THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS AND THE FUTURE OF ......4 The Coronavirus Crisis and the Future of Higher...

Published in August 2020

https://www.qs.com/contact/

Discover how universities and prospective international students are weathering the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS AND THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

II The Coronavirus Crisis and the Future of Higher Education

Contents

Introduction 1

How are prospective international students adapting to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis? 2

� An overview of the QS coronavirus student survey

� How the study plans of prospective international students have changed throughout the crisis

� How prospective international students are adapting to online learning opportunities and challenges

� What prospective international students want to hear from universities

How are universities shifting their approach during this global health emergency? 14

� An overview of the QS coronavirus university survey

� How are universities responding to the coronavirus crisis?

� Where do universities stand when it comes to international student recruitment?

� How are they shifting their student recruitment strategies?

� When do universities predict that they will reopen campuses and what will this look like?

Conclusion 26

About QS 27

https://www.qs.com/contact/ 1

Introduction

As the coronavirus continues, it is becoming increasingly

clear that this is a challenge that will be a fixture in our

lives for some time to come.

The global higher education sector is adapting to this

new normal while implementing rapid changes to meet

changing government regulations and recommendations.

In this complex climate, flexibility and innovation will be

the pivotal pillars for many universities.

To aid in this endeavor, QS is conducting ongoing research

into the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the higher

education sector.

Our ongoing surveys take the pulse of prospective

international students and university professionals,

detailing how they have responded to the health crisis

and what measures they have implemented.

In this report, we will share the results of these surveys to

date, how responses have changed over time, and what

this means for the higher education sector.

Read on to discover our most comprehensive report to

date on the coronavirus crisis and its ripple effects across

the global higher education landscape.

Previous QS research reports:

Published in July 2020

https://www.qs.com/contact/

Discover how universities are preparing for the upcoming academic year and adapting theirstrategies to address the ripple effects of thecoronavirus crisis.

HOW UNIVERSITIES ARE ADDRESSINGTHE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS ANDMOVINGFORWARD

This report provides

the latest findings from

the QS coronavirus

university survey, including

new insights on how

universities are adapting

their recruitment tactics

and operations.

This report explores

how universities will

reopen in the coming

months and ensure

the safety of students

and staff, including

proposed strategies from

institutions across the

globe.

https://www.qs.com/portfolio-items/how-universities-addressing-coronavirus-crisis-moving-forward-report/

https://www.qs.com/www.qs.com/support-students-upcoming-academic-year

2 The Coronavirus Crisis and the Future of Higher Education

How are prospective international students adapting to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis?

This section will explore the results from the QS coronavirus survey of prospective international students, detailing how

attitudes and responses to the COVID-19 outbreak have shifted over time and where they stand currently.

An overview of the QS coronavirus student survey

This ongoing survey of prospective international students was established in mid-February in response to the growing

disruption of the COVID-19 crisis and its ripple effects across the higher education sector.

As of 11 August, when these results were pulled, the survey has amassed more than 66,000 responses from prospective

international students across 198 nationalities and territories.

Of those surveyed, 41% plan to study at an undergraduate level, 35% at a postgraduate by coursework level, 19% at a

postgraduate by research level, and 5% seek to study either English language studies, a foundation course, or vocational

education and training.

Survey respondents were interested in studying in multiple study destinations with the UK leading the pack (41%),

followed by the US (38%), Canada (34%), Germany (24%), Australia (22%), and others.

The majority of respondents were interested in studying Business and Management (22%), followed by Engineering and

Technology (20%), Medicine and Dentistry (7%), Computing (6%), Social Sciences (5%), and others.

Explore the Reports section on the QS website to see previous reports that break down the results based on subject

area, study level, and geographic location.

How the study plans of prospective international students have changed throughout the crisis

The first finding we present from this student survey is how the coronavirus crisis has impacted the study plans of

prospective international students. As of 11 August, 61% of respondents have stated that the coronavirus has affected

their plans to study abroad.


Has the coronavirus affected your plans to study abroad?

61%16%

24%

Yes No Don't know

Each month we report on how these findings have shifted. In the graph below, we can see how student responses have

changed from February to August.

