your higher education spotlight on...

YOUR HIGHER EDUCATIONSPOTLIGHT ON ASIAExploring the motivations, decisions, and top destinationchoices for prospective students from Asia

Your Higher Education Spotlight on Asia

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CONTENTS

Introduction

How do students select a degree?

Applicant voices: What is the most important aspect of a university?

Applicant motivations

The impact of subject choices

Top study destinations for prospective Asian students

Applicant voices: What study destinations are you considering, and why?

Key findings

About QS

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300+ survey responses

20focus groups

50+individual interviews

Participants:

DEMOGRAPHICS

Location:

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Shanghai

Beijing


INTRODUCTION

The international higher education (HE) landscape

is constantly evolving with emergent trends,

geopolitical events, and fluctuations in tertiary age

populations. This space is typically characterized

by a student mobility flow from East to West, with

prospective students in the Northern and Western

hemisphere tending to focus within their region

when applying to study abroad.

Some forecasters suggest this could all change,

with students in the East increasingly looking to

study intra-regionally, suggesting that mobility

patterns may become more reciprocal in coming

years. This report will delve into these emergent

trends, exploring the key destination choices and

study motivations of Asian applicants in Indonesia,

Malaysia, and China.

Asian students are a vital market for HE sectors

worldwide, with a thirst for international education,

cultural exchange, and new experiences. Therefore,

understanding the thinking processes of these

students is key to developing a robust international

student recruitment strategy.

QS is uniquely positioned to uncover the views of

this key student market, with unparalleled access

to undergraduate, master’s, and PhD applicants

worldwide. The research for this report was

collected in three different countries and five cities

during the QS World Grad School Tour 2019. This

included Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Shanghai,

and Beijing, thus providing a broad overview of

the perceptions, motivations, and ambitions in the

region.

Data collected includes 20 focus groups, over

50 individual interviews, and over 300 survey

responses. The report will also include insight from

the 2019 International Student Survey (ISS), which

collected over 77,000 responses in 2019, 8,309 of

which came from Asian applicants.

Under the 2019 ISS, the biggest proportion of Asian

respondents seeking to study abroad were from

China (3,157) and Indonesia (1,750), indicating that

these are important markets to tap into, whilst

Malaysia (965) has more modest numbers.

This report will investigate how destination choices

are influenced by a variety of factors, delving into

the process students undertake when selecting a

degree, as well as applicant motivations and the

impact of subject choices.

The destination choices of prospective Asian

students are subject to a number of influences,

including family, rankings, geopolitical events, and

alumni. Graduate employability is exposed as a

crucial motivating factor, alongside personal interest,

cultural exchange, and international exposure.

Business studies emerges as a focus for prospective

students in the regions covered, indicating a hunger

for entrepreneurship. The report will also explore

divergences amongst the different cities, allowing

for tailored recruitment and branding strategies to

each individual student market.

http://www.qs.com/wgst

http://www.internationalstudentsurvey.com


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Understanding the process prospective Asian

students undertake when selecting a degree

illuminates the journey applicants embark on

during the admissions journey. This is key to the

development of an effective recruitment strategy,

so that universities can join, and indeed influence,

prospective students on their decision-making

journey as early as possible. Whilst identifying this

‘process’ is not a singular or uniform exercise, there

are several unifying factors that can be found in the

narratives of prospective Asian students.

The selection process

Many prospective students we spoke to in Asia

described a very strict process they adhere to when

selecting a degree.

For Mahal, a prospective dual Master of Science

student in Jakarta, monetary concerns are what

guide him at the very start of his applicant journey:

“I start by finding what scholarships are available to

me in that country, then I start to look for more detail

about what kind of universities are available in that

country, then after that I eliminate by looking based on

the curriculum, or either by the lecturer, or the research

publications.”

Scholarships and tuition fees are often a crucial

concern for prospective students in Asia, who are

frequently confronted with unfavorable exchange

rates when studying overseas in the West. As a

result, applicants like Mahal begin their university

and destination search with information about

scholarships above all else. Universities looking to

recruit from this region should prioritize marketing

messages around value for money and cost of living

to engage prospective students.

For Bernah in Jakarta, who is 21 years old and

interested in a Master of Business or International

Relations, rankings are an important reference,

alongside reviews from students: “I look at the

rankings, cost of living, and what it feels like to study in

that university. I also look through YouTube and other

comments that students share about what they have

experienced during their study, including social life.”

Bernah’s use of social media to get a sense of life

at the university she is interested in suggests

the importance of this tool to communicate with

Generation Z. It is important that universities are

thinking creatively about how to use social media to

get in touch with a younger audience.

