YOUR HIGHER EDUCATIONSPOTLIGHT ON ASIAExploring the motivations, decisions, and top destinationchoices for prospective students from Asia
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
2
CONTENTS
Introduction
How do students select a degree?
Applicant voices: What is the most important aspect of a university?
Applicant motivations
The impact of subject choices
Top study destinations for prospective Asian students
Applicant voices: What study destinations are you considering, and why?
Key findings
About QS
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300+ survey responses
20focus groups
50+individual interviews
Participants:
DEMOGRAPHICS
Location:
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Shanghai
Beijing
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
INTRODUCTION
The international higher education (HE) landscape
is constantly evolving with emergent trends,
geopolitical events, and fluctuations in tertiary age
populations. This space is typically characterized
by a student mobility flow from East to West, with
prospective students in the Northern and Western
hemisphere tending to focus within their region
when applying to study abroad.
Some forecasters suggest this could all change,
with students in the East increasingly looking to
study intra-regionally, suggesting that mobility
patterns may become more reciprocal in coming
years. This report will delve into these emergent
trends, exploring the key destination choices and
study motivations of Asian applicants in Indonesia,
Malaysia, and China.
Asian students are a vital market for HE sectors
worldwide, with a thirst for international education,
cultural exchange, and new experiences. Therefore,
understanding the thinking processes of these
students is key to developing a robust international
student recruitment strategy.
QS is uniquely positioned to uncover the views of
this key student market, with unparalleled access
to undergraduate, master’s, and PhD applicants
worldwide. The research for this report was
collected in three different countries and five cities
during the QS World Grad School Tour 2019. This
included Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Shanghai,
and Beijing, thus providing a broad overview of
the perceptions, motivations, and ambitions in the
region.
Data collected includes 20 focus groups, over
50 individual interviews, and over 300 survey
responses. The report will also include insight from
the 2019 International Student Survey (ISS), which
collected over 77,000 responses in 2019, 8,309 of
which came from Asian applicants.
Under the 2019 ISS, the biggest proportion of Asian
respondents seeking to study abroad were from
China (3,157) and Indonesia (1,750), indicating that
these are important markets to tap into, whilst
Malaysia (965) has more modest numbers.
This report will investigate how destination choices
are influenced by a variety of factors, delving into
the process students undertake when selecting a
degree, as well as applicant motivations and the
impact of subject choices.
The destination choices of prospective Asian
students are subject to a number of influences,
including family, rankings, geopolitical events, and
alumni. Graduate employability is exposed as a
crucial motivating factor, alongside personal interest,
cultural exchange, and international exposure.
Business studies emerges as a focus for prospective
students in the regions covered, indicating a hunger
for entrepreneurship. The report will also explore
divergences amongst the different cities, allowing
for tailored recruitment and branding strategies to
each individual student market.
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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Understanding the process prospective Asian
students undertake when selecting a degree
illuminates the journey applicants embark on
during the admissions journey. This is key to the
development of an effective recruitment strategy,
so that universities can join, and indeed influence,
prospective students on their decision-making
journey as early as possible. Whilst identifying this
‘process’ is not a singular or uniform exercise, there
are several unifying factors that can be found in the
narratives of prospective Asian students.
The selection process
Many prospective students we spoke to in Asia
described a very strict process they adhere to when
selecting a degree.
For Mahal, a prospective dual Master of Science
student in Jakarta, monetary concerns are what
guide him at the very start of his applicant journey:
“I start by finding what scholarships are available to
me in that country, then I start to look for more detail
about what kind of universities are available in that
country, then after that I eliminate by looking based on
the curriculum, or either by the lecturer, or the research
publications.”
Scholarships and tuition fees are often a crucial
concern for prospective students in Asia, who are
frequently confronted with unfavorable exchange
rates when studying overseas in the West. As a
result, applicants like Mahal begin their university
and destination search with information about
scholarships above all else. Universities looking to
recruit from this region should prioritize marketing
messages around value for money and cost of living
to engage prospective students.
For Bernah in Jakarta, who is 21 years old and
interested in a Master of Business or International
Relations, rankings are an important reference,
alongside reviews from students: “I look at the
rankings, cost of living, and what it feels like to study in
that university. I also look through YouTube and other
comments that students share about what they have
experienced during their study, including social life.”
Bernah’s use of social media to get a sense of life
at the university she is interested in suggests
the importance of this tool to communicate with
Generation Z. It is important that universities are
thinking creatively about how to use social media to
get in touch with a younger audience.
