Forbes Ranks UCAM as One of the Best Universities in Spain

The prestigious magazine, Forbes praises the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) in Spain. It has listed UCAM as one of the best universities in Spain. UCAM is a private university. It stands out for its academic offer and placement in companies. It has 185 postgraduate programs and official master's degrees, and the percentage of job placement is 100%.

Why is UCAM One of the Best Universities in Spain?

At the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia, they set the maximum number of students per group at 60. Each student has a tutor throughout their career to help them meet their needs and thus guarantee the maximum use of their abilities. The prestigious magazine has drawn up a selective ranking in which UCAM occupies the 11th position on the national level and is the only university in the region of Murcia to be selected. Here are the decisive factors for Forbes to list UCAM as one of the 25 best universities in Spain.

• The excellent educational model of small groups and tutoring
• Broad academic offer
• High employment rate
• The commitment of its teaching staff
• Working extremely hard in recent years in areas such as research
• Offering comprehensive training to the students

Forbes highlights the work in small groups of the Universidad Católica de Murcia and emphasizes the fact that each student has "a tutor throughout their degree to help them meet their needs and ensure that they make the most of their abilities".

To optimize academic performance, UCAM teachers start from the study of the actual level of the students. The evaluation in all subjects is continuous and personal autonomy is stimulated with a permanent self-assessment exercise. Teamwork, as a system to stimulate creativity, is another element of its teaching methodology.

Times Higher Education highlights UCAM worldwide in 'Quality Education'

The inclusion of the Universidad Católica de Murcia in the Forbes ranking, to which only 25 centers from all over Spain have been admitted. The fact that its educational model is especially highlighted, backs up the results obtained in the latest publication of the Impact Ranking of Times Higher Education. This organization places UCAM among the sixty best universities in the world. It is counted as the best in Spain in "Quality Education".

Graduated Non-EU Students can Stay in Spain After Their Studies

Non-EU students studying at universities in Spain will be able to stay in Spain after graduation. The international students will now be able to remain in Spain for up to two years after they complete their studies. This means these students will not need to renew their residence permits yearly again but will be automatically granted the permit to stay for two years.

Number of International Students in Spain

Ministry of Education data shows that international students accounted for 9.4% of the student population in Spain in 2021. The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation pointed out that 208,366 international students pursued studies at higher education institutions in Spain during the 2019/2020 academic year, including students in mobility programs. Few long-standing problems make Spain an unattractive destination for international students seeking higher education.

New Law to Attract International Students

Even with the lower tuition fee than other studies abroad destinations, students hesitate to study in Spain as the verification of their qualifications takes more time, and they are not given residence permits to stay in the country after graduation. Thousands of students who have gained diplomas in Spain have already left the country. Over the past decade, 90,000 graduates in Spain moved to other countries to build their careers. To tackle this, the Spanish government announced that it is working on legislation that will allow non-EU students to stay in Spain. 

Joan Subirats, Spanish Universities Minister, confirmed that the new University System Law sees the extension of the residence permit for the duration of studies, stressing that students will no need to apply for a residence permit every year. Spanish authorities should find ways to retain the talent that has been educated in Spain, so the latter continue to have a residence status and get employed for two years in the country.

Final Words

Currently, all graduates who are not nationals of the EU must apply for an extension of their residence permits to be permitted to stay in Spain. Nevertheless, as soon as the new legislation gets approved, they will no longer have to go through these procedures. It is expected that the new University Systems Law will be addressed at the Spanish Cabinet in the coming weeks, before requiring parliamentary approval for it to come into effect. If approved, it will be the best news for those looking to build their careers in Spain after their studies.

Growing Numbers of International Students in Europe

A number of international students continue to broaden their choices when it comes to studying abroad countries. One recent factor for this is that during the pandemic, some countries only offered online and/or remote learning for long periods while others resumed in-person classes earlier. As we have noted throughout the COVID-19 disruption, even with the growing demand for online and hybrid delivery, many students still prefer the option of in-person study.

Changes in the Choice of Study Abroad Destination

The trend of international students switching their preferred study abroad destination during the pandemic has contributed to a different competitive context for universities and countries. Here are the highlights:

• Canada gained more share may be because the US and especially Australia closed borders for a longer time.  
• With only a few exceptions, international students still can not enter China or New Zealand, and Japan was also very slow to reopen. 
• The UK might have lost share because of its confusing border policies in parts of 2020-21. But its improved offer for post-study work rights has proven to be so popular that the country is witnessing record numbers of non-EU enrolments.

But overall, it is Europe that has seen a lot more interest from international students in the past few years, and despite their regional proximity, different European countries remarkably have different student mixes from each other. 