Similarly, prospective chemical engineering master’s

student, Ahmed in Kuala Lumpur, is attracted

to university rankings and feedback from other

students when selecting a degree: “When I use the

internet, I’m looking for a good quality of education. I

look for the university’s ranking and its student reviews,

and then I look at the country itself and whether it’s

safe or not, and how expensive it is. There are some

universities where you’re just paying a lot of money and

HOW DO STUDENTS SELECT A DEGREE?

Tip Box: The 2019 International Student Survey

shows that 90% of prospective international students

use social media when researching their study options,

with Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube arising as the

most popular channels.

TIP BOX: With teaching quality emerging as highly

important to prospective students in Asia, knowing how

students assess this metric is worthwhile. The 2019

International Student Survey shows that students

from the regions in this report feel that teaching staff

is the second most important indicator of teaching

quality. Download the report here, to find out more.



http://www.internationalstudentsurvey.com/2019


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you don’t have a good quality of education, so it’s a waste

of money and a waste of time. So, I use the rankings as

a reference for me, so I know I’m getting good quality.”

Ahmed demonstrates how rankings are often linked

to teaching quality and education quality in the

minds of many students in Asia.

Key influencers

Developing an understanding of the key influencers

prospective students seek advice from during

the application process is another important

part of gaining insight into their mindset. Whilst

some of these influencers may be out of the reach

of universities, others can be involved in the

recruitment process, which is why it is vital that HE

sectors are aware of their influence.

When asked to rank their top three influencers,

a significant 61% of prospective students in Asia

stated that they are influenced by their friends,

according to our survey. The second most

important influencer is employers (53%), followed

by family (50%). Parents (47%), teachers (47%),

and recruitment agents (34%) are also important

influencers for students in Asia during their

applicant journey.

Teachers and employers are well placed to reach out

to students to discuss the benefits of an institution,

but it also might be worth investing in marketing

communications to parents and family, who are

likely to play a large role in many students’ study

destination decisions. In the 2019 QS International

Student Survey parents are also shown to play a

considerable role to Asian students, with nearly half

of respondents saying their parents are their most

influential adviser, at 47% – above all other potential

influencers.

Recruiting past students to sell the advantages of

an institution to their friends is another potentially

advantageous method, as well as producing social

media messages with current students in the form

of blogs and vlogs on YouTube.

“...I look for the university’s ranking and its student reviews, and then I look at the country itself and whether it’s safe or not, and how expensive it is.”

Ahmed, Kuala Lumpur

KEY INFLUENCERS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASIAN STUDENTS

Friends

Employers

Family

Parents

Teachers

Recruitment agents

61%

53%

50%

47%

47%

34%


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THE INFLUENCE OF PARENTS: CITY BREAK DOWN

23%

44%

63%

61%

36%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai

Parents

With the influence of family and parents playing an

important role in study decisions in Asia, one of the

main concerns can be the safety of the destination

for those with a child going to study abroad.

Prospective Master of Media and Communications

student, Rosely in Beijing, shares: “My parents did

not wholly support me about studying abroad. They

are saying it’s not safe to study abroad compared

to domestic, but I insist on my decision. I think I can

persuade them.”

This sentiment is also expressed by prospective

Master of Marketing student, Lim Him Ho, also in

Beijing: “They don’t really agree about studying abroad.

It’s kind of expensive to study abroad and dangerous in

the UK and US. They prefer that I study in Hong Kong,

they say it’s closer and safer. I have persuaded them.”

Such concern should be tackled by sending out the

message that the city, or country, the university is

situated in is safe, as well as communicating the

initiatives the school undertakes to ensure the

safety of students. Using existing international

students to talk about how safe and welcoming the

destination is can also be particularly persuasive for

prospective students and their parents.

Parents can also be influenced by reputation, so a

highly ranked school can be an important method

of persuasion, as prospective PhD student in


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“My parents expect me to go to higher ranked universities because I did my master’s degree at University College London (UCL), so I don’t really have a lot of choices now.”

Wei, Shanghai

development studies, Wei in Shanghai, found: “My

parents expect me to go to higher ranked universities

because I did my master’s degree at University College

London (UCL), so I don’t really have a lot of choices now.

So, basically, it’s UCL or Imperial College London. And

then Cambridge or Oxford.”

The city that is most likely to be influenced by

parents is Jakarta (63%), followed by Kuala Lumpur

(61%), and Taipei (44%), whilst the city’s most likely

to be influenced by family are Jakarta (60%) and

Taipei (52%).

Teachers and alumni

A number of students in Asia claim that one of

their main sources of advice is their current or

past teachers and professors. This is expressed

by Ainatul, a prospective Master of International

Relations student: “I consult with a few professors,

I ask them if I want to major in this, what benefits it

brings, and what disadvantages, so they help me a lot.”

