Postgraduate students from overseas studying in Scottish universities are rapidly overtaking the number of those born in Scotland.

In 2000, there were just 7395 postgraduates from outside the UK, compared to 13,660 from Scotland, but sharp annual increases since then have seen the gap close dramatically.

Last year, there were 15,540 overseas postgraduates in Scotland, compared to 15,855 born here. Next year, Scottish postgraduates could be in a minority for the first time.

The increase has been largely fuelled by an influx from outside Europe, as universities court talented students from the Far East, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Because such students pay full fees at a market rate - with the annual cost of some courses reaching £12,000 - the financial benefit to universities is marked.

However, Tony Axon, policy officer for the lecturers' union UCU Scotland, said: "There is a possibility universities start skewing what they do to suit overseas students, because they are the ones paying the highest fees. That could cause problems for Scottish-based students. If the driver is purely an economic one, then that should be resisted. There has to be an academic rationale for all courses on offer."

Mr Axon also warned about becoming "over-reliant" on the fees of overseas students. "Countries such as China and India are building huge universities and there is a danger that, as students go to universities in their own countries, the market will suddenly collapse," he added.