On 30 April 2025, ACA hosted a Study in Europe webinar on behalf of the European Commission, focusing on the development of national-level strategies for international student recruitment. Moderated by Raul Ranne, Senior Advisor at ACA, the webinar brought together expert speakers, each offering unique insights into how national frameworks can support the sustainable growth of international student enrolment. Hayley Shields from Edified kicked off the discussion by sharing insights from New Zealand’s approach, highlighting the importance of having a clearly defined strategy, underpinned by strong stakeholder engagement, cross-sector alignment, and robust implementation plans.  

The Finnish approach was explored by Kaisu Piiroinen from Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture, by introducing the Talent Boost programme – a cross-government initiative aimed to attract and retain international talent and sharing insights into Finland’s evolving Vision for Higher Education and Research 2040. The discussion continued with Hanna Isoranta from ACA member the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI), who outlined the country’s evolving National Promotion Strategy under ‘Study in Finland’, which reflects Finland’s commitment to internationalisation. 

The final case study, from Ireland, was presented by John Murphy, from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, who introduced the  ‘Global Citizens 2030’ – a comprehensive strategy aimed at enhancing Ireland’s global visibility and appeal to international students. 

The webinar facilitated valuable knowledge sharing among speakers and participants, highlighting the growing importance of strategic, government-backed initiatives in attracting international talent. Discussions covered key success factors, such as policy coherence, stakeholder engagement and the need for adaptable forward-looking frameworks. ACA warmly thanks all speakers and participants for engaging in discussions on best practices, policy considerations, and cross-sector collaboration in attracting international talent.