SAFETY AS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF STUDY DESTINATION

23%

44%

42%

35%

47%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai


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This view was expressed by many prospective

students in Asia. Thus, it could perhaps be

advantageous to reach out to past alumni who are

currently teachers and ask them to communicate

the benefits of their university experience. Those

most likely to be influenced by teachers are students

from Taipei (62%), Beijing (53%), and Kuala Lumpur

(44%).

Alumni are frequently mentioned as a key influencer

for students in Asia, in each city visited in 2019 and

in past research projects in India. Prospective Asian

students make it a priority to research past alumni,

their career trajectory, and the kind of salaries they

are earning.

They even get in contact with alumni via channels

like LinkedIn and Facebook, as MBA seeker, Tracy in

Taipei, says: “It’s important to see what past students

say about the school. I’ll look on Facebook where you

can find alumni that have graduated and see what they

think.”

Prospective law student, Farzan in Jakarta, explains

why alumni are important to him: “My first priority is

rankings and the other one is alumni, so that I can see

what kind of benefit I can get from the program. I look

on Google to investigate their jobs and salaries.”

Geopolitical events

Political change can also influence study destination

decisions in Asia. If there is a perception that a

country might be unwelcoming, due to recent

political turbulence and inflammatory rhetoric,

international students can be dissuaded from a

location they were previously interested in.

Prospective Master of International Relations

student, Ainatul in Kuala Lumpur, shares her

thoughts about the impact of political change:

“One of the important things that I need to consider

is politics, as they affect foreign policy, especially with

Donald Trump and his racist statements and Brexit in

the UK too. So, there are certain countries that I won’t

be really interested in because of the issues right now,

like Islamophobia. Political issues have really become

one of the factors which affects my decision to pursue

study in that country.”

This demonstrates how concern about high profile

and seemingly unstable political shifts can influence

study decisions, alongside fear of Islamophobia.

Anti-Muslim racism emerged as a concern in many of

the cities we visited in Asia, which have large Muslim

populations. This issue should be actively tackled in

recruitment messages, by sharing university policies

which commit zero tolerance to racism.

Social media campaigns like #WeAreInternational

are one way to portray a welcoming environment,

demonstrating remarkable success in the

QS International Student Survey. Overall, 40% of

“It’s important to see what past students say about the school. I’ll look on Facebook where you can find alumni that have graduated and see what they think.”

Tracy, Taipei

“It’s not in your hand, once you choose and you go there [the UK], the next day visa rules change again. So, I would rather choose a country that is safe, with good stay-back options, for example Canada, where they are welcoming immigrants.”

Gopalakishnan, Chennai

“...there are certain countries that I won’t be really interested in because of the issues right now, like Islamophobia. Political issues have really become one of the factors which affects my decision to pursue study in that country.”

Ainatul, Kuala Lumpur



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survey participants in Asia feel that the safety of the

country is one of the most important aspects of the

study destination, with Beijing displaying the most

concern at 47%.

Future trends

One future trend projected to transform the way

in which prospective students view potential

institutions is the use of virtual reality (VR) headsets

as a recruitment tool. Such a device is an innovative

way for students who live far away to view an

institution without suffering the cost of traveling

there or having to undergo the lackluster method of

viewing a university through pictures on a website.

This view is expressed by prospective Master of

Product Management, Kevin in Jakarta: “I would

favor the virtual experience because before I enter the

school, I’m not even sure if I will be going there, so if I can

take the lowest cost option why not do that.”

MBA seeker, Iris in Shanghai, agrees: “It allows

me to view the campus. We have to work, we have to

study, so if we rely on that technology, that will be more

convenient for us. But maybe it will be less interactive.

If you visit the campus, you can talk, and interact with

staff or students there. It depends on what you like.

Both have advantages and disadvantages.”

As Iris suggests, there is a mixed perception about

VR. Whilst some students feel that this is an exciting

and inexpensive prospect, others are less positive

like Fred in Jakarta, who is looking for a Master of

Project Management: “I’m more old school, I’ll just

look at the pictures and read articles about people’s

experiences because I’ve done VR before and it makes

me kind of dizzy. I didn’t like it.”

Others feel that it is important to view the campus

in person, as this can help students figure out if the

university is the right fit, like Jerry in Taipei, who is

looking for a Master of Finance: “I would probably

like to go to the campus in person because I want to

VIEWING PROSPECTIVE UNIVERISTY PREFERENCES

38%

26%

14%

Online video tourdelivered by a

current student

Virtual realitycampus tour (headset)

Photographs offacilities and campus

10%

360-degree staticphoto tour

7%

6%Augmented reality

Viewing my prospective institutionis not important to me


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experience the environment that I would maybe study

in. The students there, the college - I don’t want to just

view the school through VR, I think that it’s not reality.”

