Internationalisation

Over the past two decades, international student mobility has exploded, transforming both universities and national economies. While the rise of international education has been a global story, it does have one outsized player. China has accounted for the majority of international enrolment growth in the major English-speaking study destinations, with rapid economic growth, a large youth population and a shortage of university places fuelling a prolonged surge in outbound study.

Exchanges with Asian universities and the movement of Asian students to study in Western countries have for a long time been taken as a given. However, this is starting to change as more Asian universities build reputations to match their international peers.

The rise of the East is reshaping global higher education. It ignites curiosities, challenges assumptions and triggers debates. But, first, where is “the East”?

Have you ever wondered how to boost the online learning performance of your students? Here, we share insights from a recent study investigating students’ self-directed learning abilities, cultural orientation and online learning performance.

An assumption about Chinese students is that their academic performance is more likely to be influenced by the Confucian cultural heritage than self-directed learning.

Most of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region has suffered from political and economic instability, paralleled by diminishing borders across the globe due to digitalisation and connectivity. These trends, accelerated by Covid-19, are motivating students in MENA universities to seek collaboration with institutions in more economically stable countries, particularly in the West, in order to access international experiences involving innovation and economic growth.

Teaching in a culturally diverse setting is exciting, but that excitement and enthusiasm can be short-lived when faced with the deafening silence of a student audience. To avoid this, lecturers need to learn how to engage students in culturally different or diverse settings, and this is easy enough by following the three tips outlined below.

It’s no secret that recent waves of college and university students have become vocally engaged with global social issues, including climate change and Black Lives Matter. Many young leaders and activists are highly entrepreneurial and eager to start solving real-world problems well before graduation, and they are supported by a growing number of international multidisciplinary competitions.

Much has been written about schools managing the shift to virtual teaching formats to maintain operations. I have witnessed a different story in which this transition has opened up potential new market opportunities that will last well beyond this crisis.