International Student Mobility Research Articles

International students' socioeconomic affluence and staying likelihood

AbstractThis paper investigates the relationship between international university students' staying likelihood and their socioeconomic affluence. It contributes to a literature that explores the role of socioeconomic differences in selection into international student mobility, but rarely considers their association with the staying likelihood. The analysis is based on a primary data set of 3205 observations collected among international students at 27 universities in the United Kingdom and Czechia. Several explanations, translated into hypotheses, are statistically tested, which complements the predominantly qualitative studies in the field. The results show that students with less affluent parents, defined in terms of income, are more likely to stay. A substantial part of this relationship is explained by these students placing greater emphasis on career‐related considerations when making their staying decision, as emphasizing these considerations is associated with a higher staying likelihood.

International student mobility within Europe: responding to contemporary challenges

AbstractIn this article, we provide an introduction to the special issue on ‘Challenges to International Student Mobility within Europe’. We first discuss the current context of such mobility and justify our focus on Europe, in particular, by outlining some distinctive features of this geographical region. We then outline the contributions of the articles that make up the special issue—in terms of the challenges they identify, the ways in which they theorise international student mobility, and the responses they proffer. Throughout, we acknowledge the rich extant literature on international student mobility and weave this into our discussion as appropriate.

‘I am not what you label me’: Senses of belonging in a mainland Chinese university among cross‐border Hong Kong students

AbstractChina's grand strategies (i.e., the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area) have expedited the popularity of full‐time degree‐bearing study in mainland China. Associated with the exponential growth of inward student populations are proliferating concerns about the capacity of non‐majority/non‐local students to ‘integrate’ and belong in their host universities/colleges. The extant literature on university/college belonging often positions non‐majority/non‐local students as being academically and culturally deficient and subsequently being otherised in the host university community. Yet, their agency in managing the prevailing image and ‘otherisation’, and constructing their own sense of belonging to university, has received scant attention. This qualitative study is a substantive and theoretical contribution to the literature on university belonging, which has been preoccupied with non‐majority/non‐local students in the classic South–North international student mobility. This study deployed the concepts of politics of belonging and place‐belongingness and canvassed the senses of belonging to university among inbound Hong Kong students in mainland higher education, which has witnessed a growing Hong Kong student population in recent years. The collected interview data indicated that these border‐crossing Hong Kong students found themselves categorised as ‘underachievers’ with ‘poor mathematics’ yet ‘proficient in English’ in the mainland campus setting, where they did not feel they fully belonged. Responding to the paradoxical identity/belonging politics, they performed three forms of place‐belongingness by dismantling, accommodating or counter‐stereotyping the ascribed classifications in order to legitimate their own participation in the mainland Chinese university.

Systematic Review of International Student Mobility in Higher Education

The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive review of the educational sciences and social sciences literature about international student mobility that was published in the Web of Science database between 1997 and 2023. In the research, 550 publications that had been scanned by the WOS database were examined concerning their yearly publication counts, citation counts, publishing journals, cited authors, publishing and cited nations, fields of application, keywords employed, and article themes. Every article was analyzed using the Vosviewer software. It was found that 530 articles were published in the English language in terms of language of publication. The most cited articles dealt with equal chances and Erasmus student mobility. Higher education, educational mobility, and international students are the most frequently used terms in the publications, whereas distinction is the least frequently used keyword. The majority of articles on the topic are published in the Journal of Higher Education. The field of educational research published the majority of the articles. The evaluation of international student mobility in the fields of sociology, psychology, and educational administration has been rather restricted. The concept of international student mobility encompasses not only educational mobility but also movements related to social justice, inequality reduction, risk group management, and educational prestige.

An Evaluation of the Spatial Repercussions of Student Mobility Policy in European Higher Education Area Using Network Analysis

The mobility of international students is a crucial tool for the European Union's goal of creating a unified European Higher Education Area. Despite the initial assumption that all European universities and students can benefit equally from cross-university study experiences, certain European regions have become disproportionately favored over time. This has resulted in specific geographical patterns, challenging the principles of equality and openness in the EU's higher education policy. To better understand these spatial effects and enhance the EU's mobility policy effectiveness, this research analyzes the network properties of Erasmus+, comparing it with traditional degree-seeking activities. Utilizing a modularity measure with data from the EU and UNESCO, the study reveals significant sub-regional variations in the Erasmus+ geographical network, posing challenges for policy implementation and limiting mobility alternatives.

