Catalan universities attract more international students
More than 36% of the students who register in a university master in Catalonia are graduates from a foreign university, according to the Secretary's Office of Universities and Research most recent data corresponding to the course 2015-2016. Almost four out of 10 students registered in the Catalan university system for postgraduate studies have studied in an international university system. The Secretary of Universities and Research, Arcadi Navarro, said this shows “the good quality of Catalan universities”, which achieve notable positions in international rankings among the best European and international universities. He also noted an annual rise in these registrations, which means that every year more foreign graduates choose Catalonia for continuing their university training.
Barcelona (ACN).- More than 36% of the students who register in a university master in Catalonia are graduates from a foreign university, according to the Secretary's Office of Universities and Research most recent data corresponding to the course 2015-2016. Almost four out of 10 students registered in the Catalan university system for postgraduate studies have studied in an international university system. The Secretary of Universities and Research, Arcadi Navarro, said this shows “the good quality of Catalan universities”, which achieve notable positions in international rankings among the best European and international universities. He also noted an annual rise in these registrations, which means that every year more foreign graduates choose Catalonia for continuing their university training.
In 2015-2016 a total of 6,454 students chose Catalonia to continue their university training after having graduated abroad. More than half of these new master students came from Latin America (3,434), 1,601 graduates came from Europe and 839 from the United States. The Secretary of Universities and Research also confirmed that the number of international graduates, who choose Catalan universities for their master, grows every year. Thus, 3,630 foreign students registered for the course 2013-14 (30.9% of all students registered), 4,737 students for 2014-15 (31.3% of the total) and 6,454 students for the course 2015-16 (36.3% of the total).
The Secretary Office of Universities and Research, Arcadi Navarro, also highlighted that the presence of foreign students contributes to the internationalization of the Catalan university master programs. According to the figures of the university year 2015-16, in 168 master programs more than 50% of the students came from abroad. 19 of these master studies correspond to the ‘Erasmus Mundus’ program.
For the course 2017-18, the ‘Erasmus Mundus’ program has broadened its offer to 30 masters that the Catalan universities offer in collaboration with at least two foreign universities. Beyond this specific program, more than 40% of the interuniversity masters of Catalonia are taught in coordination with a foreign university.
Regarding the teaching language, 68% of the university masters are imparted in a third language, mainly in English, even though there are also subjects offered in French and German, among others. 18% of these studies are completely in English.
These figures have been published just before the beginning of the international NAFSA fair, the most important fair of higher education worldwide, which will be held until this Friday, 2 June, in Los Angeles, and which counts with the participation of a Catalan delegation. Catalonia will also participate at the most important European higher education fair, the EAIE, which will be celebrated in the middle of September in Seville. In March 2016, the Catalan delegation also participated for the 5th consecutive year in the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE), which was celebrated in the city of Kaohsiung (Taiwan).
Presentation of the Catalan university system
On 1 June, in the framework of this year’s edition of the NAFSA fair in Los Angeles, the Catalan delegation organizes a presentation of the Catalan university system at the Hilton Checkers Hotel. During the week, NAFSA will host a hundred presentations by 400 institutions, which are participating at the fair, as well as 43 specialized workshops and 200 learning sessions.
During the whole duration of the fair, the stand “Study in Catalonia. Welcome to the Universities of Catalonia” will offer visitors different publications and documentation of Catalan universities in English, as well as information about how to study in Catalonia (Study in Catalonia, Passport to Catalonia). Along this line, the Catalan Government offers foreign students the web www.studyincatalonia.com to inform about the main postgraduate programs of excellence at the Catalan universities.