International education and the employability of UK students

A common theme within the literature on higher education is the congested nature of the graduate labour market. Researchers have highlighted the lengths to which many students now go, in response to this congestion, to ‘distinguish themselves’ from other graduates: paying increased attention to university status; engaging in a range of extra-curricular activities; and pursuing postgraduate qualifications. Studies that have focused on the strategies of Asian students, specifically, have pointed to the important place of studying abroad as a further strategy in this pursuit of distinction. Given that there is now some evidence that the number of UK students enrolling on a degree programme overseas is increasing, this article explores the extent to which an overseas education can be seen as part of a broader strategy on the part of British students to seek distinction within the labour market and whether such an education does indeed offer tangible employment benefits

International higher education and the mobility of UK students

In the context of increasing academic interest in the internationalization of education and the international mobility of university students, this article draws on findings of a recent research project examining students from the UK as they seek higher education overseas before entering the labour market. The discussion is framed around four key themes (the importance of `second chances'; `global circuits of higher education'; `experiences of travel' and `labour market outcomes'), which address the motivations and experiences of 85 individuals who are seriously considering or have recently obtained an international degree

The tensions between education and models of nurse preparation.

This article seeks to explore the relationship that has evolved between the training and education models of nurse preparation since the creation of the NHS. Through the process of professional reflection it intends to investigate how each model develops the profession and enhances care delivery. It seeks to move away from an either/or approach that has dominated the nurse education debate, and instead seeks to identify the potential benefits, as well as the tensions, of trying to integrate these models into a modern context. In so doing, this article hopes to inform practitioners about the debate so that they can engage with it more fully and effectively