The most international university in Wales

Dr Owain James

The UK's education system is world-renowned, and education has become an international export. People from all over the world come to study in the UK, and Wales is no exception.

The number of international students in Wales has increased over recent years. In the 2015/16 academic year, there were 22,190 international students across Welsh Universities, but by the 2021/22 academic year this had increased to 25,090 - a 13% increase in 6 years.

So which is Wales' most 'international' university? Which Welsh university has the highest rates of international students?

Admittedly, the numbers change from year to year (and will likely be different and greater again for the 2022/23 academic year), but for the 2021/22 academic year there are two main candidates:

In terms of number alone, Cardiff University had the most international students of any Welsh academic institution, with 7,530 international students enrolled at the university.

Cardiff Metropolitan University, however, had a higher percentage of its students coming from overseas. International students represented a greater proportion of the university than any other in Wales, with the 23.1% of its entire student population coming from abroad. Cardiff University wasn't too far off, with 22.2%.

Why are international students drawn to these universities in particular? Here are some suggestions:

  • Cardiff University likely benefits from its Russell Group status which helps with international awareness
  • Both benefit from being in Wales' capital (and use Cardiff in their names), the most internationally recognisable part of Wales (although Wrexham could take the crown soon thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - I wonder if Wrexham University will see a noticeable increase in international students over the next few years?)
  • Cardiff itself is a very international city, and has been for a long time. Cardiff's Tiger Bay was one of the UK's oldest multicultural communities.
  • Travelling to Cardiff is straightforward. You can easily travel to Cardiff from London and Bristol (which have large international airports), as well as from Cardiff's own airport of course.

However, I am sure there is a lot more to it than this, and that these universities also have successful marketing strategies to help attract international students.

After all, not only are international students drawn to Welsh universities, but due to the high fees they pay, Welsh universities are also drawn to them. The feeling is mutual.

The rates of international students in Wales are likely to increase over the next few years. They are already a part of the furniture, but are quickly becoming a core part of the foundations as well.

Employers in Wales who want to hire graduates will need to include international students within their recruitment strategy, if they haven't already. 

And this isn't bad news. International graduates bring their own unique qualities and benefits to an organisation - something I'll try and cover in more detail soon.

English
Cymraeg

The UK's education system is world-renowned, and education has become an international export. People from all over the world come to study in the UK, and Wales is no exception.

The number of international students in Wales has increased over recent years. In the 2015/16 academic year, there were 22,190 international students across Welsh Universities, but by the 2021/22 academic year this had increased to 25,090 - a 13% increase in 6 years.

So which is Wales' most 'international' university? Which Welsh university has the highest rates of international students?

Admittedly, the numbers change from year to year (and will likely be different and greater again for the 2022/23 academic year), but for the 2021/22 academic year there are two main candidates:

In terms of number alone, Cardiff University had the most international students of any Welsh academic institution, with 7,530 international students enrolled at the university.

Cardiff Metropolitan University, however, had a higher percentage of its students coming from overseas. International students represented a greater proportion of the university than any other in Wales, with the 23.1% of its entire student population coming from abroad. Cardiff University wasn't too far off, with 22.2%.

Why are international students drawn to these universities in particular? Here are some suggestions:

  • Cardiff University likely benefits from its Russell Group status which helps with international awareness
  • Both benefit from being in Wales' capital (and use Cardiff in their names), the most internationally recognisable part of Wales (although Wrexham could take the crown soon thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney - I wonder if Wrexham University will see a noticeable increase in international students over the next few years?)
  • Cardiff itself is a very international city, and has been for a long time. Cardiff's Tiger Bay was one of the UK's oldest multicultural communities.
  • Travelling to Cardiff is straightforward. You can easily travel to Cardiff from London and Bristol (which have large international airports), as well as from Cardiff's own airport of course.

However, I am sure there is a lot more to it than this, and that these universities also have successful marketing strategies to help attract international students.

After all, not only are international students drawn to Welsh universities, but due to the high fees they pay, Welsh universities are also drawn to them. The feeling is mutual.

The rates of international students in Wales are likely to increase over the next few years. They are already a part of the furniture, but are quickly becoming a core part of the foundations as well.

Employers in Wales who want to hire graduates will need to include international students within their recruitment strategy, if they haven't already. 

And this isn't bad news. International graduates bring their own unique qualities and benefits to an organisation - something I'll try and cover in more detail soon.