Has the coronavirus affected your plans to study abroad?

27%

55%62% 65% 67% 67% 67%

61%16%

14% 13% 12% 12% 12%

12%

29% 24% 23% 21% 21% 21%

February March April May June July August

Yes No Don't know


Over February, March, and April, we saw a steep increase in students stating that their plans had been impacted by the

coronavirus. Over the months of June, July, and August, we have seen the results remain at a stable level.

Of those respondents who stated that their plans had been affected by the coronavirus, QS also asked how it had

changed their plans to study abroad, whether they expected to delay or defer their studies, decided to study in a

different country, no longer planned to study overseas, or something else.

Which of these best describes how the coronavirus has changed your plans to study abroad?

55%

10%

6%

15%

14%

I now intend to delay or defer my entry until next year I now intend to study in a different country

I now no longer want to study overseas Other

None of these

While the results above indicate the overall findings, it is interesting to see the breakdown of trend over time. The

graph below shows that the proportion of those who are now looking to study in another country is increasing, having

dramatically declined between February and March. This could be a positive sign for countries that have managed the

crisis well and are allowing international travel.


Which of these best describes how the coronavirus has changed your plans to study abroad?

37%

51%

61%

60%

56%

56%

54%

32%

8%

7%

7%

9%

12%

12%

10%

8%

7%

5%

6%

6%

6%

9%

13%

14%

17%

17%

16%

17%

12%

21%

10%

11%

12%

11%

13%

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

I now intend to delay or defer my entry to next year I now intend to study in a different country

I now no longer want to study overseas Other

None of these

In May, two new questions were added to the survey, in an effort to gauge when prospective international students

would like to start their studies and when they expect to start their studies.

As the survey has progressed, we can see that the proportion of students who want to and who expect to start their

studies overseas in 2020 is gradually declining, while the numbers for 2021 are increasing.


In an ideal world, what year would you like to start your studies?

43%

38%

34%

29%

39%

43%

47%

51%

11%

11%

11%

13%

7%

8%

8%

7%

May

June

July

August

2020 2021 2022 2023 or later

What year do you expect to start your studies?

29%

25%

20%

19%

48%

50%

54%

54%

13%

15%

15%

17%

10%

11%

10%

10%

May

June

July

August

2020 2021 2022 2023 or later

These two graphs reflect the uncertainty that many prospective international students are experiencing as the start

of the 2020 academic year draws near for many countries. While this suggests that universities may struggle to attract

students in 2020, it does demonstrate that strong interest remains and that institutions should also be ramping up

recruitment efforts for the second semester of 2020 and the 2021 academic year.


How prospective international students are adapting to online learning opportunities and challenges

Online learning has become the new normal for the higher education sector in 2020.

Universities across the globe have shown remarkable flexibility and innovation as they moved operations and

communications to online platforms and utilized a range of virtual tools.

When looking at trend data from the student survey, we can see that interest in online degrees appears to be very

gradually increasing. The proportion who are not at all interested has declined from 42% in March to 36% in August,

so it seems like attitudes are shifting gradually.

How interested would you be in studying your degree online because of the coronavirus?

9%

10%

10%

10%

10%

10%

9%

11%

11%

10%

11%

11%

20%

21%

22%

21%

22%

21%

19%

21%

20%

22%

21%

21%

42%

38%

38%

38%

37%

36%

March

April

May

June

July

August

Extremely interested Very interested Somewhat interested

Slightly interested Not at all interested

Additionally, students expressed a willingness to start their studies in 2020, even if the beginning of the course was

delivered online.


If starting your studies this academic year meant doing the beginning of your course online, would you be

interested in this?

45%

28%

27%

Yes No Unsure

However, while a significant proportion were interested or at least unsure about whether they would like to start their

degree online, many stated that they would expect a discount as a result.

If you were to start your studies online until you're able to travel for face-to-face teaching, do you think this

should affect tuition fees?

79%

8%

13%

1%

Yes, they should be discounted No, they should stay the same Unsure Other


This vast majority of respondents (79%, up from 77% in our May reporting) who believe that tuition fees should be

discounted demonstrates the value that prospective international students assign to on-campus education.