In fact, when we asked students what their most

preferred method would be 38% of respondents said

they would favor an online video tour delivered by a

current student. This is followed in second place by a

virtual reality campus tour at 26% and photographs

of campus and facilities at 14%. It remains true,

however, that recruitment events in the country

prospective students live, alongside virtual reality,

offer a more cost-effective opportunity to talk to

staff and get a feel for the campus.

When broken down by city, it appears that the

prospect of a virtual reality campus tour is the most

popular in Shanghai (29%) and the least popular in

Kuala Lumpur (22%). Time will tell if this becomes

a popular trend but for now it seems prospective

Asian students are attracted to more traditional

methods.

“It’s not in your hand, once you choose and you go there [the UK], the next day visa rules change again. So, I would rather choose a country that is safe, with good stay-back options, for example Canada, where they are welcoming immigrants.”

Gopalakishnan, Chennai

“I would probably like to go to the campus in person because I want to experience the environment that I would maybe study in. The students there, the college - I don’t want to just view the school through VR, I think that it’s not reality.”

Jerry, Taipei

POPULARITY OF VIRTUAL REALITY CAMPUS TOURS: CITY BREAKDOWN

29%

28%

26%

22%

28%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai


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Mohammed, 20Looking for a Master ofMechanical Engineering

Mohammed, 22Looking for a Master of Engineering

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai

“I think for me the most important aspect of a university is firstly what it’s like to live there and the educational culture, like the publications and the research. Another thing that Iam considering is the rate of employability if I take certain master's degrees, what are the prospects for those courses?”

Floren, 19Wants to study abroad

for a Political Sciencemaster’s degree

“I think the most important thing when we study at university, beside the

academic, is the environment, like how people treat us and how people around

us can encourage us. I think the most important thing is the people (fellow

students) and the environment.”

Jakarta

“I’d say the most important thing is the quality of education itself, represented in the curriculum and labs. The hands-on experience is very important, and how this education is actually related to life experience as many students say after they graduate that they only use like 10% of their studies in their real life. So, the hands-on experience is very important.”

Yang, 32 Looking for a master’s

program in the UK

“I think the school reputation is the most important factor. Of course, the best school can

provide the best education. Besides this, what you study in a course is very important. For me, I

will choose the school with the best ranking.”

Jerry Yeh, 21 Looking for a

Master of Finance

“I think the rankings are as important as the environment.

For example, as I want to study a Master of Finance, then the

university I go to depends on the financial environment and the

market of the city, so I will probably choose a university in

New York.”

Yue Qin, 23 Looking forMBA programs

“I would check the graduate incomes, employers’ comments, and the diversity of the school. Wherever I choose to study must rank highly in diversity. The reason why I chose a global program is because I would like to know how people from other places think.”

APPLICANT VOICES: WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF A UNIVERSITY?


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International higher education (HE) is a booming

industry, which continues to witness enormous

growth in diversity and participation with each

passing decade. With an abundance of competition

for prospective students, it is essential that

marketing communications are reflective of the

driving motivations of applicants, which can be

unique to different regions. One unifying goal of

many students is graduate employability. This has

been found time and time again in QS research with

international students worldwide.

Whilst this section will discuss a range of drivers for

prospective students in Asia, career ambition can

be identified as the overarching aim for students

from this region. This is not untypical of applicants

from developing countries, who are often strongly

guided by a desire to improve their employment

prospects, progress in their career, and by the vision

of building up the economies in their own countries.

Fierce competition to obtain visas, alongside a lack

of employment opportunities at home can create a

thirst for HE and the perception that progressing to

a higher-level qualification is an absolute necessity

to survive post-graduate life.

APPLICANT MOTIVATIONS

POPULARITY OF CAREER SUPPORT AND UNIVERISTY'S REPUTATIONAMONG EMPLOYERS

49%

44%

44%50%

37%

31%

39%

45%

33%

30%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai

Career support Reputation among employers


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“Of course, rankings are important because I feel that after graduating and when trying to find work, people look at the university you came from and not your grades.”

Sever, Taipei

Graduate employability

When students were asked to cite the most

important factor when selecting a university in

our survey, teaching quality emerged as the most

popular choice, with 44% of prospective students in

Asia choosing this as the most important motivating

factor when assessing a potential study destination.

Universities which rate high in this area, in metrics

like QS Stars, Teaching Excellence and Student

Outcomes Framework (TEF) in the UK, and Quality

Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) in

Australia should make sure this is given a big

platform in their marketing communications in

order to meet recruitment objectives.