Similarly, prospective chemical engineering master’s
student, Ahmed in Kuala Lumpur, is attracted
to university rankings and feedback from other
students when selecting a degree: “When I use the
internet, I’m looking for a good quality of education. I
look for the university’s ranking and its student reviews,
and then I look at the country itself and whether it’s
safe or not, and how expensive it is. There are some
universities where you’re just paying a lot of money and
HOW DO STUDENTS SELECT A DEGREE?
Tip Box: The 2019 International Student Survey
shows that 90% of prospective international students
use social media when researching their study options,
with Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube arising as the
most popular channels.
TIP BOX: With teaching quality emerging as highly
important to prospective students in Asia, knowing how
students assess this metric is worthwhile. The 2019
International Student Survey shows that students
from the regions in this report feel that teaching staff
is the second most important indicator of teaching
quality. Download the report here, to find out more.
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
5
you don’t have a good quality of education, so it’s a waste
of money and a waste of time. So, I use the rankings as
a reference for me, so I know I’m getting good quality.”
Ahmed demonstrates how rankings are often linked
to teaching quality and education quality in the
minds of many students in Asia.
Key influencers
Developing an understanding of the key influencers
prospective students seek advice from during
the application process is another important
part of gaining insight into their mindset. Whilst
some of these influencers may be out of the reach
of universities, others can be involved in the
recruitment process, which is why it is vital that HE
sectors are aware of their influence.
When asked to rank their top three influencers,
a significant 61% of prospective students in Asia
stated that they are influenced by their friends,
according to our survey. The second most
important influencer is employers (53%), followed
by family (50%). Parents (47%), teachers (47%),
and recruitment agents (34%) are also important
influencers for students in Asia during their
applicant journey.
Teachers and employers are well placed to reach out
to students to discuss the benefits of an institution,
but it also might be worth investing in marketing
communications to parents and family, who are
likely to play a large role in many students’ study
destination decisions. In the 2019 QS International
Student Survey parents are also shown to play a
considerable role to Asian students, with nearly half
of respondents saying their parents are their most
influential adviser, at 47% – above all other potential
influencers.
Recruiting past students to sell the advantages of
an institution to their friends is another potentially
advantageous method, as well as producing social
media messages with current students in the form
of blogs and vlogs on YouTube.
“...I look for the university’s ranking and its student reviews, and then I look at the country itself and whether it’s safe or not, and how expensive it is.”
Ahmed, Kuala Lumpur
KEY INFLUENCERS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASIAN STUDENTS
Friends
Employers
Family
Parents
Teachers
Recruitment agents
61%
53%
50%
47%
47%
34%
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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THE INFLUENCE OF PARENTS: CITY BREAK DOWN
23%
44%
63%
61%
36%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
Parents
With the influence of family and parents playing an
important role in study decisions in Asia, one of the
main concerns can be the safety of the destination
for those with a child going to study abroad.
Prospective Master of Media and Communications
student, Rosely in Beijing, shares: “My parents did
not wholly support me about studying abroad. They
are saying it’s not safe to study abroad compared
to domestic, but I insist on my decision. I think I can
persuade them.”
This sentiment is also expressed by prospective
Master of Marketing student, Lim Him Ho, also in
Beijing: “They don’t really agree about studying abroad.
It’s kind of expensive to study abroad and dangerous in
the UK and US. They prefer that I study in Hong Kong,
they say it’s closer and safer. I have persuaded them.”
Such concern should be tackled by sending out the
message that the city, or country, the university is
situated in is safe, as well as communicating the
initiatives the school undertakes to ensure the
safety of students. Using existing international
students to talk about how safe and welcoming the
destination is can also be particularly persuasive for
prospective students and their parents.
Parents can also be influenced by reputation, so a
highly ranked school can be an important method
of persuasion, as prospective PhD student in
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
7
“My parents expect me to go to higher ranked universities because I did my master’s degree at University College London (UCL), so I don’t really have a lot of choices now.”
Wei, Shanghai
development studies, Wei in Shanghai, found: “My
parents expect me to go to higher ranked universities
because I did my master’s degree at University College
London (UCL), so I don’t really have a lot of choices now.
So, basically, it’s UCL or Imperial College London. And
then Cambridge or Oxford.”
The city that is most likely to be influenced by
parents is Jakarta (63%), followed by Kuala Lumpur
(61%), and Taipei (44%), whilst the city’s most likely
to be influenced by family are Jakarta (60%) and
Taipei (52%).
Teachers and alumni
A number of students in Asia claim that one of
their main sources of advice is their current or
past teachers and professors. This is expressed
by Ainatul, a prospective Master of International
Relations student: “I consult with a few professors,
I ask them if I want to major in this, what benefits it
brings, and what disadvantages, so they help me a lot.”
