University foundation courses in UK have developed significantly in the last few years and more international students are realising their benefits.  BETHAN NORRIS finds out more about this growing sectors.

      One of the principle attractions of studying on a university foundation course in the UK is the promise of eventually studying on a degree course in the county.  Catherine Bozec, International Marketing Manager at Stevenson College in Edinburgh says that they have actively marketed their foundation programmes to international students for 10 years. "Our unique link with the University of Edinburgh attracts many students who aspire to attend the University of Edinburgh."

      David Gillespie from Oxford Brookes International Centre in Oxford says that they have offered foundation programmes for international students for the last 15 years and they were introduced in response to the high demand for university education in the country. "Students have the opportunity to adjust to British culture whilst studying in a university environment," he says.  "Their programme allows them to study undergraduate modules with first year students."

      Many universities and higher education insitutions have introduced their own foundation programmes for international students in recent years while others have formed alliances with another provider.  Lynn McQuire, Head of the International Office at Glasgow Caledonia University in Glasgow says that their recent partnership with Into University Partnerships to provide foundation programmes for their international students should help market their university programmes overseas.  "We previously have not offered a foundation programme and are able to accept more students with different qualifications that we might not have been able to accept before," she says.

      Those higher education insitutions offering in-house foundation programmes state that the benefits are increased integration with the rest of the university.  "This system means that it is easier for the programmes to be integrated academically with wider university programmes and we can work with undergraduate admissions staff to make the student's progression to their next course as smooth as possible," says Gillespie. 

     The value of foundation programmes in the UK is that they focus on academic content as well as improving language skills so students feel that they are still making academic progress while progress while spending a year improving their English.  Julian Ingle at the London Metropolitan University says that their foundation course offers 50 study modules, five of which consist of English and study skills.  "[These are] organised into eight pathways," he says, "For example, business, art & design, electronics, computing, biochemistry etc."

      The increased academic value of foundation courses for international students is reflected in a trend noted by Gillespie in Oxford.  He says that students on the foundation programmes have to take three compulsory modules in language and academic skills while the remaining five are optional and relate to a student's future study plans.  "In recent years there has been a growth in our foundation programme for students with a higher level of English and who only need the academic content." he says.  "This reflects a change in nationalities and an increased level of English language teaching within students' home countries."

      All providers of foundation programmes point to growing demand for such courses and many note that they are a key feature in their international promotion policies. "Our foundation programmes are now very well known in many of our target markets," says Bozec.