International education supports and cross-border student mobility: factors influencing Cambodian and Laotian students’ choice of studying in a Vietnamese university

PurposeCambodian and Laotian students (CLS) are among the largest groups of international students in intra-ASEAN student mobility as well as in Vietnamese higher education institutions (HEIs). However, little has been researched on the factors influencing CLS’s decision to choose Vietnam as destination country. The purpose of this study is to investigate why CLS decide to go overseas and choose Vietnam as their host country among other opportunities as well as their perceptions of the decision.Design/methodology/approachUsing qualitative methods and employing purposive sampling, data were collected by semi-structured interviews from CLS studying in a HEI in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The data were analysed against the push–pull framework to understand factors influencing the participants’ decision.FindingsThe findings show that CLS in the study were “pushed” by the perceived higher value of a foreign qualification and family encouragements. In terms of pull factors, they were attracted to choose Vietnam as the host country most observably due to scholarship opportunities. However other pull factors were also significant, especially the lack of certain skills in home countries and its congruence with Vietnam’s competitive strength in offering courses for those skills. In retrospect, the participants expressed a sense of optimism, though there was also certain reservation.Research limitations/implicationsThe small sample restrict the generalisability of the findings.Practical implicationsAs an exploratory study, the findings can lay the ground for largerscale studies investigating CLS mobility in Vietnam and be employed for inbound student mobility policymaking reference for HEIs in Vietnam as well as in other developing countries.Originality/valueThis study investigates why Cambodian and Laotian international students decide to go to Vietnam, a developing country in the lesser-known part of international student mobility landscape. This is a topic that remains under-researched in the Asia-bound student mobility literature. Insights from the study can not only contribute to the scholarly gap but also offer implications for HEIs in Vietnam and other Asian countries.

Nonlinear relationships between human development and international student mobility: The prominent role of employment prospects and cultural and linguistic ties

AbstractHigher education is a key global market and considerable literature has focused on investigating the determinants of international student mobility (ISM). However, less is known about the extent to which the relative influence of these factors is moderated by local conditions and vary across origin countries. Drawing on a unique data set of undergraduate applications from the UK Colleges and Admissions Service, we analyse variations in the contextual determinants of ISM flows to the United Kingdom across countries of origin over a 10‐year period (2009–2019). We run a suite of negative binomial gravity models to understand the key influences of ISM and uncover the spatial heterogeneity of these influences. Our findings reveal a nonlinear relationship between the level of development of origin countries and ISM flows. Although countries from higher development levels are more likely to send students to the United Kingdom, there appears to be a dip in applications at the mid‐levels of development. Given the nonlinearity of this relationship, we seek to understand how countries across different levels of development respond to the typical factors that are seen to influence flows of international students. We also see substantial heterogeneity of the influence of different factors for origin countries, with some countries being influenced by employment opportunities and others by cultural and linguistic ties. However, this variation is not necessarily determined by the countries’ level of development. Our findings have implications for policy makers, educators and researchers seeking to navigate and influence global student mobility trends. Our study highlights the need for tailored strategies to attract and retain international students from specific origin countries, recognising the multifaceted nature of ISM determinants.

Navigating New Horizons: The Future of International Student Mobility in the Post-Pandemic World

