International students worth nearly £400m to Newcastle economy

A collaborative study between several organisations has concluded that international students offer the Newcastle and the North East generally.

The study, published by the Higher Education Policy Institute, broke down the economic impact of international students throughout the UK’s parliamentary constituencies. Newcastle East, Central and North combined amounted to £393m in net impact.

Throughout the Tees Valley students contributed £70.4m to Stockton North and South, £23.9m in Redcar, and £20.6m in Darlington.

Teesside University currently has over 3,900 international students from over 100 countries studying at both Middlesbrough and Darlington campuses.

Dr David Bell, pro vice chancellor (International) at Teesside University, said: “Teesside is an international university, working in partnership with global institutions to deliver educational excellence.

“This report makes for extremely positive reading. We truly value all of our international students and the contributions they make to our university and the region as a whole.”

Universities UK International and HEPI are calling for more to be done to promote the UK as a welcoming, diverse and accessible study destination.

Nick Hillman, director of HEPI, said: “This report confirms higher education is one of the UK’s greatest export earners.

“But international students do not just bring financial benefits. They also bring educational benefits by making our campuses more diverse and exciting places to be.

“To make the most of these benefits, we need to provide a warm welcome, ensure our educational offer remains competitive and help international students secure fulfilling careers after study.”