International Students and Global Mobility in Higher Education

Global higher education mobility is a rapidly growing phenomenon affecting the management of resources and students among institutions and nations worldwide. Between 1999 and 2006, the number of students traveling to another country in pursuit of higher education increased by 41 percent, totaling some 2.5 million students globally (UNESCO, 2006). According to recent projections, the number of internationally mobile students is expected to rise to 3.7 million by 2025. As nations and world economies continue to address migration through a variety of mechanisms, from constricting or loosening entry policies to providing incentives for skilled migration and talent, these decisions tend to drive global migration patterns of students as much as "immigrants" in the traditional sense. The proposed book will examine current trends in global student mobility patterns in several key host and destination countries, including the United States, China, India, South Africa, Mexico, Australia, and Germany, among others, and will explore the national and global-level factors that contribute to these trends. Drawing upon several global and national-level data sources such as UNESCO and OECD data, Project Atlas, and the Open Doors project, the chapters will also frame the global student mobility discussion in the context of impacts and implications for countries that send and receive international or foreign students. The book will lead to an improved understanding of international student flows through research and improved data collection; will encourage and make possible better governance of international student flows at the global, regional, and national levels; and will stimulate new thinking among a broad range of communities on the impact and importance of international educational exchange.