While Europe is debating what to do about foreign students,
booming nations like China, South Korea and Mexico move to
massively expand their own international student populations. A report by Nuffic, the Dutch public agency for
internationalization in higher education, shows that "with the
economic and political balance of power shifting east, mobility
patterns are beginning to change in this direction as well".
In this context, China stands out as it aims to more than double
the number of foreign students studying at its universities from
230.000 in 2009 up to 500.000 in 2020. South Korea follows a
similar internationalization strategy with the goal to boost the
number of international students from 22.500 in 2005 up to 100.000
in 2012. Main targets are mostly neighboring countries which would
contribute to a "regionalization of international student
mobility".
Nuffic also names a few policy instruments that are used to
achieve greater internationalization. Among them is the expansion
of scholarship programs, a greater offer of foreign language
programs and bilateral agreements with targeted countries. Mexico,
for instance, went to great lengths in order to expand its
attractiveness to overseas students through financial subsidies and
double degree programs.
Attracting international students to counter skill
shortages
The internationalization landscape in Europe, meanwhile,
diverges significantly. While most governments have recognized that
foreign talented students might boost the economy by countering
skill shortages, only few nations translate this potential into
real policies.
Here, Nuffic points out Germany and Switzerland as the two
exceptions. "[In these countries] attempts are made to channel
international student flows into the STEM subjects (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)."
Through its public agency, DAAD,
Germany is particularly targeting students from Brazil, India and
China that want to follow a study related to one of the four STEM
areas. Overall, Master and PhD students pay low fees and have wide
ranging access to scholarships which makes the Germany the third
most popular overseas student destination right after the U.S. and
U.K.