The global higher education landscape has undergone significant change in the wake of COVID-19. There’s been a notable surge in students opting for more affordable programs, alongside a considerable rise in those pursuing overseas education for immigration purposes. Countries like Canada and Australia have responded by easing visa constraints to lure international students. Meanwhile, India and China, as two key players in sending students abroad, are experiencing divergent trajectories. While China is fostering its domestic education sector and implementing policies to draw in international students, its population is expected to decline. Conversely, the rapidly growing youth population in India offers a favorable opportunity for overseas students. For nations reliant on the overseas education sector, striking a balance between the economic benefits and local employment impacts is crucial, while also addressing market share challenges posed by China and India. Exploring alternative markets is imperative. Nigeria, Kenya, and other nations show high growth potential, while the rising middle class in Latin America offers another potential source market. Kazakhstan emerges as a notable contender, with its pre-pandemic economic expansion and government initiatives promoting international student mobility and ambitious targets. The declining cost of studying abroad reflects not only the economic challenges facing the global education sector but also a democratization of access to international education, no longer confined to affluent families. A noticeable rise of international students from Asian countries—such as China, Russia, Japan, and South Korea—indicates a slow shift in the market share away from popular study locations. This shift underscores a broader trend of diversification in the global higher education landscape.

Conflicting geographical imaginaries in globalised labour markets: The local valorisation of international education among employers and returned international students

AbstractWhile scholars have extensively investigated the post‐study career experiences of international students, there has been a dearth in the literature on the mediation of intersubjectivities in the local valorisation of international education, particularly neglecting the perspective of recruiters. Through the lens of geographical imaginaries and drawing on qualitative data from recruiters in professional sectors and returned students in China, this paper reveals the significant role of imaginaries in shaping the perceptions and practices of both parties during the university‐to‐work transitions. The findings underscore that overseas credentials, codified knowledge, and embodied competencies were central to recruiters' and returnees' imaginaries regarding international education. However, conflicts in these imaginaries between recruiters and graduates resulted in the distinct valorisation of the socioeconomic value of overseas education between the two groups and created challenges for returnees' transitions from overseas education to local professional employment. This study emphasises the importance of emplaced intersubjectivities in comprehending international student mobilities as an ongoing transnational process across global educational spaces and local labour markets. It also underscores the role of local contexts and networks in valorising and mediating the value of international education, creating place‐specific patterns of university‐to‐work transitions among returnees.

Producing international students: Migration management and the making of population categories

Producing international students: Migration management and the making of population categories

The Impact of Visa Policy on Higher Education International Students

The globalization of higher education has led to unprecedented mobility among international students, transforming the educational landscape and posing intricate challenges influenced by visa policies. This research delves into the intricate interplay between visa regulations and the encounters of international students in higher education. By meticulously analyzing historical trends, government motivations, and the multifaceted impact on enrollment figures, economic landscapes, and social experiences, this study uncovers the nuanced realities of international student mobility. The significance of this research lies in its potential to inform policy frameworks and institutional strategies. Understanding the subtle dynamics of visa policies is not merely academic. It shapes the cultural, economic, and educational fabric of nations. As international student enrollment becomes increasingly competitive, comprehending the implications of visa policies becomes imperative.  This study contributes a holistic perspective, bridging gaps in existing knowledge, and providing a foundation for policymakers, educators, and institutions to create inclusive, supportive environments for international students. The insights garnered here illuminate the path toward balanced visa policies that foster global academic exchange while respecting national security concerns, ensuring a vibrant, diverse, and thriving international higher education community.

The impact of geopolitics on international student mobility: The Chinese students' perspective

AbstractIn the last few years, international student mobility has been disrupted not only by the global health crisis resulting from the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic but also adversely affected by the rise of geopolitics. The worsening relationship between China and its western counterparts led by the United States and its allies has significantly influenced students' motivation and plan for overseas education. Based upon interviews with 75 students from leading universities in mainland China, this article examines how Chinese elite students evaluate the impact of the new geopolitics on their overseas study plans and opportunities. The study found that, due to the influence of scientific internationalism ideas and institutional habitus, interviewees underestimated the impact of geopolitical factors. Furthermore, unpleasant environmental factors (such as racial discrimination) caused by geopolitical changes are tolerable because most of the interviewees plan to return China after studying abroad. On the other hand, deterioration of Sino‐US relations has substantially affected Chinese students' international mobility. Many interviewees, especially those majoring in science and engineering, were unable to obtain visas. Some of them gave up their study abroad plans, while others transferred to other study abroad destination countries such as the United Kingdom and Singapore. We also find that the perception of the power shift in the field of higher education shapes the students' decision making. This article critically reflects upon the international student mobility from the broader political economy perspective, discussing policy implications for future international education.

