Changing Facets of International Student Mobility

Abstract

Student Mobility is the most visible and dynamic manifestation of internationalization of higher education. The recent years have noted a considerable increase in the volume of international mobile students and patterns have changed significantly. Now the traditional destinations are facing competition with the new emerging destinations in the international education market. The dynamics of host and source countries have changed significantly. The nature of flow of student mobility has been changed from unidirectional to multidirectional. In the changing facets of internationalization of higher education, the overall context of global mobility has changed significantly in terms of both who is going where, and the mix of host and sending countries. Mobility of programs and institutions from one country to another in the form of branch campus, franchised degree programs, distance education are growing at a fast pace and thus posed serious challenge. Diversification of destination countries as a new change in international student mobility is making the scenario more complex. With the emergence of new trends, international higher education is changing the choice for international students and thus influencing the trends of international student mobility. In this context, the focus of the present paper is to revisit the trends of international student mobility across the globe. The present paper will highlight the complexities which are arising as a result of the changing nature and new developments which are taking place in developed and developing countries in the area of international student mobility.