Global Ed has seen a dramatic rise in the past two decades. Today, more than ever before, millions of students leave their shores in pursuit of higher, more enriching educational experiences. The numbers are staggering. Consider this – in the year 2000 some 2 million students left their home countries to study abroad. In 2017, that number stood at 5.3 million (as according to data published by UNESCO). By 2025 this number is set to rise to 8 million, predicts the OECD.
With such a mass cross movement across international borders, it would be worth considering what student mobility means for the countries that host them. Does it, to state one aspect, lead to job insecurity amongst the population of the host countries? Also, how do international students contribute economically, culturally and academically to the countries they move to?