Analysis of the Past, Present and the Future of International Student Mobility: A Retrospective Review

Globalization has led academics to realize the value of broadening classrooms beyond the typical school atmosphere to a place where students can engage in cross-cultural interaction. Despite being discussed in academic literature since the nineteenth century, international student mobility (ISM) did not become prominent until 2003. However, it has emerged as a global phenomenon throughout the last few decades. The present research aims to illustrate the broad patterns and developments in the relevant literature during the past six decades of ISM research. This review is a hybrid form of systematic literature review as it employs a dual approach to address its research questions, i.e., bibliometric and thematic analysis. The present study analysed 1,497 ISM article publications in 867 Scopus-indexed journals from 1964 to 2023. In doing this, the ‘Scientific Procedures and Rationales for Systematic Literature Reviews’ (SPAR-4-SLR) protocol is followed. The findings present a retrospective description of the ISM literature by spotting the key contributors in authorship, articles, journals and countries alongside the past, present and future research patterns. Although the field is not completely novel, surprisingly, the bibliometric analysis technique has not been efficiently used in past ISM studies. By addressing the gaps found in the few past reviews, this article thoroughly describes ISM’s knowledge foundation, production and future direction.

THE CROSS-CULTURAL SENSITIVITY OF IISMA AWARDEES: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY

Objective: This research aims to understand the influence of the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) program on the cross-cultural sensitivity of ITS scholarship recipients based on their experiences and stories during the program.   Method: The research design for this study is narrative inquiry. Five scholarship recipients at a university in Madrid were asked to narrate their experiences through semi-structured interviews. The emerging themes indicate the extent to which the IISMA program, both directly (through mandatory program activities) and indirectly, influences the cross-cultural sensitivity of the awardees. Themes identified include language and culture, attitudes of openness and willingness to listen to others, cross-cultural exchange, empathy in understanding others' perspectives, and adopting new habits.   Results: The findings indicate that the IISMA program has a significant impact on the cross-cultural sensitivity of its scholarship recipients. Participants are directly exposed to various cultures in Spain and actively engage with these cultures. Additionally, the IISMA program encourages participants to promote Indonesian culture internationally through mandatory challenges and other assigned tasks.   Conclusions: The research provides insights into how the IISMA program influences cultural integration, attitudes toward others, intellectual interactions, empathy, and behavioral adaptation among the scholarship recipients. This study highlights the importance of international cultural exchange programs in enhancing understanding and cross-cultural sensitivity among participants.

The world turned upside down: Can international student mobility contribute towards democratization and human development? Evidence from the Eurograduate pilot survey

AbstractPolitical, social, environmental, and health challenges have questioned the relevance and sustainability of international student mobility (ISM). Strong critiques towards ISM stem from current global challenges but are also rightfully prevalent among scholars of internationalization. In response to the sustained critique of ISM, this article makes the case that—despite its limitations—ISM can contribute towards important public good outcomes and serve broader institutional and higher education sector aims. Public good is operationalized as referring to markers of democratization—trust in others and political participation—and markers of human development—self-reported competency levels and happiness. Data from eight European countries collected through the Eurograduate 2018 pilot survey is used to test the association between study abroad and democratization and human development markers. By doing so, the paper aims to understand if ISM can help address some of the democratization and human development challenges faced at national, regional, and global levels. The paper also observes how these outcomes vary between international, migrant, and domestic graduates. In this article, the juxtaposition of migrant graduates—an under-researched group in internationalization studies—with international graduates highlights how migrant students and graduates can be better supported. Results offer a complex picture of inequality between international, migrant, and domestic graduates. Findings also show that studying abroad is positively associated with trust in others, political participation, higher self-reported competency levels, and happiness, underlining the public good value of ISM.