When breaking down the level of discount that these respondents expect, the results vary across the financial spectrum.

It is important to note that any questions that ask about cost will inevitably have a bias to over stipulate discount, so

the results below should be viewed through that lens.

How much do you think tuition fees should be discounted by during online studies until you're able to start

face-to-face classes?

4%

10%

21%

17%

20%

13%

9%

7%

Up to 10% 11% to 20% 21% to 30% 31%-40% 41%-50% 51%-70% More than70%

Don't know

Given the higher level of responses across the discount range of 21-50%, it is clear that prospective international

students expect a significant discount.

When it comes to what measures they want universities to implement, prospective international students are becoming

less interested in moving courses online and more interested in universities holding lectures in larger rooms to minimize

contact.


Which of the following do you think universities should be doing to limit the impact of the coronavirus?

61%

57%

50%

45%

46%

45%

33%

44%

55%

61%

62%

62%

March

April

May

June

July

August

Holding lectures and seminars in larger rooms to minimize close contact in larger gatherings

Moving more of their lectures online

As the graph above shows, only 33% of respondents thought that universities should hold lectures and seminars in

larger rooms to minimize close contact in March, compared to 55% in May, and 62% in August. This could suggest that

interest in on-campus education has strengthened as the coronavirus crisis has continued.

With many universities choosing to implement a blended approach to educational delivery in the upcoming academic

year, it is crucial that this approach is clearly communicated to prospective students.

By understanding that institutions will make the most of both online and on-campus education within the restrictions

posed by the coronavirus, students may feel more confident about applying to study this academic year.

What prospective international students want to hear from universities

Prospective international students are seeking more information from universities than ever before. From changing

application processes and deadlines to English language requirements, the coronavirus crisis has impacted every stage

of the decision-making journey.

In the QS coronavirus student survey, respondents were asked to select which topics they wanted more information

on from universities. Below, we can see that these have changed slightly as we get closer to the September intake.


What information would you like to receive from universities about the coronavirus?

37%

40%

40%

45%

45%

44%

23%

27%

29%

33%

31%

34%

39%

43%

48%

51%

51%

50%

34%

40%

42%

44%

45%

42%

March

April

May

June

July

August

Measures the university has implemented to slow the spread of coronavirus on campus

Changes to my course structure (e.g. how much is now online learning)

Changes to English language test requirements

Changes to the dates of any entrance examinations

From March to August, we can see that interest in changes to course structure rises from 39% to 50%, changes to the

dates of entrance examinations rises from 37% to 44%, and changes to English language test requirements rises from

23% to 34%.

There is a clear need for universities to provide clear, up-to-date information to prospective students about how the

coronavirus is impacting admissions and operations.

When it comes to the frequency of this communication, respondents demonstrated a clear preference towards regular

contact.


How often would you like to hear from universities with news/updates relating to the coronavirus?

25%

30%

30%

8%

3%5%

Daily or more A few times a week

Once per week Fortnightly or less

I wouldn’t want to hear any information from universities Don’t know

Given that 25% (down from 28% in May) want daily or more communication and 30% want updates a few times a week,

it is apparent that prospective students are eager for news, and don’t mind a high frequency of contact from universities.

Unsurprisingly, their preferred mode of communication is email (81%), followed by WhatsApp (36%) and SMS/text

message (24%).


Which of the following would you like to use to get information from universities on the coronavirus?

4%

6%

7%

12%

13%

20%

21%

24%

36%

81%

None of these

Skype

Letter

Phone call

Twitter

Real time chat/messaging on the university website

Facebook

SMS/Text message

WhatsApp

Email


How are universities shifting their approach during this global health emergency?

This section will explore the results from the QS coronavirus survey of higher education professionals, detailing how

institutional attitudes and responses to the COVID-19 outbreak have shifted over time and where they stand currently.

An overview of the QS coronavirus university survey

This ongoing survey of higher education professionals was established in mid-March in response to the growing

disruption of the COVID-19 crisis and its ripple effects across the higher education sector.

