clear future career aim 60% have some basic careers ideas Advice sourced from parents; online and thirdly, careers services 53% had used their university careers service –Most used services were CV checks and events Opportunity to offer deeper employability support, particularly around pre-entry and career planning

Desired Country to Live & Work 60% would like to return to China 27% would like to live in the UK Students studying Science less likely to intend to return to China Compared with DLHE data 2013/14 –70% return to China –11% stay in the UK

Student Career Aspirations Doing what I enjoy and am qualified/skilled to do Importance of work-life balance Having a high salary and job security are in ranked 5 th and 6 th place Result of Western experience and influence?

Skills Students Believe are Important to Recruiters Problem solving Team working Networking + English language skills (for UK employers) + Importance of Guanxi (for Chinese employers) Accord between all three groups surveyed

Employer Feedback Academic reputation of the UK is important; less important is a specific UK HEI’s reputation No preference to recruit from specific UK HEIs (except Oxbridge) Employers need graduates to show motivation to work in their organisation; evidence of research into the role and knowledge/desire for their sector And show reflection; be able to curate and narrate their UK experience; plus show evidence of career planning Study abroad, without extra-curricular activities, is not a USP

Employer Feedback “US degrees are less robust compared to a UK degree – but US-educated students are highly coached and very work ready.” “Overseas Chinese graduates are not smarter than local Chinese graduates, but many returnees have the view that they don’t want to work their way up.” “We like the adaptability offered by UK-educated graduates.” “So many overseas Chinese students study accounting and finance, so it’s an internship experience that makes a difference.”

Alumni Feedback Gain English language skills Have a career plan –“If you plan to work back in China, choose the university of the higher reputation. Major is not so important, as the HR in China does not know anything about the major ranking in the UK.” Understand UK learning is different to Chinese way –“Learn to be an independent learner.”

Alumni Feedback Engage with non-Chinese friends and societies –“Dare to speak to locals and socialise outside of the ‘Chinese circle’. Seize every chance to experience something you’ve never seen before.” –“Be brave.” –“Network more, contacts are important here too. Do not only hang out with the Chinese.”

Looking to the future…

Challenges Overseas education seen as a ‘normal’ part of a Chinese student’s education Australia, Canada & US offer an increasingly attractive proposition –Post-study work visa opportunities –Internships are core part of UG and PG courses –Two year PG courses provide time to ‘adapt’ Chinese HEI education developing rapidly, in line with needs of Chinese economy

Challenges Slowing of the Chinese economy to come? Ongoing buoyancy of the Chinese graduate labour market Chinese employers’ perceptions of UK-educated Chinese graduates and their attitudes to recruiting UK-educated graduates Urgent need for UK HE to improve UK-educated Chinese students’ employment prospects

Opportunities UK HE provides graduates with unique mobility capital: –Global mind-set –Team working skills –Problem solving skills –English language skills –Different way of learning help meets the needs of Chinese economy

Opportunities ‘UK Higher Education PLC’ UK HEIs and other organisations to collaborate further to promote the benefits of UK Higher Education in China

Opportunities Focus on student career planning –Provision of careers support pre-entry, at induction, whilst studying and on graduation –To positively effect employability outcomes –To help match employers and graduates –To smooth issues with timings, particularly for Postgraduate Masters students –To promote the benefits of studying in the UK

Where are we now? Project has been a unique collaborative HE endeavour Demonstrating the willingness and value in HEI collaboration to best support our Chinese students and graduates

Opportunities for Next Steps Ongoing sharing of Chinese Graduate Destination data Sharing of DLHE data for other nationalities Further and deeper collaboration Framework for further research Appetite for working groups?

Questions and Answers