Commenting on the report, Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive of Independent Higher Education (IHE), said:
"Independent providers deliver the majority of pathway provision in the UK today, working in close collaboration with universities, and they play an essential part in making the UK a more welcoming destination for international students.
This significant report from QAA documents the powerful impact of international foundation and international year one programmes on access to and participation in UK higher education, and we agree that these valuable opportunities should be shared more widely across the sector with domestic students too.
The report from QAA provides clear evidence of the rigour of these qualifications and their success in supporting the transition of international students onto degree courses from a wide variety of prior qualifications.
This report reminds us also of the important role that QAA plays in supporting a coherent approach to quality across the UK and across many different types of provider and partnership model, through the quality code, characteristic statements and other valuable work.”