In second and third place, career support at the

university (41%) and the university’s reputation

among employers (38%) further cemented graduate

employability as an overwhelming priority for

prospective Asian students.

Career support at university is cited as the most

important factor to students in Jakarta at 49%,

followed by Shanghai (44%) and Taipei (44%), whilst

reputation among employers is most frequently

shared as a motivation by students from Shanghai

(50%), Beijing (45%), and Taipei (37%). This indicates

that this driver holds particular weight in China.

Employment motivations are most important to

those seeking degrees in the art and humanities,

business studies, and science.

The desire for a university that has a good reputation

among employers in Asia is consistent with the

narratives which arose in our focus groups. Many

students connected rankings with employability.

They believe that in order to get a good job they

need to study at a highly ranked school. This can be

seen in the words of prospective Master of Non-

Profit Management, Heng Kuo in Taipei: “Firstly, I will

consider the school’s ranking and whether the program

is suited for my career plan. I do this because if I’m going

to work back in Taipei or Asia, usually the company will

value the school’s reputation and the ranking, and it’s

also connected with the salaries. So, I think this reason

is especially important in Asia.”

This connection between rankings, graduate

employability, and salaries is made throughout Asia

but more frequently in Taipei, where prospective

students are adamant about its importance.

Sever, a prospective master’s student in Business,

agrees with Heng Kuo: “Of course, rankings are

important because I feel that after graduating and

when trying to find work, people look at the university

you came from and not your grades. If you graduate

TIP BOX: Universities which rank high in the

employability rankings should showcase this to Asian

applicants, who are likely to be highly attracted to

such an accolade. For those looking to study locally,

universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, and South

Korea appear in the top 25 for the QS Graduate

Employability Rankings 2019. Whilst universities in

the US, Australia, UK, Canada, and Switzerland

performed well in the top 25, making these key markets

for prospective Asian students.

http://www.qs.com/qs-stars


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from the University of Southern California, they would

certainly see you with a higher regard compared to a

public school in California. I want to know; would JP

Morgan hire me if I came from this university?”

Sever’s words are indicative of the regard students

have for rankings in Asia and of an ambitious

applicant mindset that looks ahead to the link

between university reputation and job prospects at

specific employers.

The location of the university intersected with

the employment goals of prospective students in

Asia. Some students target countries which are

renowned for the industry they wish to enter after

they graduate. Indeed, 29% chose the location of the

university as one of their most important factors,

thus indicating the advantages of highlighting links

to industry in recruitment messages.

This is evident in the words of Pai-han, a prospective

Master of Business student in Taipei: “I’m interested

in social business and I think the UK and US have a

very mature environment for the development of social

business, so those two countries are my preference

for study abroad. I want to get into the development

of social business in Taipei and learn more about the

operation of social business in other countries, which

will give me perspective to think about the model and

operations of my own country.” Pai-han’s focus on

improving the conditions of his own economy is

often found in the narratives of international Asian

students, many of whom are guided by philanthropic

and entrepreneurial goals.

Wanting to specialize

Some prospective students in Asia are motivated

to receive a higher-level qualification in order to

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNIVERSITY LOCATION CITY BREAKDOWN

34%

28%

23%

22%

38%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai


15

“I think it’s important to have a master’s degree because nowadays it feels like everybody has a master’s. It’s something you have to do.”

E Shu Lieu, Beijing

specialize, which they feel will let them hone their

expertise and stand out more in the graduate

employment market.

Prospective Master of Economics student, E Shu

Lieu in Beijing, expresses this sentiment: “I think it’s

important to have a master’s degree because nowadays

it feels like everybody has a master’s. It’s something you

have to do. My bachelor’s degree is in management and

I feel it’s just too broad, so I want to pursue a degree

in economics or finance because its more specific and

it would make me more confident in my future career.

With just a bachelor’s degree, you can’t possibly be a

manager.”

Dipa, in Kuala Lumpur, agrees: “Chemistry is my

favorite subject, but I’d like a higher qualification just

because I’m not really sure what I want to do with my

current degree, as the scope is quite high. So, I want to

get specialized first so that I get to know where I want

to be placed. I want to go on with further studies to find

my scope.”

Dipa suggests that, for some students, progressing

to a master’s degree is driven by a lack of certainty

about future career plans and specific areas of

interest, which can be an issue for many people

once they leave university with an undergraduate

degree. Universities which offer specializations at

undergraduate level should highlight this aspect

of their offering, whilst master’s degrees can

be promoted as an opportunity to specialize to

students in Asia.