SAFETY AS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF STUDY DESTINATION
23%
44%
42%
35%
47%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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This view was expressed by many prospective
students in Asia. Thus, it could perhaps be
advantageous to reach out to past alumni who are
currently teachers and ask them to communicate
the benefits of their university experience. Those
most likely to be influenced by teachers are students
from Taipei (62%), Beijing (53%), and Kuala Lumpur
(44%).
Alumni are frequently mentioned as a key influencer
for students in Asia, in each city visited in 2019 and
in past research projects in India. Prospective Asian
students make it a priority to research past alumni,
their career trajectory, and the kind of salaries they
are earning.
They even get in contact with alumni via channels
like LinkedIn and Facebook, as MBA seeker, Tracy in
Taipei, says: “It’s important to see what past students
say about the school. I’ll look on Facebook where you
can find alumni that have graduated and see what they
think.”
Prospective law student, Farzan in Jakarta, explains
why alumni are important to him: “My first priority is
rankings and the other one is alumni, so that I can see
what kind of benefit I can get from the program. I look
on Google to investigate their jobs and salaries.”
Geopolitical events
Political change can also influence study destination
decisions in Asia. If there is a perception that a
country might be unwelcoming, due to recent
political turbulence and inflammatory rhetoric,
international students can be dissuaded from a
location they were previously interested in.
Prospective Master of International Relations
student, Ainatul in Kuala Lumpur, shares her
thoughts about the impact of political change:
“One of the important things that I need to consider
is politics, as they affect foreign policy, especially with
Donald Trump and his racist statements and Brexit in
the UK too. So, there are certain countries that I won’t
be really interested in because of the issues right now,
like Islamophobia. Political issues have really become
one of the factors which affects my decision to pursue
study in that country.”
This demonstrates how concern about high profile
and seemingly unstable political shifts can influence
study decisions, alongside fear of Islamophobia.
Anti-Muslim racism emerged as a concern in many of
the cities we visited in Asia, which have large Muslim
populations. This issue should be actively tackled in
recruitment messages, by sharing university policies
which commit zero tolerance to racism.
Social media campaigns like #WeAreInternational
are one way to portray a welcoming environment,
demonstrating remarkable success in the
QS International Student Survey. Overall, 40% of
“It’s important to see what past students say about the school. I’ll look on Facebook where you can find alumni that have graduated and see what they think.”
Tracy, Taipei
“It’s not in your hand, once you choose and you go there [the UK], the next day visa rules change again. So, I would rather choose a country that is safe, with good stay-back options, for example Canada, where they are welcoming immigrants.”
Gopalakishnan, Chennai
“...there are certain countries that I won’t be really interested in because of the issues right now, like Islamophobia. Political issues have really become one of the factors which affects my decision to pursue study in that country.”
Ainatul, Kuala Lumpur
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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survey participants in Asia feel that the safety of the
country is one of the most important aspects of the
study destination, with Beijing displaying the most
concern at 47%.
Future trends
One future trend projected to transform the way
in which prospective students view potential
institutions is the use of virtual reality (VR) headsets
as a recruitment tool. Such a device is an innovative
way for students who live far away to view an
institution without suffering the cost of traveling
there or having to undergo the lackluster method of
viewing a university through pictures on a website.
This view is expressed by prospective Master of
Product Management, Kevin in Jakarta: “I would
favor the virtual experience because before I enter the
school, I’m not even sure if I will be going there, so if I can
take the lowest cost option why not do that.”
MBA seeker, Iris in Shanghai, agrees: “It allows
me to view the campus. We have to work, we have to
study, so if we rely on that technology, that will be more
convenient for us. But maybe it will be less interactive.
If you visit the campus, you can talk, and interact with
staff or students there. It depends on what you like.
Both have advantages and disadvantages.”
As Iris suggests, there is a mixed perception about
VR. Whilst some students feel that this is an exciting
and inexpensive prospect, others are less positive
like Fred in Jakarta, who is looking for a Master of
Project Management: “I’m more old school, I’ll just
look at the pictures and read articles about people’s
experiences because I’ve done VR before and it makes
me kind of dizzy. I didn’t like it.”
Others feel that it is important to view the campus
in person, as this can help students figure out if the
university is the right fit, like Jerry in Taipei, who is
looking for a Master of Finance: “I would probably
like to go to the campus in person because I want to
VIEWING PROSPECTIVE UNIVERISTY PREFERENCES
38%
26%
14%
Online video tourdelivered by a
current student
Virtual realitycampus tour (headset)
Photographs offacilities and campus
10%
360-degree staticphoto tour
7%
6%Augmented reality
Viewing my prospective institutionis not important to me
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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experience the environment that I would maybe study
in. The students there, the college - I don’t want to just
view the school through VR, I think that it’s not reality.”
