How Can the US Attract and Retain International Students on Its Campuses?
We all know the landscape in international student mobility is changing. We have already seen the shift from China to India and we know through data that Africa, Vietnam, and other Global South countries are on the rise. This article suggest that “U.S. universities must adapt to the evolving motivations of international students, as outdated recruitment strategies no longer work. Instead, universities need to rely on data to identify why students choose to study abroad, what challenges they face, and how their needs are changing.” Featured in this article is our good friend, Dr. Rajika Bhandari.
“Institutions that regularly engage with their international students, collecting and analysing feedback at every stage of their journey, are in a much better position to adapt to global trends,” says Dr Rajika Bhandari, expert in international student mobility, author of ‘A lack of diversity spells adversity: The imperative for U.S. campuses to diversify their international student population’, OIEG’s latest whitepaper.
Rather than assuming that all students are motivated by the same factors, universities should segment their approach, offering targeted support and marketing that speaks directly to the unique needs of students from different regions. For more information, register for OIEG’s upcoming webinar with Dr Rajika Bhandari on 29th October, 2024, at 10:00 AM EST / 3:00 PM GMT https://lnkd.in/eqPUq4YG
Read more on Oxford International >
66% of Int’l Students Open to Changing Study Destination Amid Policy Shifts
Our team is always looking for new research and insights into the minds of international students. The new Emerging Futures reporting surveyed more than 10k students and covered a wide range of questions. The results show that the rapidly changing policy landscape is forcing international students to consider other country destinations beyond the Big Four. It comes as no surprise that quality of education and postgraduation work opportunities rank as the top considerations for students when making their choices.
“I think probably never before has listening to our students, our customers, been so vitally important. We know there’s so much change. It’s all we’re talking about since we arrived at AIEC, all the change that is amongst us, all these certain uncertainty at the moment that’s facing our sector. And we can just imagine what that means for students.”
Learn more on The PIE News >
The US Is the World’s Science Superpower — but for how Long?
As the US focuses on STEM and keeping our competitive edge, and as more international students are looking to study STEM fields, the US faces new challenges and opportunities in maintaining its status as a global leader. This article connects the future of sciences in the US directly to the upcoming election.
Concerns range from funding limitations for R&D and the growing politicization of science to heated debates about immigration. This has created “a perception that the United States is increasingly hostile to foreigners”, the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) reported in August, warning that the United States “can no longer take for granted that it will remain the destination of choice for the world’s best and brightest”. The academies called for a government-wide effort to attract and retain international talent and improve STEM education at home.
Get the full story on Nature >
Graduating International Students Seeking Work in the US Face Complicated Job Search
While OPT is offered to all international students postgraduation, there are many challenges associated with a student’s job search. Many international students don’t have long-term plans of staying in the US after graduation, but do want some postgraduation work experience. Whether a student is looking for OPT or longer-term work through an H-1B, the US process presents plenty of challenges.
“It was like trying to catch fish with your bare hands; they slip through all the time. I applied for over 600 jobs, and only 15 companies even reached out to me.” – Lucky Phan, recent University of St. Thomas graduate from Da Nang, Vietnam
Read more on The World from PRX >
