Postgrad UK 2008/2009 - (Page 6) 6 Advice and Information www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK Why study in the UK? International students head to Britain for a quality education. The quality of education in the UK continues to attract students from all over the world; in 2006/7 there were 136,220 students from outside the EEA studying postgraduate courses at UK institutions. Gaining an internationally recognised qualification, and the chance to perfect their English, is a big draw for international students who want to see a return on their investment. And there are now more options than ever before; there are currently more than 58,000 taught postgraduate courses and research opportunities to choose from on the Prospects database alone. The UK higher education system combines the best elements of tradition and modernity. Some universities are among the oldest in the world, others are among the newest. Many courses have a strong vocational foundation and enjoy good links with business and professional organisations. INVESTING IN QUALITY Both the new and the old The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) is an independent body, responsible for making sure the standards of qualifications are not just maintained, but constantly improved. Teams of appointed academics and other professionals undertake audits and assessments of institutions up and down the country. The QAA website identifies all the benchmarks which institutions must meet, as well as the achievements and learning outcomes that are required if courses are to qualify for status as an MA or MSc, for example. Perhaps most useful for potential students’ purposes are the reviews and reports which detail the quality and standards achieved by all the institutions, found at www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews A number of organisations conduct intensive surveys, such as the Research Assessment Exercise (www.hero.ac.uk/rae) and the Times Good University Guide (www.timesonline.co.uk), all of which ensure that the quality of higher education matches its reputation. universities are involved in cutting-edge research and delivering world-class teaching and the quality and standard of UK qualifications is guaranteed through the work of various official bodies, such as the Quality Assurance Agency. http://www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews http://www.hero.ac.uk/rae http://www.timesonline.co.uk
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