In fact, when we asked students what their most
preferred method would be 38% of respondents said
they would favor an online video tour delivered by a
current student. This is followed in second place by a
virtual reality campus tour at 26% and photographs
of campus and facilities at 14%. It remains true,
however, that recruitment events in the country
prospective students live, alongside virtual reality,
offer a more cost-effective opportunity to talk to
staff and get a feel for the campus.
When broken down by city, it appears that the
prospect of a virtual reality campus tour is the most
popular in Shanghai (29%) and the least popular in
Kuala Lumpur (22%). Time will tell if this becomes
a popular trend but for now it seems prospective
Asian students are attracted to more traditional
methods.
“It’s not in your hand, once you choose and you go there [the UK], the next day visa rules change again. So, I would rather choose a country that is safe, with good stay-back options, for example Canada, where they are welcoming immigrants.”
Gopalakishnan, Chennai
“I would probably like to go to the campus in person because I want to experience the environment that I would maybe study in. The students there, the college - I don’t want to just view the school through VR, I think that it’s not reality.”
Jerry, Taipei
POPULARITY OF VIRTUAL REALITY CAMPUS TOURS: CITY BREAKDOWN
29%
28%
26%
22%
28%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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Mohammed, 20Looking for a Master ofMechanical Engineering
Mohammed, 22Looking for a Master of Engineering
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
“I think for me the most important aspect of a university is firstly what it’s like to live there and the educational culture, like the publications and the research. Another thing that Iam considering is the rate of employability if I take certain master's degrees, what are the prospects for those courses?”
Floren, 19Wants to study abroad
for a Political Sciencemaster’s degree
“I think the most important thing when we study at university, beside the
academic, is the environment, like how people treat us and how people around
us can encourage us. I think the most important thing is the people (fellow
students) and the environment.”
Jakarta
“I’d say the most important thing is the quality of education itself, represented in the curriculum and labs. The hands-on experience is very important, and how this education is actually related to life experience as many students say after they graduate that they only use like 10% of their studies in their real life. So, the hands-on experience is very important.”
Yang, 32 Looking for a master’s
program in the UK
“I think the school reputation is the most important factor. Of course, the best school can
provide the best education. Besides this, what you study in a course is very important. For me, I
will choose the school with the best ranking.”
Jerry Yeh, 21 Looking for a
Master of Finance
“I think the rankings are as important as the environment.
For example, as I want to study a Master of Finance, then the
university I go to depends on the financial environment and the
market of the city, so I will probably choose a university in
New York.”
Yue Qin, 23 Looking forMBA programs
“I would check the graduate incomes, employers’ comments, and the diversity of the school. Wherever I choose to study must rank highly in diversity. The reason why I chose a global program is because I would like to know how people from other places think.”
APPLICANT VOICES: WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A UNIVERSITY?
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
12
International higher education (HE) is a booming
industry, which continues to witness enormous
growth in diversity and participation with each
passing decade. With an abundance of competition
for prospective students, it is essential that
marketing communications are reflective of the
driving motivations of applicants, which can be
unique to different regions. One unifying goal of
many students is graduate employability. This has
been found time and time again in QS research with
international students worldwide.
Whilst this section will discuss a range of drivers for
prospective students in Asia, career ambition can
be identified as the overarching aim for students
from this region. This is not untypical of applicants
from developing countries, who are often strongly
guided by a desire to improve their employment
prospects, progress in their career, and by the vision
of building up the economies in their own countries.
Fierce competition to obtain visas, alongside a lack
of employment opportunities at home can create a
thirst for HE and the perception that progressing to
a higher-level qualification is an absolute necessity
to survive post-graduate life.
APPLICANT MOTIVATIONS
POPULARITY OF CAREER SUPPORT AND UNIVERISTY'S REPUTATIONAMONG EMPLOYERS
49%
44%
44%50%
37%
31%
39%
45%
33%
30%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
Career support Reputation among employers
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
13
“Of course, rankings are important because I feel that after graduating and when trying to find work, people look at the university you came from and not your grades.”
Sever, Taipei
Graduate employability
When students were asked to cite the most
important factor when selecting a university in
our survey, teaching quality emerged as the most
popular choice, with 44% of prospective students in
Asia choosing this as the most important motivating
factor when assessing a potential study destination.
Universities which rate high in this area, in metrics
like QS Stars, Teaching Excellence and Student
Outcomes Framework (TEF) in the UK, and Quality
Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) in
Australia should make sure this is given a big
platform in their marketing communications in
order to meet recruitment objectives.