As of 11 August, when these results were pulled, the survey has amassed more than 1,700 responses from higher

education professionals across the globe.

The survey was refreshed in June to reflect the changing educational climate with new questions added. From June

onwards, the survey has amassed more than 500 responses and the majority of results shown in this report are based

off this latest collection of responses (unless otherwise stated).

Of those surveyed from June, 22% were from the UK, 7% were from the US, 5% were from Australia, 5% were from

Russia, 4% were from India, 3% were from Japan, and 2% were from Canada.

How are universities responding to the coronavirus crisis?

The higher education sector has seen unprecedented change this year, rapidly adapting to the challenges of the

coronavirus crisis and maintaining quality educational delivery.

In the QS coronavirus university survey, higher education professionals were asked to detail the measures that their

institution had implemented during these tumultuous times.


Has your institution responded to the coronavirus in any of the following ways?

56%

60%

68%

74%

70%

17%

28%

30%

39%

36%

16%

23%

29%

38%

35%

14%

14%

17%

28%

34%

March

April

May

June

July

Deferred some of our 2020 offers to 2021

Changed our offer acceptance deadlines for our next intake

Changed our application deadlines for our next intake

Switched some of our scheduled courses online

As shown in the chart above, the number of institutions that switched their scheduled courses online rose throughout

the year (from 56% in March to a high of 74% in June), as did those institutions that changed their application deadlines

for their next intake (from 17% in March to 36% in July).

Where do universities stand when it comes to international student recruitment?

International student recruitment in the midst of a pandemic that restricts global movement is understandably a

complex challenge.

Many universities are predicting significant reductions to international student recruitment numbers for this upcoming

academic year.

In the QS university survey, respondents were asked to reveal how they think international student recruitment

applications will be impacted by the ongoing coronavirus crisis.


How do you expect the coronavirus to affect the number of international student recruitment applications

at your institution?

5%

14%

72%

9%

They will increase They will stay the same They will decrease Don’t know

An overwhelming majority (72%) of institutions believe that the coronavirus crisis will decrease the number of international

student applications they receive.

Additionally, when we examine the trend data we can see that these sentiments are exacerbated as the new academic

year approaches for many countries.


How do you expect the coronavirus to affect the number of international student applications at your

institution?

20%

18%

11%

8%

50%

48%

69%

71%

21%

27%

16%

15%

10%

8%

4%

7%

April

May

June

July

They will increase They will stay the same They will decrease Don't know

When asked why they think international student applications will decrease, respondents pointed to a range of reasons

that could play a part.


Why do you think international student applications will decrease at your institution?

10%

11%

30%

44%

58%

67%

72%

73%

International students will be unable to take pre-sessionalexams

Other

International students will want to go to countries which haveresponded better than ours

International students will be unable to get a student visa

International students won’t want to study online

International students will defer their studies until the nextacademic year

International students will be afraid to travel

International students will be unable to travel to our country

The three top reasons that were highlighted by respondents were that international students will be unable to travel

to their country (73%), international students will be afraid to travel (72%), and international students will defer their

studies (67%).

Interestingly, a significant minority of 30% of respondents stated that they think international students will want to go

to countries which have responded better than theirs.

In the QS coronavirus survey of prospective international students, 55% of respondents said they had reconsidered

where they want to study overseas based on how different governments have handled the coronavirus crisis.

When asked which countries had handled the coronavirus best, 29% of prospective international students chose New

Zealand, 9% chose China, 9% chose Germany, 9% chose South Korea, 6% chose Australia, and 5% chose Canada.

It is important to note that only a minority thought that the US or the UK had handled the crisis well, with only 2%

selecting the UK and only 1% selecting the US.

In the university survey, QS asked respondents to reveal the proportion of their prospective international students

which they predict will seek out study in other countries, due to their response to the coronavirus.


What proportion of your international students do you think will go to other countries?

21%

26% 26%

14%

8%

2% 2% 2% 2%

0-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-40% 41-50% 51-60% 61-70% 71-80% 81-90%

From the responses, it is clear that the majority of universities believe that up to 30% of their prospective international

students could go to another country due to the coronavirus.

