Internationalisation is likely to increase in volatility in the future, and make it more difficult for governing bodies to be certain about the policy environment in which their institutions are operating. On the one hand some aspects of internationalisation are likely to become routine, for example collaboration between academic staff on research or projects. However, the international environment for delivering programmes or recruiting students is likely to be even more competitive, exacerbated by the effects of the economic downturn and the growth of new private providers.
During the summer of 2009, for example, the Apollo Group, which owns the for profit University of Phoenix, acquired BPP Holdings Ltd, a private law and business school with 8 sites in the UK. This takeover is particularly interesting because BPP was the first publicly quoted private company in the UK to obtain degree-awarding powers (DAP). This now means that UK degrees are on offer by an American company, a development that many institutions will watch with interest.
Governing bodies will need to exercise considerable care in relation to proposed international initiatives, and cannot assume that growth in student recruitment will continue in all markets. They should therefore expect the international office in their own institution to be able to provide up-to-date market and trend information, some of which is available from the sources provided in more information. Reports suggest that English universities are planning very substantial - and possibly unrealistic - increases in international student numbers to 2014-15.
An issue of great potential significance for higher education institutions - the extent to which the Coalition Government's policy of reducing immigration will impact on international student recruitment and relationships with overseas universities - has been resolved with the higher education sector broadly content with the outcome. Private colleges, which are often used by international students as a 'stepping stone' to universities could, however, still be seriously affected by the changes.