In second and third place, career support at the
university (41%) and the university’s reputation
among employers (38%) further cemented graduate
employability as an overwhelming priority for
prospective Asian students.
Career support at university is cited as the most
important factor to students in Jakarta at 49%,
followed by Shanghai (44%) and Taipei (44%), whilst
reputation among employers is most frequently
shared as a motivation by students from Shanghai
(50%), Beijing (45%), and Taipei (37%). This indicates
that this driver holds particular weight in China.
Employment motivations are most important to
those seeking degrees in the art and humanities,
business studies, and science.
The desire for a university that has a good reputation
among employers in Asia is consistent with the
narratives which arose in our focus groups. Many
students connected rankings with employability.
They believe that in order to get a good job they
need to study at a highly ranked school. This can be
seen in the words of prospective Master of Non-
Profit Management, Heng Kuo in Taipei: “Firstly, I will
consider the school’s ranking and whether the program
is suited for my career plan. I do this because if I’m going
to work back in Taipei or Asia, usually the company will
value the school’s reputation and the ranking, and it’s
also connected with the salaries. So, I think this reason
is especially important in Asia.”
This connection between rankings, graduate
employability, and salaries is made throughout Asia
but more frequently in Taipei, where prospective
students are adamant about its importance.
Sever, a prospective master’s student in Business,
agrees with Heng Kuo: “Of course, rankings are
important because I feel that after graduating and
when trying to find work, people look at the university
you came from and not your grades. If you graduate
TIP BOX: Universities which rank high in the
employability rankings should showcase this to Asian
applicants, who are likely to be highly attracted to
such an accolade. For those looking to study locally,
universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South
Korea appear in the top 25 for the QS Graduate
Employability Rankings 2019. Whilst universities in
the US, Australia, UK, Canada, and Switzerland
performed well in the top 25, making these key markets
for prospective Asian students.
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
14
from the University of Southern California, they would
certainly see you with a higher regard compared to a
public school in California. I want to know; would JP
Morgan hire me if I came from this university?”
Sever’s words are indicative of the regard students
have for rankings in Asia and of an ambitious
applicant mindset that looks ahead to the link
between university reputation and job prospects at
specific employers.
The location of the university intersected with
the employment goals of prospective students in
Asia. Some students target countries which are
renowned for the industry they wish to enter after
they graduate. Indeed, 29% chose the location of the
university as one of their most important factors,
thus indicating the advantages of highlighting links
to industry in recruitment messages.
This is evident in the words of Pai-han, a prospective
Master of Business student in Taipei: “I’m interested
in social business and I think the UK and US have a
very mature environment for the development of social
business, so those two countries are my preference
for study abroad. I want to get into the development
of social business in Taipei and learn more about the
operation of social business in other countries, which
will give me perspective to think about the model and
operations of my own country.” Pai-han’s focus on
improving the conditions of his own economy is
often found in the narratives of international Asian
students, many of whom are guided by philanthropic
and entrepreneurial goals.
Wanting to specialize
Some prospective students in Asia are motivated
to receive a higher-level qualification in order to
THE IMPORTANCE OF UNIVERSITY LOCATION CITY BREAKDOWN
34%
28%
23%
22%
38%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
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“I think it’s important to have a master’s degree because nowadays it feels like everybody has a master’s. It’s something you have to do.”
E Shu Lieu, Beijing
specialize, which they feel will let them hone their
expertise and stand out more in the graduate
employment market.
Prospective Master of Economics student, E Shu
Lieu in Beijing, expresses this sentiment: “I think it’s
important to have a master’s degree because nowadays
it feels like everybody has a master’s. It’s something you
have to do. My bachelor’s degree is in management and
I feel it’s just too broad, so I want to pursue a degree
in economics or finance because its more specific and
it would make me more confident in my future career.
With just a bachelor’s degree, you can’t possibly be a
manager.”
Dipa, in Kuala Lumpur, agrees: “Chemistry is my
favorite subject, but I’d like a higher qualification just
because I’m not really sure what I want to do with my
current degree, as the scope is quite high. So, I want to
get specialized first so that I get to know where I want
to be placed. I want to go on with further studies to find
my scope.”
Dipa suggests that, for some students, progressing
to a master’s degree is driven by a lack of certainty
about future career plans and specific areas of
interest, which can be an issue for many people
once they leave university with an undergraduate
degree. Universities which offer specializations at
undergraduate level should highlight this aspect
of their offering, whilst master’s degrees can
be promoted as an opportunity to specialize to
students in Asia.
