International students giving £651 million boost to Coventry
New data has found the economic benefit international students bring to the city of Coventry
Last updated 25th Jun 2024
New figures have shown international students have an overall £651 million for the city of Coventry, taking into account economic contribution and costs to public services.
The combined economic contribution from the Coventry South, East and North West constituencies was £717million, with a total cost to public services of £66 million.
Coventry South saw the sixth largest gross benefit in the UK from international students, who brought in £480 million against a public service cost of £44 million.
Professor John Latham CBE, Vice-Chancellor of Coventry University, said: “We have always known and nurtured the incredibly positive impact that international students have on our city and these figures show that welcoming students from overseas has an invaluable impact on everyone who calls Coventry their home."
Professor Latham said international student recruitment in English universities has dropped in recent years, and underlined the importance of continuing to attract overseas students to continue to benefit the city.
The figures showed the overall benefit equated to £3,360 per person in Coventry South, £990 per person in Coventry East and £920 in Coventry North West.
James Cannings, Senior Economic Consultant at London Economics, said: "We hope that the incoming Government, and every newly-elected MP in every constituency, will pay close attention to these findings – both for the sake of the financial sustainability of the higher education sector and the growth of the UK economy as a whole.”