In terms of what they expect from their governments to address these negative forecasts, universities are hoping to

see swift action when it comes to visas and travel corridors.


Which of the following should your government do to encourage international students to come to the

country?

7%

11%

14%

26%

43%

47%

52%

61%

None of these

Other

Make it easier to become a permanent resident

Ensure they do not have to be subjected to quarantinemeasures when they arrive in the country

Extend the length of time they can remain onpost-study work visas

Set up more scholarships for internationalstudents

Establish travel corridors with as many countriesas they can

Make it easier for students to obtain a student visa

How are they shifting their student recruitment strategies?

To address these shifts, universities are taking innovative steps to increase their international student recruitment for

2020, and position themselves for a strong 2021.

According to the QS coronavirus university survey, 49% of respondents are seeking to diversify the source countries

they use for recruiting international students, with a further 20% of respondents still considering their options.

When we examine the trend data on this question, we can see that universities became more receptive to the idea of

diversifying their source countries as the year progressed.


Is your institution looking to diversify the source countries from which you recruit international students?

18%

17%

19%

13%

20%

29%

32%

27%

21%

19%

20%

9%

18%

15%

17%

34%

41%

36%

51%

44%

March

April

May

June

July

Don't know Still under consideration No Yes

Additionally, universities are considering their language test requirements and how they enforce them, with 21% of

respondents stating that they will admit international students who have not completed language tests and 21% still

considering it. Conversely, 42% state they will not be admitting these students.

Will you be admitting international students who have not undertaken language tests (due to exams being

cancelled)?

21%

42%

21%

17%

Yes No Still under consideration Don't know


Higher education institutions are also weighing up the pros and cons of allowing tuition fee discounts, given the

overwhelming demand for discounts from prospective international students.

Is your institution considering discounting fees for new international students if they have to start their

studies online?

19%

48%

33%

Yes No Don't know

A significant minority of 19% of respondents state that they are considering discounting fees for new international

students, 33% are unsure, and 48% are not considering it at all.

While universities are exploring a range of recruitment tactics to mitigate the ripple effects of the coronavirus crisis, it

is important to examine how education can be delivered safely both in 2020 and beyond.


When do universities predict that they will reopen campuses and what will this look like?

Many universities are proposing a blended approach to educational delivery in the coming months, utilizing online

learning opportunities in conjunction with staggered class times, smaller class cohorts, and socially distanced lectures.

In the QS coronavirus survey of higher education professionals, respondents were asked how they think teaching will

be delivered this academic year.

How do you expect teaching to take place when the next academic year begins?

8%

35%

32%

23%

2%

All online Mostly online with some face-to-face

An equal split between online and face-to-face Mostly face-to-face with some online

All face-to-face

Of those universities surveyed, 35% believe teaching will be mostly online with some face-to-face teaching, 32% think

there will be an equal split between online and face-to-face, and 23% predict that it will be mostly face-to-face with

some online. Additionally, 8% think that teaching will be fully online and only 2% believe that teaching will be delivered

entirely face-to-face.

With this blended learning approach, universities will have to carefully consider the measures they will introduce to

limit the impact and spread of the coronavirus.


Which of the following measures is your institution implementing on campus?

2%

18%

36%

43%

57%

57%

70%

82%

86%

None of these

Other

Equipping our health centers with extra facilities

Issuing our staff with personal protective equipment(PPE)

Holding lectures and seminars in larger rooms tominimize close contact in large gatherings

Making the wearing of face masks mandatory for staffand students

Putting up signs around campus to show theminimum distance to keep away from others

Installing hand-gel stations around campus

Ensuring social distancing takes place on campus

The top three measures that universities are implementing are ensuring social distancing takes place on campus (86%),

installing hand-gel stations around campus (82%), and putting up signs around campus to show the minimum distance

to keep away from others (70%).

Interestingly, only 43% of institutions are providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to their staff and around one

third of institutions will not make wearing face masks mandatory for staff and students.

These last two findings are worrying and suggest that institutions may need to consider stricter measures if they wish

to control the spread of the coronavirus on campus.

