INTO This Week 57

INTO St George's, University of London will launch in September 2011 offering a range of pioneering pre-university and degree-level medical courses for international students. These include the UK's first university medicine degrees leading to final qualification in the US, and the first health sciences foundation course be delivered by a medical school.

The venture is expected to significantly increase St George's international student intake and enhance its brand globally. It also shows INTO moving into exciting new academic territory as it teams with a medical institution for the first time.

Steve Walters, interim Centre Director of INTO St. George's, said: "We will be offering successful students a seamless transition from preparation to medical study. The venture will also increase the possibility of training a greater number of doctors at one of the UK's best medical schools. This will be particularly attractive to the large number of foreign government-sponsored students wanting to train in the UK."

Professor Peter Kopelman, Principal of St George's, said: "This partnership is an example of a more diverse higher education market that is emerging in response to government changes to the higher education sector, including funding cuts and rising tuition fees. This innovative venture with INTO University Partnerships will enable us to continue to maintain financial stability as well as to offer a high standard of education to a broad range of students. We look forward to welcoming an increased number of international students into our university community."

In a first for UK universities, students on the INTO St George's International Medicine BSc/MD will study their first four years at St George's before completing their clinical training with two years in the US, all taking the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Those on the Graduate International Medicine degree will also spend two years in the US.

The degrees, along with a Biomedical Sciences undergraduate programme, will run from September 2012 at the St George's campus in Tooting, London, which shares a site with St George's Hospital - one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals. All academic content and standards for the programmes will be controlled by the University.

The INTO St George's, University of London Foundation, run from September 2011 at the London Centre, also breaks ground by being the first course of its kind delivered by a UK medical school. The course will prepare international students for the challenges of studying at St George's and other top British medical schools. Undergraduate and postgraduate English preparation courses will also be offered by the London Centre.

Steve Walters said: "As long as students have 12 years of secondary education with good grades, they can take the one-year Foundation and get help with preparation for the interview and the UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test). They also study, in part at least, on the St George's campus which is on the same site as the hospital, so they begin to get a taste of medical education from the beginning. In addition they will be taught by St George's staff."

St George's, University of London is one of the country's best medical schools, offering high-quality education and clinical practice informed by world-class research. In 2010 it was ranked as having the second-greatest impact of any HE institution in the country in terms of published research.

Andrew Colin, Chairman of INTO University Partnerships, said: "Ambitious and innovative universities are finding creative ways to address the challenges and opportunities of a new era of higher education funding. This joint venture improves access to students, will build on the first class student experience offered by St George's and contribute to an even stronger independent future for the University, delivering sustainability and student success. We have great pleasure in working with St George's to ensure that these mould-breaking courses can be developed and delivered."

The survey, which involved 420 agents from all of INTO's key markets, found that 80% were very satisfied or satisfied with INTO's service and support. INTO's regional teams were commended for 'providing clear and precise information' and being 'responsive and timely' in handling queries.

The agents were also pleased with INTO's marketing services, 39% calling INTO promotional materials excellent and 48% good. Meanwhile 86% were very satisfied or satisfied with INTO's admissions procedure.

The survey shed light on student perceptions of INTO, its partners and HE more generally. Students, above parents and counsellors, were found to be the key decision makers when it came to choosing universities, while a clear majority had decided on their study destination before contacting an agent. 85% of students meanwhile said INTO partner institutions were superior to those of rival pathways providers.

Agents also used the survey to give constructive feedback and criticism. A majority said that student opinion of INTO partner universities had improved as a result of working with INTO. Most felt that UK Borders Agency changes would negatively impact on their work but were happy with the information INTO had provided on the topic. 

The 2011 survey is part of INTO's ongoing drive to improve its services and meet the needs of its agents, students and their parents. The last survey, conducted in 2010, also yielded very positive results.

Steven Smale, INTO's Director of Sales and Marketing, said: "The INTO agent survey is vital to INTO's development as an organisation. Agents can anonymously share their thoughts which, positive and negative, all help to improve our services. I am proud to see that this year the vast majority of agents are happy with our work across the board. This is due to the hard work of everyone across the INTO network, from regional teams through to centre staff and the marketing directorate. Thank you all."