British Education System - Essay Example

Running Head: BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM British Education System of the of the British Education System The purpose of this study is to get to know that the British Education System is best one in the world. A concerted effort by the British Government to highlight the key benefits of a British education, it also aims to ensure that international students study in the most conducive environment possible. The key thrusts of the on-going campaign are affordability and international world class standards, where students not only gain from the incentives aimed at giving them more financial freedom, but also variety and choice when pursuing their higher education (Magazine for Chartered Management Accountants). For many international students, one of the key factors when making that all important decision is the bottom-line - how much and for how long. Most undergraduate degrees with honours in the UK take three years to complete while it would require an additional year in other parts of the world. A Masters course, is also shorter, and can be completed in one year, as opposed to two years elsewhere. This translates into valuable savings for the international student, a benefit that many are still unaware of. By taking into account the needs and requirements of international students, the British Governments initiative now allows all students to work up to 20 hours a week during term time and full time during their holidays. While this is a great financial help to students on a tight budget, it also allows them to gain valuable work experience that would benefit them further once they start working upon completion of their respective courses. British education is acknowledged to be the best in the world because it helps to develop the creative and analytical skills which are essential for todays competitive career and business environment. Students are taught to be pro-active and independent in their thinking and they are encouraged to master skills which can make them easily marketable in todays demanding global business environment. With the world economy becoming increasingly borderless, British education offers students a wide range of courses from matriculation to postgraduate levels to suit current market trends. Affordability being a key aspect of the Education British banner, many other measures has been implemented to help students study in the most cost- effective environment possible. Some of these measures include free health-care and the streamlining of all visa applications. Health-care insurance is often one of the biggest worries for international students, who hesitate in paying high premiums for insurance, although it works out cheaper when in need of medical assistance. With the British governments initiatives, all these worries are taken care of as students who are in the Britain for more than six months automatically qualify for the NHS (Bates, 2004). Another reason why parents send their children to the UK is that colleges and universities there are reputed to provide top quality education which is highly recognized throughout the world. Parents and children are more discerning today in their choice and they are convinced British education will give them value for their money besides offering a balanced education. With all these benefits, the UK has become an even more attractive education destination then it ever was as students are now in the position to work and study as well as enjoy health benefits that are usually accorded to citizens of a particular country. With the world-class teaching facilities and high achievements in the area of science, technology and innovations, international students benefit from all quarters as they are exposed to new and cutting-edge technology that helps them be the best they can be. While in the past many students chose the UK due to its strong links with other countries, today, the decision is made more on the affordability factor as well as the multitude of opportunities that a UK qualification offers. With more than 23,000 courses being offered on a yearly basis, there is a course to suit the needs and requirements of each and every student. Offering cutting-edge and world-leading research opportunities, internationally recognised degrees and relevant high-quality, standard training, the British education is the preferred choice for many international students. While many students prefer to pursue traditional professional courses such as engineering, medicine, architecture and accountancy, the more sophisticated marketplace has created a need for other non-traditional courses that the UK is synonymous for, such as IT, design, psychology and sociology. IT, being one of the mainstays of the global economy, is one of the leading industries in the UK, where new and innovative technologies have taken root in the UK. For instance, the founder of the world wide web is from the Britain, as well as the creator of Dolly - the first cloned sheep in the world (Speight, 2004). The UK also leads in the creation of computer games, where British software houses such as Cambridge Animation, Parallax systems, Virtuality and Superscape are world leaders in computer software technology and innovation. These are but few of the examples of what the Britain is famous for. The arts and literary scene is another area that many international students are venturing into (Bailey, 1996). With the phenomenal success of J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter series, many aspiring writers are signing up with literary courses to test their creative juices. While there are many who would prefer to stick to Shakespeare and Byron, there are just as many that have great interest in pursuing contemporary writing courses. With evolving global trends dictating the nature of the highly competitive education market, the Britain is constantly sharpening its response to meet the needs of international students. While the changes that have been introduced are aimed at improving the welcome and affordability of studying in the UK, further initiatives are expected to follow suit as the education market evolves with time (MacLeod, 1995). The strong education foundation has always made a British qualification a prized and valuable commodity, today, the multitude of opportunities that are offered to international students have made the UK an even more desirable destination, one that will attract many more international students in the years to come. References Bates, David, (2004) History in British Education. History Today, Vol. 54 Issue 12, p4-4 Speight, Sarah, (2004). Teachers of adult education in British universities 1948-1998. By:. Studies in the Education of Adults, Vol. 36 Issue 1, p111-127 British education. Management Accounting: Magazine for Chartered Management Accountants, May98, Vol. 76 Issue 5, p55 Bailey, Steve; Reising, R.W (1996). Education in British. Clearing House, Vol. 69 Issue 5, p260 MacLeod, Alexander (1995), Back to school for British education, Christian Science Monitor Vol. 87 Issue 175, p7 Read More