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This paper presents facts and figures of the international higher education. Facts reveal that the UK sells more brainpower per capita than anywhere else in the world. The UK has 1% of the world's population but undertakes 5% of the world's scientific research and produces 14% of the world's most highly cited papers (Universities UK 2010). More than 2.8 million students were enrolled in higher education institutions outside their countries of citizenship in 2007. This represented 123,400 more students than in 2006, an increase of 4.6%. Eleven countries hosted 71% of the world's mobile students, led by the United States with 21.3% (UNESCO 2009). In 2008/09, there were 388,000 students studying for a UK qualification outside of the UK. Of this number, 83% were non-EU students (HESA 2010). In 2009, there were 162 higher education branch campuses operating globally, an increase of 43% from 2006. More than half were American, 11% were Australian, and 10% were from the UK. The number of countries hosting international branch campuses also grew in those three years, from 36 to 51. There were 11 Indian campuses operating, all but one in the UAE. The UAE remains the most popular host country (Observatory on Borderless Higher Education 2009).

This report presents an analysis of the diversity of income streams in UK higher education institutions (HEIs) at a time when the sector is facing considerable uncertainty. The research was conducted over a six-week period from March to April 2010 and, as such, it predated the establishment of the new Coalition Government in the UK. In the period since, both the Government's Emergency Budget of June 2010 and subsequent announcements have introduced a series of measures with important implications for higher education (HE) in the UK. With Lord Browne's "Independent review of higher education funding and student finance" due to report in the autumn, it is inevitable that there will be substantial changes across the HE sector. This report is intended to highlight some of the issues to be considered as the sector plans for the future. It is, however, important that it is read with its timing in mind. It is possible that the recent announcements by the new Government would elicit different responses if the research were to be repeated now. This notwithstanding, the report offers both an analysis of trends in HE income over time as well as a snapshot of the views of the sector at a time of great challenge and uncertainty. List of contributing institutions is appended. (Contains 17 figures and 9 endnotes.) [This paper was prepared by EKOS.]

This paper covers the whole of the UK higher education sector. It presents statistics relating to students, staff and finance. The data is derived from a variety of sources.

This paper presents the facts and figures of the whole UK higher education sector in 2009. The data is derived from a variety of sources, and is updated on a yearly basis.

This paper presents the facts and figures of the whole UK higher education sector in 2007. The data is derived from a variety of sources, and is updated on a yearly basis.