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International student mobility in a post-pandemic world

While policy changes in study destinations and economic difficulties in candidates’ home countries pose challenges, the global market remains buoyant. UniQuest CEO Rachel Fletcher highlights the continuing demand for better guidance through the complex international admissions ecosystem

The fundamental characteristics of the international student recruitment market and related student behaviour have not experienced the significant shifts we might have expected in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Study destinations have continued to move in and out of favour, albeit with more pronounced fluctuations; changes in national government policy and volatile global financial issues continue to be key factors in shaping international student mobility; while student motivations around employability and cultural opportunity persist, strengthened by varied local market push factors.

However, student expectations of engagement with their target institutions have increased. With greater uncertainty around ‘authentic’ sources of information online, students are looking for reliable, relevant and accurate communication from universities. The proliferation of social media and instant messaging services, added to expectations of hyper-personalisation, places an additional burden – both from a technology and resource perspective – on already-stretched recruitment and admissions teams around the world to engage with students on their terms.

In early September, University of East Anglia vice-chancellor David Maguire was asked by BBC Radio 4 to comment on the UK higher education funding crisis. Maguire specifically referenced that student needs in relation to meaningful, personalised support were at risk across the UK because of budget gaps and the ensuing re-structuring and cost-cutting measures that are now being put in place at many institutions.

Barriers to international student mobility

Recent policy changes in leading global study destinations have created significant barriers for international students from key markets, such as India and Nigeria. In the UK, for example, the ban on dependants is a huge obstacle for many prospective students. In Australia, a recent government announcement capping the number of international student enrolments has been deemed by many in the global higher education sector as one likely to cause long-term harm to the country and its economy. We’ve seen a similar cap implemented in Canada, while New Zealand has doubled its visa fees. Another Anglophone destination, the US, continues to benefit from favourable conditions post-pandemic and demand appears to remain high for now.

However, mobility issues are not limited to such concerns, with demand-side issues in evidence alongside those relating to supply. For instance, UniQuest data shows that demand from the traditionally wealthy market of China has slowed due to economic challenges, with more students questioning how they will finance their studies. Meanwhile, those in Nigeria must also grapple with the impact of currency collapse.

International study’s enduring appeal

Yet, some markets showing unexpected growth, in spite of these challenges. In 2023, 8,500 Nepalese students were issued UK study visas, a year-on-year increase of 83% per cent, with growth continuing into the first quarter of 2024 in the shape of a 27 per cent rise on the equivalent period last year. More broadly, undergraduate applications to UK universities from Pakistan, Kuwait, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and Qatar continue to rise.

Business continues to dominate as a popular subject of choice among international students of higher education. Indeed, global demand for education at top business schools remains high, with India, Nigeria and Pakistan continuing to provide the largest markets for those seeking undergraduate and postgraduate business degrees overseas.

The primary factor behind students’ desire to study abroad remains career progression and was cited by 45 per cent of respondents to Keystone Education Group’s 2024 State of Student Recruitment Report. Selected by 43 per cent, ‘qualifying for further study’ was the next most popular reason given, evidencing the academic gateways that international study can open up for students.

Supporting international students’ application journey

In this context, meeting prospective students’ queries and concerns should be a clear priority for business schools. However, among 128 universities globally that participated in UniQuest and Edified’s Enquiry Experience Tracker, a quarter of prospects did not receive a response to their enquiry.

This indicates a lack of institutional capacity to support and enrol prospective students. The problem, in large part, continues to be the complexity and cost for universities to coordinate the technology, resources and processes to optimise engagement with students at scale, from the very first point of enquiry through to enrolment – a journey that can take years for international students.

The most recent data available from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics data reveals that there are approximately 6.4 million international students in the world, representing a rise of 300 per cent over the past two decades. The global higher education sector, therefore, remains remarkably buoyant and in this environment, individual institutions have a golden opportunity to thrive if they can effectively guide prospective students through the complex ecosystem towards enrolment. When UniQuest is proactively in touch with prospective students on behalf of its partner institutions, we are commonly greeted with gratitude that we’ve been in touch at all. Of the several institutions a prospective student typically considers applying to, we all too often represent the only one that responds or reaches out to them.