Others like MBA seeker Tracy, in Taipei, share that
progressing onto a higher-level qualification is
advantageous for the knowledge and opportunities
to meet other likeminded individuals: “It’s really
important to advance our knowledge, not only through
undergraduate but also through master’s degrees. It’s
a really different environment where you can network
with other people at events.”
Personal interest
Of course, whilst graduate employability is a
common motivation, there are many students in
Asia who wish to pursue another degree simply for
their own personal interest. Sinan in Kuala Lumpur,
who is looking for a PhD in Psychology, shares
this view: “I love learning. I love studying, so for me,
pursuing higher education is about learning more about
the subject that I’m interested in. I follow my heart. If I’m
interested in something, I will go for that.”
This demonstrates the role of personal interest
in the motivations for post-graduate study, which
can be led by an ambition to seek more knowledge.
According to our survey, 29% of students selected
the university’s research as one of the most
important factors when selecting a university, which
is conceivably related to the pursuit of passion in
certain topic areas. The cities most likely to select
“It’s really important to advance our knowledge, not only through undergraduate but also through master’s degrees. It’s a really different environment where you can network with other people at events.”
Tracy, Taipei
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
16
research impact as an important motivation are
Kuala Lumpur (34%) and Shanghai (34%), whilst
prospective Asian students in the sciences appear
to be particularly attracted to this motivation.
Interest in the culture and lifestyle of the location
can also be a motivating factor. Many international
students are driven by a lust for adventure and
new experiences. They view it as an opportunity
to embrace cultural exchange and to gain a deeper
understanding of the world outside their birth
country. This is evident in the words of Nashwan,
a prospective MBA student in Kuala Lumpur:
“Studying abroad makes you see things from a different
perspective. Studying with different people sharpens
the way you think, not necessarily through the quality of
education. You learn from each culture, you adapt and
become technically smarter than an average citizen who
has graduated from the same country he was born in. I
want this experience on a personal level, for something
I feel proud of doing. It makes you unlike others, even
if I’m in a country where I can get a good quality of
education, I’d rather go outside to study because being
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IMPACT: CITY BREAKDOWN
34%
26%
28%
34%
26%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
“I love learning. I love studying, so for me, pursuing higher education is about learning more about the subject that I’m interested in. I follow my heart. If I’m interested in something, I will go for that.”
Sinan, Kuala Lumpur
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
17
an international student always makes you gain a
unique experience.”
Nashwan demonstrates the intrinsic value of
international education that many prospective
students in Asia recognize. Such applicants
might be attracted by marketing messages which
communicate the cultural value of getting a degree
from a particular country, the international student
ratio, and the opportunities for exchange and
semesters abroad. Overall, social life was chosen as
one of the most important factors of a university,
whilst student experience was selected by 9%
of respondents. This was particularly prevalent
in Kuala Lumpur, where 20% valued social life,
followed by Beijing (16%) and Jakarta (15%).
“Studying abroad makes you see things from a different perspective. Studying with different people sharpens the way you think, not necessarily through the quality of education. You learn from each culture, you adapt and become technically smarter than an average citizen who has graduated from the same country he was born in.”
Nashwan, Kuala Lumpur
THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL LIFE AT UNIVERISTY: CITY BREAKDOWN
9%
15%
13%
20%
16%
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
18
In our research, business and management
was the most popular subject choice with 62%
keen to pursue this degree. Indeed, many of the
prospective students we spoke to are seeking
MBAs, which invites us to ask why this might be
the case. It is possible that developing countries
like Indonesia and Malaysia produce students with
entrepreneurial intentions, who wish to better
the conditions of their own economies, whilst the
economic superpower of China perhaps engenders
a generation of students intent on succeeding in
the business world. Business and management is
the most popular subject choice in Shanghai (78%),
followed by Beijing (71%), and Jakarta (70%). It is
the least popular in Kuala Lumpur (38%) and Taipei
(63%). Engineering and technology emerged as the
most popular in Kuala Lumpur (36%), whilst the
social sciences came up top in Jakarta (13%) and
THE IMPACT OF SUBJECT CHOICES
POPULARITY OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT: CITY BREAKDOWN
Jakarta
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
78%
70%
38%
63%
71%
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
19
Kuala Lumpur (13%). Arts and humanities is the
most popular in Beijing and the sciences are most
popular in Taipei.
Subject rankings
A number of students in Asia assert that the subject
rankings are a priority over general rankings,
suggesting that universities which perform well in
the subject rankings should prioritize promoting
this to prospective Asian students, especially if their
overall rank is not as prestigious.
Prospective Master of Engineering student, Jimmy
Chu in Taipei, prefers the subject rankings: “I’m more
into the subject-specific rankings, like the engineering
rankings rather than the general ones. So, that’s what I
look for in terms of the rankings.”