Studying in UK

The UK saw its international student enrolments increase by 9% in 2020/21 over the previous year to 605,130. The UK’s top markets are in 

• Two are in South Asia (Pakistan and India) 
• Two are in East Asia (China and Hong Kong). 

The UK attracts international students more heavily from Europe for its top 10 sending markets than do France or Germany, and it is also seeing substantial growth in Nigerian student admissions over the past 2 years.

Studying in France

France, which currently hosts roughly 370,000 international students, has only one Asian country in its top tier (China). It is not surprising to know that it attracts large numbers of students from African francophone countries.

Studying in Germany

Germany has seen international enrolments climbing throughout the pandemic to about 330,000. Germany’s top market is mixed among the 3 countries in terms of its regional diversity with significant numbers of students from Asia, the Middle East, Russia, Europe, and Africa choosing German universities.

Studying in Italy

The international student mix of Italy is quite varied.  In total, universities in Italy enrolled nearly 100,000 international students in 2020-21. The top 5 sending markets are Romania, Albania, China, India, and Iran.

Studying in Spain

In Spain, Latin America is a major recruitment focus for universities given the Spanish language relationship between the two regions. In 2019-20, 208,370 International students were in Spanish universities – up 12% from 185,145 two years earlier. 

Studying in Netherlands

The Netherlands hosted 12% more international students in 2021-22 than in the previous year for a total of 115,070. Top markets for Dutch universities are Germany, Italy, China, Belgium, Spain, Bulgaria, France, Greece, Poland, and India.

Current Demand Factors

European nations other than the UK are seeing increased interest from within the region. It is because the Brexit terms ended EU students’ ability to access “home fee status.” Faced with the prospect of paying the same fees as non-EU students for UK higher education, European students are looking for alternatives to their home countries. They are seeking out quality institutions that are both ranked highly as well as charge relatively less when it comes to tuition fees.

Other destinations within Europe are quickly becoming more popular for African and Asian students who might otherwise have chosen China, Russia, or Ukraine as their Study destinations. This is because they find themselves unable or unwilling to go to those countries because China’s borders remain shut and because of Russia’s war on Ukraine. They also choose European countries rather than Canada or the United States because of the affordable tuition at many European universities.

UK Forecasts a 46% Increase in International Undergraduate Enrolment by 2026

UCAS forecasts a 46% increase in international students by 2026.  A new report by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service(UCAS), and the College Board forecast that the number of international undergraduate applicants in the UK will increase to 208,500 by 2026. The report was prepared after the completion of the survey by 1,300 students planning to study abroad.

Drawing on UCAS data and an early 2022 survey of prospective students conducted by the College Board highlights the continued appeal of the UK as a study destination. The quality and reputation of higher education, the perception as a safe place to live and study, and the opportunity to learn a new language and culture were the key factors to choose the UK for studying abroad.

What does the survey say about the UK?

The survey focuses on international students’ mindsets and what they want from their higher education experience. It showed that international students apply for a focused group of subjects, and are highly independent with their research. Around half of them are following in their parents’ footsteps. It is forecasted that there will be a sustained growth in interest to study in UK to continue into the next decade. 

• With borders opening up again, the survey responses emphasize that experiencing life in a different country, that is safe, and with a strong academic reputation, are the main motivations.
• Students from across the globe still hold the UK’s universities in the highest regard, with renewed interest in living and learning.
• During the pandemic, 88% of the international students considered the UK as a positive or very positive place to study, with 77% of students applying because of the strong academic reputation of the United Kingdom.
• In 2021, around half of international students accepted through UCAS to study at the universities in UK. They came mainly from 7 countries, with 2 in every 9 coming from China.

Other Highlights of Survey:

10% of international students start dreaming of studying abroad before entering their 12th year.  Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, international students have followed the opportunities available to them.

• Nigerian students choose their study abroad countries that help them in gaining skills to build their careers (chosen by 80% of Nigerian respondents), 
• The Indian students give priority to the countries having ‘better quality (75% of respondents from Indians)
• Opportunities after graduation are more important for those wanting to study in USA (57%), Singapore (54%), and UK (54%).
• Experiencing life abroad is more important to those considering Italy (75%) and Netherlands (72%).
• Students want to hear from students, like open days (40%) and interaction with current students (39%) are increasingly for research.
• Students are 5 times more likely to say obtaining a job in their study country, rather than their home nation, is their top priority.

UK: Most Preferred Study Abroad Destination 

UNESCO reports that a total of 5.6 million students study in a different nation to their home country. The UK continues to be the second leading host destination for international students, after the US. Both the countries collectively host around 30% of international students.

In the past decade, UCAS( the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) has helped 1.3 million students around the world secure their place at universities in the UK. It has recently launched Myriad, a dedicated platform for international postgraduate students coming to the UK.