Mae system addysg y DU yn fyd-enwog, ac mae addysg bellach yn cael ei allforio'n rhyngwladol. Daw pobl o bob rhan o’r byd i astudio yn y DU, ac nid yw Cymru yn eithriad.

Mae nifer y myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf. Ym mlwyddyn academaidd 2015/16, roedd 22,190 o fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol ar draws Prifysgolion Cymru, ond erbyn blwyddyn academaidd 2021/22 roedd hyn wedi cynyddu i 25,090 - cynnydd o 13% mewn 6 blynedd.

Felly pa brifysgol yw'r un mwyaf 'rhyngwladol' yng Nghymru? Pa brifysgol yng Nghymru sydd â'r cyfraddau uchaf o fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol?

Mae rhaid cyfaddef bod y niferoedd yn newid o flwyddyn i flwyddyn (ac yn debygol o fod yn wahanol ac yn fwy eto ar gyfer blwyddyn academaidd 2022/23), ond ar gyfer blwyddyn academaidd 2021/22 mae dau brif ymgeisydd:

O ran nifer yn unig, roedd gan Brifysgol Caerdydd y nifer fwyaf o fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol o unrhyw sefydliad academaidd Cymreig, gyda 7,530 o fyfyrwyr rhyngwladol wedi cofrestru yn y brifysgol.

Fodd bynnag, roedd gan Brifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd ganran uwch o'i myfyrwyr yn dod o dramor. Roedd myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn cynrychioli cyfran uwch o’r brifysgol nag unrhyw un arall yng Nghymru, gyda’r 23.1% o’i holl boblogaeth myfyrwyr yn dod o dramor. Doedd Prifysgol Caerdydd ddim yn rhy bell i ffwrdd, gyda 22.2%.

Pam mae myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn cael eu denu at y prifysgolion hyn yn arbennig? Dyma rai awgrymiadau:

  • Mae'n debygol bod Prifysgol Caerdydd yn elwa o'i statws Grŵp Russell sy'n helpu gydag ymwybyddiaeth ryngwladol
  • Mae’r ddwy yn elwa o fod ym mhrifddinas Cymru (ac yn defnyddio Caerdydd yn eu henwau), y rhan o Gymru sydd fwyaf adnabyddadwy yn rhyngwladol (er y gallai Wrecsam gipio’r goron yn fuan diolch i Ryan Reynolds a Rob McElhenney – tybed a fydd Prifysgol Wrecsam yn gweld cynnydd amlwg mewn myfyrwyr rhyngwladol dros y blynyddoedd nesaf?)
  • Mae Caerdydd ei hun yn ddinas ryngwladol iawn, ac wedi bod ers amser maith. Teigr Bae Caerdydd oedd un o gymunedau amlddiwylliannol hynaf y DU.
  • Mae teithio i Caerdydd yn syml. Gallwch deithio’n hawdd i Gaerdydd o Lundain a Bryste (sydd â meysydd awyr rhyngwladol mawr), yn ogystal ag o faes awyr Caerdydd ei hun wrth gwrs.

Fodd bynnag, rwy’n siŵr bod llawer mwy iddi na hyn, a bod gan y prifysgolion hyn hefyd strategaethau marchnata llwyddiannus i helpu i ddenu myfyrwyr rhyngwladol.

Wedi’r cyfan, nid yn unig y caiff myfyrwyr rhyngwladol eu denu i brifysgolion Cymru, ond oherwydd y ffioedd uchel y maent yn eu talu, mae prifysgolion Cymru hefyd yn cael eu denu atynt. Mae'r ddwy ochr yn denu ei gilydd.

Mae cyfraddau myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yng Nghymru yn debygol o gynyddu dros y blynyddoedd nesaf. Maent eisoes yn rhan o'r celfi, ond maent yn prysur ddod yn rhan bwysig o'r sylfeini hefyd. Bydd angen i gyflogwyr yng Nghymru sydd am gyflogi graddedigion gynnwys myfyrwyr rhyngwladol yn eu strategaeth recriwtio, os nad ydynt wedi gwneud hynny eisoes.

Ac nid yw hyn yn newyddion drwg. Mae graddedigion rhyngwladol yn dod â'u rhinweddau a'u buddion unigryw eu hunain i sefydliad - rhywbeth y byddaf yn ceisio ei drafod yn fanylach yn fuan.