Industrial engineering applicant, Wilson Chen,
also in Taipei, looks to subjects that are renowned
in particular countries: “One of the most important
factors is that I look up the rankings, and maybe if it’s
possible, whether the school I choose is well known and
pretty famous in the field I’m interested in. For example,
in Germany they are kind of like fanatics about the
biomedicals. It depends on the countries and it depends
on the school, they have their advantages in some
specific fields, so that’s my preference.”
The curriculum
The quality of the subject area at the prospective
university is often cited as an area of concern
among Asian applicants. They go to great lengths
to investigate not only the subject rankings, but
also the modules and curriculum offered, in order
to ensure they will enjoy their time at university in
their chosen field.
This view is shared by Fabidan, in Jakarta, who is
looking for an MBA: “The choice of the subject itself
is highly important. I want the university to have a good
quality score for the subject I want to get in to. So, I don’t
really focus on the country, if there’s a better university
for my subject in Italy or in Spain, it’s okay for me. So,
I prefer that the university has a good quality course.”
Therefore, universities are likely to meet
recruitment success if they are transparent about
the specific benefits of their course offerings,
alongside the presentation of in-depth curriculum
details and subject ranking scores.
The entrepreneur
The popularity of business and management in Asia
is connected to the prevalence of an entrepreneurial
mindset in the region, with many prospective
students looking to start their own business.
Prospective MBA student, Song in Shanghai, feels
that further studies will help her improve her
business acumen to ensure her next venture meets
success: “I’ve been in Shanghai for three years and I’ve
worked in two startups as an intern. Previously, I co-
founded a startup. I think learning about business can
bring me more benefits and more knowledge.”
For Roger, in Taipei, this goal can be attached to the
experience of international study itself: “I want to
start my own company, so first I have to be qualified so
that down the line someone will want to invest in me.
International study is very important because these
universities are in big countries full of diversity and
people from many other countries. I want to own a
company in the US and if I start a business before I get
my green card, I have to find a co-founder that has the
visa that allows him to set it up. So, I like to make friends
from the country.”
Some students are seeking business studies in order
to bring the knowledge back to their own country,
which they feel is necessary in a developing market,
like Ebrahim in Kuala Lumpur: “I plan to study outside
my country in a good place, then I will go back to my
country and I want to build it up. If the war is done, then
I will go back there.” Ebrahim is from Yemen where a
war is currently taking place, showing how the social
and economic instability of a country can give rise to
an entrepreneurial mindset.
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
20
The visa task
During our research trip in Asia, students
participated in a number of group tasks related to
destination choices. One such task required that
they correctly match post-study work visa options
with the correct country they come from. This
exposed a lack of knowledge amongst international
Asian students, many of whom are unaware about
the different work visa options available once they
graduate. This is concerning given that this can be
a very important factor for those who are looking
to migrate indefinitely. A favorable post-study
work visa option can, for some, trump university
reputation and teaching quality, as working in
another country is their main priority. This can
mean a huge difference for countries which might
not have such reputable higher education sectors.
The preparation for this task also exposed a
considerable lack of transparency about visa
options. The task included the countries which
had clear visa polices set out online, but even so
this could involve an arduous search of the web.
These countries include the US, UK, Germany,
France, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Australia,
New Zealand, and Canada. HE sectors which offer
a generous period to find work should not only
endeavor to make this information clear and readily
available but should also promote and market this
material as part of an effective international student
recruitment strategy.
Prospective students in Asia were the most likely to
correctly match the US visa, followed by Germany.
New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the UK,
and Australia were only correctly matched once
during the entire trip in Asia, whilst France and the
Netherlands were never correctly matched. Focus
group participants in Kuala Lumpur did not get a
single visa right, and in the rest of the cities visited
only half of the focus groups got some countries
right. This reveals a concerning lack of knowledge
about post-study work visas, and it is something
that HE sectors worldwide should be addressing.
Most popular study destinations
Focus group participants were also asked to create
their own ranking of study destinations, which
illuminates some of the most highly regarded
countries for international study in the region. The
US, unsurprisingly, was chosen the most as the
number one study destination, followed by the UK,
then Germany, Japan, and Australia.
China was chosen just once to be a number one
study destination. However, the fact that both
Japan and China were chosen to appear in the top
five destinations in the students’ rankings may
suggest that international study is likely to become
more intra-regional in coming years.
When looking at the QS 2019 International Student
Survey, in which there is an extensive pool of
participants, the top five study destinations for
Asian applicants are as follows; Australia (70%), UK
(36%), US (32%), Canada (23%), and New Zealand
(18%).
