south africa-world
South Africa (SA), Africa’s biggest study destination, could benefit from policy changes for international students who face additional barriers in the big four destinations of the UK, Canada, US and Australia. Universities in SA’s metropolitan areas will benefit most.
Analysis by Dutch organization Studyportals shows that every time opportunities decline in one of the big four countries, South African universities grow in popularity among students. The analysis is based on 4,558 degree programs across 27 institutions in South Africa.
According to a presentation at the International Education Association’s 26th Annual General Meeting, South Africa is the 19th-ranked travel destination in the world, comparable to destinations such as Switzerland and Denmark, which rank two higher, and is the world’s most popular travel destination for students worldwide. It has attracted 1.4% of the interest. August 2024, Johannesburg, South Africa.
In order to take advantage of the decline in interest in the top four major cities, South Africa will have to contend with Italy, which stands to benefit from international students not being admitted to the top four universities.
Aggressive marketing required
Damaris Clark, a data analysis consultant, said: “As with European study destinations, page views are increasing year on year, but interest in South Africa in particular has increased as interest in the Big Four has declined.” said. Presenting at a conference on Studyportals. Indian students are most interested in South Africa as a study abroad destination, followed by American and Nigerian students.
To take advantage of the changing fortunes of the top four most popular study abroad destinations in the world, South Africa’s leading universities are the preferred universities for many international students from outside Africa, so be proactive to get the best results. He said it would need to be advertised. Giles Hawkins leads the Studyportals team, which works with universities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
“Small South African universities and even larger universities outside of the big cities that I have spoken to are different from international students from outside the region, who typically choose to study at larger universities in larger cities such as Johannesburg, Pretoria or the Cape. “I realized that I was only interested in Town,” Hawkins said.
“Therefore, universities in these metropolitan areas may attract international students from outside the region, but they will need to promote aggressively for best results.Other countries will also benefit from policy changes in the Big Four. We are trying to take advantage of the demand that has been created,” he added.
Students from African countries who previously might have been able to meet the financial and visa requirements of Big Four universities but now find it difficult to do so now provide South African universities with a pool of potential students. “Again, those who promote themselves most vigorously will benefit the most,” Hawkins told University World News.
South Africa, the most popular in Africa
“The majority of programs chosen by African students using Studyportals are offered at universities outside Africa. However, financial and visa issues prevent most students from enrolling in these universities. “South African universities can target potential students who may study in their home countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya,” he explained.
South Africa is the most popular destination on the African continent, attracting 75.6% of students. Namibia is a distant second with 6.3%, followed by Uganda in third with 5.4%, followed by Kenya and Nigeria with 4.8% and 2.6% respectively. According to Clark’s analysis, more than 85% of the programs students search for are offered on campus and 10% are offered online.
There are “strong market opportunities” in medicine and health, computer science and information technology. South Africa ranks among the top 10 destinations in the world for medical and health programs in terms of popularity at both master’s and bachelor’s levels. Business and Management, Engineering and Technology are also popular.
Most Indian students who want to study in India are interested in pursuing a master’s degree. Meanwhile, Study Portal found that American students are overwhelmingly more interested in undergraduate programs.
