The 2009 figures from UNESCO showed that there were 3.3 million outwardly mobile students across the world.
The regions with the largest number of mobile students are East Asia and the Pacific, North America and Western Europe, while the regions with the lowest number of mobile students are Latin America and the Caribbean, the Arab States and Sub-Saharan Africa. For each of these six regions, North America and Western Europe are the top destinations. Taking a closer look at the UNESCO figures for English speaking African countries, the UK is second most popular destination; South Africa being the first.
In terms of UK NARIC assessments, the region as a whole also accounts for around 10% of the total number undertaken every year. The number of assessments we have undertaken for applicants from these countries (plus the overall ranking) over the past four years highlights some interesting points:
| Country | 2008 assmts |
2008 rank |
2009 assmts |
2009 rank |
2010 assmts |
2010 rank |
2011 assmts |
2011 rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botswana | – | – | 25 | 97th | 11 | 112th | 9 | 123rd |
| Cameroon | 126 | 42nd | 154 | 39th | 105 | 43rd | 140 | 42nd |
| Gambia | – | – | – | – | 7 | 125th | 10 | 120th |
| Ghana | 591 | 17th | 534 | 18th | 480 | 17th | 250 | 17th |
| Kenya | 142 | 40th | 161 | 38th | 126 | 39th | 120 | 145th |
| Liberia | – | – | – | – | 1 | 168th | 5 | 141st |
| Malawi | – | – | 15 | 108th | 11 | 112th | 9 | 123rd |
| Namibia | – | – | – | – | 3 | 143rd | 7 | 135th |
| Nigeria | 1680 | 6th | 1587 | 7th | 1295 | 6th | 1469 | 5th |
| Sierra Leone | 52 | 63rd | 52 | 69th | 35 | 78th | 28 | 92nd |
| South Africa | 2109 | 5th | 1987 | 4th | 1374 | 5th | 1220 | 8th |
| Tanzania | 26 | 85th | 28 | 94th | 21 | 95th | 30 | 88th |
| Uganda | 103 | 46th | 123 | 45th | 94 | 45th | 148 | 40th |
| Zambia | 50 | 67th | 84 | 52nd | 52 | 56th | 47 | 70th |
| Zimbabwe | 440 | 20th | 443 | 20th | 242 | 27th | 265 | 30th |
| Total | 5319 | 5193 | 3857 | 3757 | ||||
The total number of assessments has fallen by nearly 30% over the past four years (5319 in 2008 and 3757 in 2011). In terms of individual assessments, both Nigeria and South Africa have been in the top ten for the whole period. However, whilst numbers from Nigeria have held relatively steady, those from South Africa have declined by nearly 50% in these four years.
It is nonetheless still the case that these two countries account for around 71% of all applications made from this region.
Qualification level of migrants
The table below shows the breakdown of the level of South African and Nigerian qualifications submitted during 2011:
| Nigeria | South Africa | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualification level | Examples | % | Examples | % |
| Below Level 3 on the UK Qualifications Framework (QCF) | Senior School Certificate, The West African Senior School Certificate, Nigeria Certificate of Education, Advanced Certificate in Secretarial Studies | 34% | N2 Engineering Studies, N3 Certificate in Engineering Drawing, National Certificate : Business Management | 38% |
| A level and Sub-Degree Equivalents (QCF Levels 3, 4 and 5) | Registered Nurse, Diploma in Computer Education, Higher National Diploma in Electrical Electronics | 17% | National Certificate N5 in Business Management, National Diploma in Industrial Engineering | 14% |
| British Bachelor level | Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) (1990) | 42% | Bachelor of Arts, Baccalaureus Legum | 40% |
| Postgraduate | Postgraduate Diploma in Education, Master of Science in Mathematics, Doctor of Philosophy | 8% | Post Graduate Certificate in Education, Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Master of Education, Philosophiae Doctor (Chemistry) | 7% |
The spread of qualifications from these countries is very interesting; nearly half are above Bachelor level, but a considerable proportion are below Level 3 on the UK QCF, in contrast to the overall average.
Tim Buttress, February 2013