Others like MBA seeker Tracy, in Taipei, share that

progressing onto a higher-level qualification is

advantageous for the knowledge and opportunities

to meet other likeminded individuals: “It’s really

important to advance our knowledge, not only through

undergraduate but also through master’s degrees. It’s

a really different environment where you can network

with other people at events.”

Personal interest

Of course, whilst graduate employability is a

common motivation, there are many students in

Asia who wish to pursue another degree simply for

their own personal interest. Sinan in Kuala Lumpur,

who is looking for a PhD in Psychology, shares

this view: “I love learning. I love studying, so for me,

pursuing higher education is about learning more about

the subject that I’m interested in. I follow my heart. If I’m

interested in something, I will go for that.”

This demonstrates the role of personal interest

in the motivations for post-graduate study, which

can be led by an ambition to seek more knowledge.

According to our survey, 29% of students selected

the university’s research as one of the most

important factors when selecting a university, which

is conceivably related to the pursuit of passion in

certain topic areas. The cities most likely to select

“It’s really important to advance our knowledge, not only through undergraduate but also through master’s degrees. It’s a really different environment where you can network with other people at events.”

Tracy, Taipei


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research impact as an important motivation are

Kuala Lumpur (34%) and Shanghai (34%), whilst

prospective Asian students in the sciences appear

to be particularly attracted to this motivation.

Interest in the culture and lifestyle of the location

can also be a motivating factor. Many international

students are driven by a lust for adventure and

new experiences. They view it as an opportunity

to embrace cultural exchange and to gain a deeper

understanding of the world outside their birth

country. This is evident in the words of Nashwan,

a prospective MBA student in Kuala Lumpur:

“Studying abroad makes you see things from a different

perspective. Studying with different people sharpens

the way you think, not necessarily through the quality of

education. You learn from each culture, you adapt and

become technically smarter than an average citizen who

has graduated from the same country he was born in. I

want this experience on a personal level, for something

I feel proud of doing. It makes you unlike others, even

if I’m in a country where I can get a good quality of

education, I’d rather go outside to study because being

THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IMPACT: CITY BREAKDOWN

34%

26%

28%

34%

26%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai

“I love learning. I love studying, so for me, pursuing higher education is about learning more about the subject that I’m interested in. I follow my heart. If I’m interested in something, I will go for that.”

Sinan, Kuala Lumpur


17

an international student always makes you gain a

unique experience.”

Nashwan demonstrates the intrinsic value of

international education that many prospective

students in Asia recognize. Such applicants

might be attracted by marketing messages which

communicate the cultural value of getting a degree

from a particular country, the international student

ratio, and the opportunities for exchange and

semesters abroad. Overall, social life was chosen as

one of the most important factors of a university,

whilst student experience was selected by 9%

of respondents. This was particularly prevalent

in Kuala Lumpur, where 20% valued social life,

followed by Beijing (16%) and Jakarta (15%).

“Studying abroad makes you see things from a different perspective. Studying with different people sharpens the way you think, not necessarily through the quality of education. You learn from each culture, you adapt and become technically smarter than an average citizen who has graduated from the same country he was born in.”

Nashwan, Kuala Lumpur

THE IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL LIFE AT UNIVERISTY: CITY BREAKDOWN

9%

15%

13%

20%

16%

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai


18

In our research, business and management

was the most popular subject choice with 62%

keen to pursue this degree. Indeed, many of the

prospective students we spoke to are seeking

MBAs, which invites us to ask why this might be

the case. It is possible that developing countries

like Indonesia and Malaysia produce students with

entrepreneurial intentions, who wish to better

the conditions of their own economies, whilst the

economic superpower of China perhaps engenders

a generation of students intent on succeeding in

the business world. Business and management is

the most popular subject choice in Shanghai (78%),

followed by Beijing (71%), and Jakarta (70%). It is

the least popular in Kuala Lumpur (38%) and Taipei

(63%). Engineering and technology emerged as the

most popular in Kuala Lumpur (36%), whilst the

social sciences came up top in Jakarta (13%) and

THE IMPACT OF SUBJECT CHOICES

POPULARITY OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT: CITY BREAKDOWN

Jakarta

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai

78%

70%

38%

63%

71%


19

Kuala Lumpur (13%). Arts and humanities is the

most popular in Beijing and the sciences are most

popular in Taipei.

Subject rankings

A number of students in Asia assert that the subject

rankings are a priority over general rankings,

suggesting that universities which perform well in

the subject rankings should prioritize promoting

this to prospective Asian students, especially if their

overall rank is not as prestigious.

Prospective Master of Engineering student, Jimmy

Chu in Taipei, prefers the subject rankings: “I’m more

into the subject-specific rankings, like the engineering

rankings rather than the general ones. So, that’s what I

look for in terms of the rankings.”

