Choudaha, R., & Chang, L.
Trends in international student mobility. World Education Services, New York, 2012. Pages: 18.
On 1 March 2012, World Education Services published a new research paper aiming to shed light on the trends and issues related to international student recruitment in the United States. The document is principally designed to help institutional leaders and administrators in the US make informed decisions and set effective priorities with regard to this topic. The research is presented in two main sections. First, it provides an overview of international student mobility to four host countries – Australia, Canada, the UK and the US – in the context of major policy reforms. Second, it presents in-depth analysis of international enrolment trends in the US, emphasising emerging recruitment practices and illustrating key developments through the presentation of five institutional case studies.
Key findings include the following:
- Enrolment at the bachelor’s level is set to outgrow the master’s and doctoral levels as undergraduate international students are generally funded byfamily members as opposed to graduate students reliant on financial aid.
- English as a Second Language (ESL) programmes are emerging as an important transition pathway to the U.S. for international students, most notably from Saudi Arabia. Optional Practical Training (OPT) remains an important factor of US higher education attractiveness for mainly Indian students.
- Given the current pressure on institutions to become more prompt and efficient in achieving their recruitment goals, the use of recruitment service providers, social media, and state consortia will increase in the near future.
World Education Services