Cause for celebration

Regarding your story “‘Low quality’ non-EU students will be cut” (News, 22 August). INTO University of Exeter is not run by INTO University Partnerships: it is a 50:50 joint venture between Exeter and the firm, although the university, quite rightly, maintains full control over admissions and academic standards, including absolute discretion over admissions.

Of the 246 students completing foundation studies at the university in June, more than 98 per cent passed the course; of those, 59 per cent achieved distinctions. This reflects a consistent improvement in results for every cohort since 2010.

It should come as no surprise that many students are attracted to accounting programmes at Exeter, as it has consistently ranked in the UK top 10 for finance degrees. In 2012, 331 students from the INTO centre progressed to Exeter undergraduate courses. Of those, around 20 per cent were Chinese students who went on to accounting and finance degrees.

The centre operates a number of university validated programmes designed to prepare students for entry to first- or second-year undergraduate studies. It also offers academic preparation for postgraduate study alongside an extensive suite of English language support.

INTO and the university share a commitment to delivering student experiences and outcomes consistent with a world-class institution. The centre represents a vibrant and diverse international community, with 57 nationalities represented within the cohort.

There are many challenges facing the UK as it competes to attract the best overseas students: let’s celebrate the attractiveness of one of the UK’s finest universities in this tough market.

Jeremy Lindley
Managing director (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
INTO University Partnerships