Additionally, Singapore (17%), Japan (14%), Hong
Kong (10%), and China (10%) all closely follow,
showing that Asian study destinations are indeed
appearing in the top ten study destinations for
Asian applicants. Moreover, the overwhelming
preference for Australia suggests that international
Asian students are keen to study close to home
when going abroad.
On page 22, the top study destinations, as chosen
by the individual focus groups, are displayed in an
infographic.
TOP STUDY DESTINATIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE ASIAN STUDENTS
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
21
TOP STUDY DESTINATIONS AS CHOSEN BY THE INDIVIDUAL FOCUS GROUPS
1United States UK Germany
France
Japan
2
5
3
4
2UKCanada Netherlands
Japan
3
4
5
Australia
1
Australia
5
Australia
5United States
2
1United States UK Germany
Japan
3
4
2
SHANGHAI
1United States UK Germany
France
China
2
4
3
5
BEIJING
3Canada UK Germany
1 4
JAKARTA
KUALA LUMPUR
TAIPEI
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
22
APPLICANT VOICES: WHAT STUDY DESTINATIONS ARE YOU CONSIDERING, AND WHY?
Dipa, 21Wants to study aMaster of Chemistry
Izana, 18Looking for a biomedicalundergraduate course
Kuala Lumpur
Taipei
Beijing
Shanghai
“The UK is my main destination choice because I love the culture in the UK. Maybe in my time at university I can learn the culture and know more about the environment and get more friends. My second choice is Germany because it’s high technology and offers good quality qualifications in medical and technology too.”
Jakarta
“I’m looking at Scandinavian countries just because I like the climate and I dream of a different lifestyle, so I’m planning for my studies but also planning for the lifestyle I want to have. I consider safety as one of the top parameters, you have to be safe wherever you are.”
Lim Shu hui, 22Looking for
an MBA
“The UK and Australia are my top choices because the universities are quite well known.
Reputation is important. Australia is a good choice because it’s nearby. I think the reputation
and social life for both countries is good.”
Jerry Yeh, 21 Looking for a
Master of Finance
“I’m looking at the US, and especially California because the
weather there is good. The US has a lot of cultures, although
there may be some discrimination against Asians,
but I think that I can learn how to mix with people of different ethnicities. I can learn how to
speak English better and I can meet some new friends.”
Zhao, 22 Looking foran MBA
“Hong Kong and Singapore are my priority because their culture has more similarities with Chinese culture and it’s near China. I have learned that some universities which provide MBAs there can offer their master’s students a six-month internship before their graduation.”
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
23
KEY FINDINGS
Insight during the attraction stages can lead to better recruitment strategies
• The selection process often starts with
monetary concerns like cost of living, tuition
fees, and scholarships for prospective students
in Asia. Teaching quality also emerges as highly
important to students from this region.
• Applicants from Asia are largely influenced
by friends, with 61% selecting friends as their
key influencer. The second most important
influencer is employers (53%), followed by
family (50%).
• Whilst some prospective students in Asia share
an inclination for virtual reality campus tours,
the majority are attracted to less innovative
methods, like online video tours.
Applicant motivations are strongly influenced by graduate employability
• When students were asked to cite the most
important factor when selecting a university,
career support at the university (41%) and the
university’s reputation amongst employers
(38%) demonstrated the importance of career
goals for prospective students.
• Some prospective students in Asia are
motivated to receive a higher-level qualification
in order to specialize, which they feel will let
them hone their expertise and stand out more
in the graduate employment market.
• There are many students in Asia who wish to
pursue another degree simply for their own
personal interest.
Subject choices have a big impact on university decisions
• Many students in Asia assert that the subject
rankings are a priority over general rankings,
suggesting that universities which perform well
in the subject rankings should promote this to
prospective Asian students, especially if their
overall rank is not as prestigious.
• The quality of the subject area is often cited as
an area of concern amongst Asian applicants.
Prospective students undertake an in-depth
exploration of the modules and curriculum
offered, in order to ensure they will enjoy their
time at university in their chosen field.
• The popularity of business and management
in Asia is connected to the prevalence of an
entrepreneurial mindset in the region, with
many prospective students looking to start
their own business.
Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia
24
ABOUT QS
With offices around the world, QS is a global market leader for the research and understanding of international
and domestic students. Each year we deal with hundreds of thousands of students globally, giving us a unique
insight into the student recruitment market. Our research, strategy, enquiry, admissions, and enrollment
services mean we have hands-on experience of the obstacles and opportunities within specific countries and
regions, helping clients mitigate risk, benefit from our existing relationships, and build sustainable recruitment
strategies in an increasingly complex marketplace.
To access other resources from QS visit www.qs.com
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All information © QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd 2019