Industrial engineering applicant, Wilson Chen,

also in Taipei, looks to subjects that are renowned

in particular countries: “One of the most important

factors is that I look up the rankings, and maybe if it’s

possible, whether the school I choose is well known and

pretty famous in the field I’m interested in. For example,

in Germany they are kind of like fanatics about the

biomedicals. It depends on the countries and it depends

on the school, they have their advantages in some

specific fields, so that’s my preference.”

The curriculum

The quality of the subject area at the prospective

university is often cited as an area of concern

among Asian applicants. They go to great lengths

to investigate not only the subject rankings, but

also the modules and curriculum offered, in order

to ensure they will enjoy their time at university in

their chosen field.

This view is shared by Fabidan, in Jakarta, who is

looking for an MBA: “The choice of the subject itself

is highly important. I want the university to have a good

quality score for the subject I want to get in to. So, I don’t

really focus on the country, if there’s a better university

for my subject in Italy or in Spain, it’s okay for me. So,

I prefer that the university has a good quality course.”

Therefore, universities are likely to meet

recruitment success if they are transparent about

the specific benefits of their course offerings,

alongside the presentation of in-depth curriculum

details and subject ranking scores.

The entrepreneur

The popularity of business and management in Asia

is connected to the prevalence of an entrepreneurial

mindset in the region, with many prospective

students looking to start their own business.

Prospective MBA student, Song in Shanghai, feels

that further studies will help her improve her

business acumen to ensure her next venture meets

success: “I’ve been in Shanghai for three years and I’ve

worked in two startups as an intern. Previously, I co-

founded a startup. I think learning about business can

bring me more benefits and more knowledge.”

For Roger, in Taipei, this goal can be attached to the

experience of international study itself: “I want to

start my own company, so first I have to be qualified so

that down the line someone will want to invest in me.

International study is very important because these

universities are in big countries full of diversity and

people from many other countries. I want to own a

company in the US and if I start a business before I get

my green card, I have to find a co-founder that has the

visa that allows him to set it up. So, I like to make friends

from the country.”

Some students are seeking business studies in order

to bring the knowledge back to their own country,

which they feel is necessary in a developing market,

like Ebrahim in Kuala Lumpur: “I plan to study outside

my country in a good place, then I will go back to my

country and I want to build it up. If the war is done, then

I will go back there.” Ebrahim is from Yemen where a

war is currently taking place, showing how the social

and economic instability of a country can give rise to

an entrepreneurial mindset.


20

The visa task

During our research trip in Asia, students

participated in a number of group tasks related to

destination choices. One such task required that

they correctly match post-study work visa options

with the correct country they come from. This

exposed a lack of knowledge amongst international

Asian students, many of whom are unaware about

the different work visa options available once they

graduate. This is concerning given that this can be

a very important factor for those who are looking

to migrate indefinitely. A favorable post-study

work visa option can, for some, trump university

reputation and teaching quality, as working in

another country is their main priority. This can

mean a huge difference for countries which might

not have such reputable higher education sectors.

The preparation for this task also exposed a

considerable lack of transparency about visa

options. The task included the countries which

had clear visa polices set out online, but even so

this could involve an arduous search of the web.

These countries include the US, UK, Germany,

France, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, Australia,

New Zealand, and Canada. HE sectors which offer

a generous period to find work should not only

endeavor to make this information clear and readily

available but should also promote and market this

material as part of an effective international student

recruitment strategy.

Prospective students in Asia were the most likely to

correctly match the US visa, followed by Germany.

New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland, the UK,

and Australia were only correctly matched once

during the entire trip in Asia, whilst France and the

Netherlands were never correctly matched. Focus

group participants in Kuala Lumpur did not get a

single visa right, and in the rest of the cities visited

only half of the focus groups got some countries

right. This reveals a concerning lack of knowledge

about post-study work visas, and it is something

that HE sectors worldwide should be addressing.

Most popular study destinations

Focus group participants were also asked to create

their own ranking of study destinations, which

illuminates some of the most highly regarded

countries for international study in the region. The

US, unsurprisingly, was chosen the most as the

number one study destination, followed by the UK,

then Germany, Japan, and Australia.

China was chosen just once to be a number one

study destination. However, the fact that both

Japan and China were chosen to appear in the top

five destinations in the students’ rankings may

suggest that international study is likely to become

more intra-regional in coming years.

When looking at the QS 2019 International Student

Survey, in which there is an extensive pool of

participants, the top five study destinations for

Asian applicants are as follows; Australia (70%), UK

(36%), US (32%), Canada (23%), and New Zealand

(18%).