Особенности миграционных установок аспирантов: к вопросу об образовательной миграции

Background. To date, a significant number of researchers have noted the shortage of highly qualified scientific personnel employed in research organizations. It is due to a number of reasons, among which emigration of scientists to those countries where highly qualified work is paid higher can be marked. In this regard, issues related to the international mobility of postgraduate students, including educational mobility, are very important. Objective. The study focuses on the socio-psychological characteristics of postgraduate students' attitudes to educational migration. Study Participants. The study involved students of postgraduate schools at research organizations involved in the training of graduate students in the field of educational sciences, as well as pedagogical universities in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other regions of the Russian Federation. A total of 803 respondents were interviewed. Methods. The article is based on the materials of a monitoring questionnaire. Results. The study revealed a connection between socio-demographic factors (gender, age) and attitudes related to educational migration: men more often indicate a desire to improve their professional qualifications abroad; with age, the number of graduate students wishing to study abroad decreases. In addition, the influence of socio-stratification factors (the income level of graduate students and the educational status of the family) on attitudes towards educational migration was revealed: high-income graduate students, as well as those graduate students whose parents have academic degrees, are more focused on professional development abroad. The study also showed that migration attitudes related to temporary educational migration are significantly more widespread among graduate students than among researchers. Conclusion. The attitudes of graduate students related to educational migration are determined by the influence of a number of socio-demographic and socio-stratification factors. At the same time, studying abroad is considered as a career elevator, primarily by those postgraduate students who do not plan to link their further professional activities with scientific work and teaching at budgetary institutions. Also, the larger migration mobility has been revealed in postgraduate students as a socio-professional group in comparison with researchers.

International students are cultural ambassadors for our country!

Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör evaluated the issue of international student mobility and educational tourism.

Cultural Capital and the Transnational Mobility of Asian Middle-Class Students to Germany

This paper reports the motivations of middle-class Asian students who choose German universities of applied sciences under the third wave of international student mobility. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the students’ qualitative experiences in Asian countries that influenced their preference for German universities of applied sciences and their expectations of their German degree as cultural capital. The research analyzes the family, school, peer experiences of 23 Asian students currently enrolled in a German university of applied sciences to understand their motivations for choosing this type of institution and Germany. The findings reveal that the cultural capital that influenced their choice includes differentiation strategies of middle-class students, reasonable education investment choices of Asian students, and the use of a German degree as a trump card in the labor market. The study provides implications for the development of international higher education by connecting Asian students’ aspirations for global cultural capital to a complex and atypical structure that encompasses global, national, and individual dimensions simultaneously.

Studying Interaction Design as an English Education Student for the Indonesian International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) in New Zealand: A Case Study in English Speaking Country

This journal provides an account of the encounters of an International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) awardee who majoring English education and undertook a multidisciplinary Interaction Design course at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. The journal employs a series of learning techniques applied during a single trimester of the educational journey in New Zealand within the Interaction Design class. The result is that students experience an increase in skills and knowledge in designing and analyzing User Experience (UX) to create useful and creative products. These skills and knowledge will be useful for students as an English language education student who have to create interesting learning media in the future.

Higher Education of Latin America in the Trajectory of International Student Mobility

Latin America and Caribbean Region (LAC), with a student enrollment about 30 million, has its own space in the global inter-university exchange. And the article aims to observe current trends and specific features of the internationalization of LAC higher education systems. The author analyzes different models of interaction of the region, firstly, with the countries of the global “North”, secondly, in the “South-South” format, and in a trilateral model  – “North-South-South”. Also, the article studies some versions of intraregional cooperation in South America, as well as the Network university consortium (BRICS as example). The research exposes a new trend, the participation of LAC countries in the virtual student mobility, which has become a “new normal” during the  pandemic  period  and  has  retained  its  significance  at  the  present  time.  A  special  place  is  given to  Russian-Latin  American  cooperation  which  has  a  long  history.  Additionally,  the  opportunities and difficulties of this bi-regional partnership in the higher education sphere at the present time are analyzed.Despite  the  fact  that  the  Latin  American  region  lies  somewhat  away  from  the  main  routes  of global interuniversity exchange, it is gradually increasing its share in the flow of mobile students by active participation in triangle formats. Simultaneously, the region develops new options for intra-regional cooperation to increase the competitiveness of Latin American universities in the international education market.