For those considering reopening campuses, a significant minority of 29% of respondents think their main campus will

be reopened in September of this year, while 22% expect a reopening in January 2021.


When do you expect your main campus to be fully opened to students?

14%

29%

12%

2%1%

22%

6%5%

1%0% 1%

6%

Aug2020

Sep2020

Oct2020

Nov2020

Dec2020

Jan2021

Feb2021

Mar2021

Apr2021

Jun2021

Jul2021

Aug2021

or later


ConclusionThis report presents an overview of the key findings

from the ongoing QS coronavirus surveys of prospective

international students and higher education professionals.

As we enter the new academic year, QS will be refreshing

these surveys and their questions to reflect the new

educational climate.

As such, the September report will present new insights

from these updated questions. Please reach out to the QS

team at https://www.qs.com/contact if you have specific

topics that you would like these surveys to cover.

For any media queries, please contact

[email protected].

https://www.qs.com/contact

mailto:[email protected]


About QS

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is the world’s leading provider of services, analytics, and insights to the global higher education

sector. Our mission is to enable motivated people anywhere in the world to fulfil their potential through educational

achievement, international mobility, and career development.

Our QS World University Rankings portfolio, inaugurated in 2004, has grown to become the world’s most popular source

of comparative data about university performance. Our flagship website, www.TopUniversities.com – the home of our

rankings – was viewed 149 million times in 2019, and over 94,000 media clippings pertaining to, or mentioning, QS were

published by media outlets across the world in 2019.

QS portfolio

� QS Digital and Events provides prospective undergraduate, graduate, and MBA applicants with independent

guidance throughout their search and decision making. Our world-class digital platforms include TopUniversities.

com, TopMBA.com, and QSLeap.com which support search and inform applications to programs matching their

profile and aspirations. In parallel, prospective students can meet, either virtually or face-to-face, with admissions

officers of international universities and business schools. For universities and business schools, it offers effective

and innovative digital and off-line student recruitment and branding solutions.

� QS Enrolment Solutions supports higher education institutions to maximize their student recruitment with a range

of specialist services, from data-driven insights and high-quality lead generation to optimized communications

and student conversion. With over 20 years of experience QSES has an unequalled understanding of international

student decision-making. Our international office locations (UK, Romania, India, Malaysia and Australia) enable us

to operate across time zones to deliver high value to our partners and exceptional services for applicants.

� The QS Intelligence Unit is a leading originator of institutional performance insight drawing on unique proprietary

datasets gathered in pursuit of its published research. Best known for the widely referenced QS World University

Rankings, today comprising variants by discipline and geography, the unit also operates a sophisticated, multi-

dimensional quality standard; a comprehensive analytics platform facilitating advanced benchmarking; and an in-

demand consulting team. Our insights both inform and are informed by frequent presence and digital conferences

for educators, university leaders, and policy makers.

� QS Unisolution is dedicated to developing SaaS technology solutions to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of

international mobility, relations, and recruitment functions within education, positively impacting the educational

experience for the students, staff, and partners we serve.

http://www.TopUniversities.com


For more information about the QS services, please contact [email protected]

To continue empowering motivated individuals and institutions across the world alike during the coronavirus outbreak,

QS’s response has included:

� Moving its student recruitment events online, ensuring that universities and talented potential applicants across the

world are still able to achieve high-quality personalized engagement.

� Expanding its range of digital marketing offerings, empowering student recruitment teams as they seek to maintain

outreach and enrolment efforts.

� Launching a webinar series designed to enable university faculty and administrators alike to share best practices as

they transition their educational offerings into the virtual classroom.

� Ongoing surveys of prospective students and institutions globally to analyze how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting them.

In 2019, as part of our commitment to sustainability, QS became a certified CarbonNeutral® Company, reflecting our

efforts to reduce our impact on the environment through a range of efficiency initiatives and offsetting unavoidable

emissions through a verified carbon offset forestry project in Brazil.

mailto:[email protected]

https://www.qs.com/events/

http://info.qs.com/rs/335-VIN-535/images/QS_CarbonNeutral_Company_Certificate_2019.pdf

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