Nuffic updates education market information factsheets

Nuffic’s well-regarded Education Market Information Factsheets have all been updated in December 2011. The factsheets allow Dutch higher education institutions to easily monitor the developments in the education markets of the ten Neso countries. The main features of the factsheets are described below.

Current trends and developments

The factsheets contain detailed information on current trends and developments in the Neso countries.

As an example, the factsheet on China states that the country will add 140 new undergraduate degree programmes. And the Vietnam factsheet describes the government’s ‘National English Program 2020’, aimed at enhancing the English proficiency of Vietnamese students and teachers.

New focus on labour market

A new element in the updated factsheets is the section on the labour market. In many countries the higher education sector is not well aligned with local labour market needs. This could provide an opportunity for Dutch institutions to recruit students for fields of study that are not well represented locally.

For example, in 2005 Thailand announced its aim to become the ‘kitchen of the world’. This has resulted in an increasing amount of jobs in the Food sector and, consequently, an increase in demand for Food Sciences and Food Technology studies.

Study-abroad market

The section on the study-abroad market provides an overview of the market environment and market characteristics. There is also a SWOT analysis for the promotion of Dutch higher education and information on how to approach the local markets.

Profile of prospective students

The Nuffic Neso offices and desks have surveyed prospective students, which has allowed them to set up a profile of the student thinking of studying abroad. The result shows, for example, that many Korean respondents can rely on their own finances, although they would still prefer an additional scholarship.

Local partners

The Nuffic Neso offices and desks also actively promote institutional cooperation. The factsheets contain information on the best way to set up a cooperation agreement. They also list the number and types of agreements currently in place in each country.

Login account

The Education Market Information Factsheets are available on the password-protected market information section of the Nuffic website. If you work for a Dutch higher education institution that has signed the Code of Conduct, you can apply for a login account.