Additionally, Singapore (17%), Japan (14%), Hong

Kong (10%), and China (10%) all closely follow,

showing that Asian study destinations are indeed

appearing in the top ten study destinations for

Asian applicants. Moreover, the overwhelming

preference for Australia suggests that international

Asian students are keen to study close to home

when going abroad.

On page 22, the top study destinations, as chosen

by the individual focus groups, are displayed in an

infographic.

TOP STUDY DESTINATIONS FOR PROSPECTIVE ASIAN STUDENTS


21

TOP STUDY DESTINATIONS AS CHOSEN BY THE INDIVIDUAL FOCUS GROUPS

1United States UK Germany

France

Japan

2

5

3

4

2UKCanada Netherlands

Japan

3

4

5

Australia

1

Australia

5

Australia

5United States

2


Japan

3

4

2

SHANGHAI


France

China

2

4

3

5

BEIJING

3Canada UK Germany

1 4

JAKARTA

KUALA LUMPUR

TAIPEI


22

APPLICANT VOICES: WHAT STUDY DESTINATIONS ARE YOU CONSIDERING, AND WHY?

Dipa, 21Wants to study aMaster of Chemistry

Izana, 18Looking for a biomedicalundergraduate course

Kuala Lumpur

Taipei

Beijing

Shanghai

“The UK is my main destination choice because I love the culture in the UK. Maybe in my time at university I can learn the culture and know more about the environment and get more friends. My second choice is Germany because it’s high technology and offers good quality qualifications in medical and technology too.”

Jakarta

“I’m looking at Scandinavian countries just because I like the climate and I dream of a different lifestyle, so I’m planning for my studies but also planning for the lifestyle I want to have. I consider safety as one of the top parameters, you have to be safe wherever you are.”

Lim Shu hui, 22Looking for

an MBA

“The UK and Australia are my top choices because the universities are quite well known.

Reputation is important. Australia is a good choice because it’s nearby. I think the reputation

and social life for both countries is good.”

Jerry Yeh, 21 Looking for a

Master of Finance

“I’m looking at the US, and especially California because the

weather there is good. The US has a lot of cultures, although

there may be some discrimination against Asians,

but I think that I can learn how to mix with people of different ethnicities. I can learn how to

speak English better and I can meet some new friends.”

Zhao, 22 Looking foran MBA

“Hong Kong and Singapore are my priority because their culture has more similarities with Chinese culture and it’s near China. I have learned that some universities which provide MBAs there can offer their master’s students a six-month internship before their graduation.”


23

KEY FINDINGS

Insight during the attraction stages can lead to better recruitment strategies

• The selection process often starts with

monetary concerns like cost of living, tuition

fees, and scholarships for prospective students

in Asia. Teaching quality also emerges as highly

important to students from this region.

• Applicants from Asia are largely influenced

by friends, with 61% selecting friends as their

key influencer. The second most important

influencer is employers (53%), followed by

family (50%).

• Whilst some prospective students in Asia share

an inclination for virtual reality campus tours,

the majority are attracted to less innovative

methods, like online video tours.

Applicant motivations are strongly influenced by graduate employability

• When students were asked to cite the most

important factor when selecting a university,

career support at the university (41%) and the

university’s reputation amongst employers

(38%) demonstrated the importance of career

goals for prospective students.

• Some prospective students in Asia are

motivated to receive a higher-level qualification

in order to specialize, which they feel will let

them hone their expertise and stand out more

in the graduate employment market.

• There are many students in Asia who wish to

pursue another degree simply for their own

personal interest.

Subject choices have a big impact on university decisions

• Many students in Asia assert that the subject

rankings are a priority over general rankings,

suggesting that universities which perform well

in the subject rankings should promote this to

prospective Asian students, especially if their

overall rank is not as prestigious.

• The quality of the subject area is often cited as

an area of concern amongst Asian applicants.

Prospective students undertake an in-depth

exploration of the modules and curriculum

offered, in order to ensure they will enjoy their

time at university in their chosen field.

• The popularity of business and management

in Asia is connected to the prevalence of an

entrepreneurial mindset in the region, with

many prospective students looking to start

their own business.


24

ABOUT QS

With offices around the world, QS is a global market leader for the research and understanding of international

and domestic students. Each year we deal with hundreds of thousands of students globally, giving us a unique

insight into the student recruitment market. Our research, strategy, enquiry, admissions, and enrollment

services mean we have hands-on experience of the obstacles and opportunities within specific countries and

regions, helping clients mitigate risk, benefit from our existing relationships, and build sustainable recruitment

strategies in an increasingly complex marketplace.

To access other resources from QS visit www.qs.com

http://www.qs.com

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