studdex

Prospective university students are looking for study options beyond their borders more than ever before. By the year 2025, almost 8 million students are projected to be studying outside of their home countries. What is more, the patterns of student mobility and key destinations are continually changing.

The reasons for increased global student mobility are various and intertwined. Prospective students from booming economies of population rich countries such as China and India are increasingly looking to study abroad. At the same time, the traditionally perceived destination countries are shifting. While the U.S. is still a major destination for international students, enrollment by foreign students is decreasing. Simultaneously, an ever increasing amount of students are looking to study abroad in China. Overall, the economic growth of developing countries has made studying abroad affordable for millions of people who didn’t have the option before. Around the world, the increasing degree of wealth and rising GDP per capita encourages student mobility for those who may not have seen it as a viable option before. Both in terms of destination countries, as well as the idea of studying abroad in itself, studying abroad is being altered by the the economic climate and the interconnectivity of our society.

In addition to concentrated points of economic growth around the world, student mobility is being shaped by universities which are continually adapting their infrastructure in order to build a greater capacity for international students. Part of this capacity building can be seen in the flourishing amount of international and English language bachelor and masters programs offered. Another visible component of the international capacity building by universities around the world is the increased partnerships between universities. More than ever before, universities are working together to foster the movement of international exchange of students.

For many countries, education has become a lucrative industry. With that, national governments have taken a keen interest in the global mobility of higher education. In Australia, higher education is the country’s second largest export, with an annual revenue even outweighing tourism. In Canada, the presence of international students provides employment for more than 83,000 Canadians. As degrees from certain countries are seen as a key to success by many prospective students, and tuition fees for international students are considerably higher than for national students, countries are stepping up their pursuit of international students. Most countries have adopted a common structural approach for international student recruitment, though some, like the U.S, does not have a clear national strategy and each university pursues international student recruitment on its own.

Educational institutions as well as governments have become increasingly aware of the positive effects associated with student mobility. The world is changing, and it affects the choice and flow of students seeking higher education. All in all, the growing number of students looking to study abroad, combined with the diversification of destination countries, is changing the landscape of higher education mobility. Studdex is playing a proactive role in the mobility of international students and the way that universities reach them.