How Geopolitical Uncertainty Influences International Student Choices
Do you think a diplomatic handshake or a trade dispute could cause problems with your education?
More and more yesterday, every day international students are starting to think about this and ask this question. In the past, this was an easy decision to make, just check the rankings, look at locations, and check your career path; however, now the ground has changed. Today students take on the role of political analysts for the duration of their higher education experience and look at the geographical region in which they will be located, not just the labs and libraries, when making their decision.
With visa costs fluctuating and geopolitical tensions rising worldwide, awareness of geopolitical uncertainty has become an essential part of studying in a global economy. At UniNewsletter , we see this growing concern reflected in student decision-making trends across markets.
Unfortunately, as the world continues to change and develop at an ever-increasing pace, gauging how the impact of geopolitics on international education studying outside of their home countries is no longer simply an "extra" part of an international student's research. This is now a requirement or a survival skill for any student considering studying abroad.
What Is Geopolitical Uncertainty in International Education? When discussion turns to geopolitics' effect on international education, we do not only mean those events that arise from temporary news cycles and one-time elections. Rather, we mean the permanent structural changes to the way that countries engage within a global system.
The relationship between geopolitics and global education is complex, as global education relies heavily on the ability to freely move people, ideas, and capital across international borders. When nations become isolated from one another, the first things to go are usually the means by which students are able to travel, visas, currency, and travel routes. As the Institute of International Education has shown, fluctuations in the number of enrolled students from different countries tend to reflect the changing nature of diplomatic relations between countries that send students abroad (sending countries) and those that accept them (receiving countries).
How Geopolitics Influences International Student Choices When analyzing how geopolitical factors influence which countries international students select to study in, it becomes evident that the importance placed on 'safety and stability' have increased significantly relative to the traditional prestige of receiving an education from a 'top-tier' institution such as an Ivy League or Russell Group school.
1. The Visa and Immigration Barrier The most apparent manifestation of the impact of geopolitics on international education in the area of border policies. In particular, as tensions between two countries arise, border policies have often favored 'national security' no matter how many months a student may have spent preparing to attend college in the country. Various examples exist of border processing times for international students severely delayed, in addition to those instances where 'National Security' concerns resulted in the immediate cancellation of research permissions for international students enrolled in specific STEM disciplines. When faced with uncertainty such as being denied entry to a country after months of preparation, many international students have made the decision to not pursue studying abroad.
2. The Question of Physical Safety Another area where geopolitical risks for international students is through current or recent global conflicts and international education disruption internationally. When a country or region becomes destabilized, many parents or sponsors view the physical safety and security of students as being their greatest priority. Recent research by Open Doors and several different regional educational bureaus has demonstrated that students are increasingly changing their study abroad destinations from countries viewed as being 'volatile' to countries known for having long-term domestic stability and neutral foreign policies.
3. Diplomatic Tensions and the "Welcome" Factor Student mobility can be impacted by many factors beyond just safety. When two countries are engaged in an open dispute, students from the side perceived to be the "aggressor" frequently report feeling less welcome to study abroad. Even though the perception of risk may have an equally damaging effect on enrollment as a result of direct actions, students base their decisions on how welcome they feel in terms of enrollment numbers. The effect of geopolitical influence on study abroad destinations is discussed in a separate article on "Geopolitics".
Key Geopolitical Factors Affecting Study Abroad Decisions There are several geopolitical factors affecting study abroad which either "push" or "pull" individuals wishing to travel internationally to study:
Politically Unstable Areas: Often the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about barriers for going abroad. Wars or internal civil strife will cause existing study abroad pathways to either close quickly (or in some cases) never open back up again. Economic Sanctions - Sending tuition by families from one country to another has become impossible due to the fact that they cannot send money. Many students will have difficulty opening bank accounts upon their arrival to a foreign country. Bilateral Agreements - Countries with good bilateral relationships provide a better opportunity for students to receive visas for study abroad programs. For example, both Australia and New Zealand provide youth mobility schemes (YMS) in connection to many Commonwealth (Commonwealth of Nations) and European Union (EU) countries. Government Policy Shifts: A key driver for student study abroad decisions is the post-study work rights provided by governments. Such international students study abroad decisions are influenced by domestic pressures to maintain immigration or increase pressure. The Impact of Global Conflicts on International Education Global conflicts have created a negative history between international education and global conflicts. According to UNESCO data , not only do these conflicts immediately stop the outward mobility of students, but they also have a detrimental impact on the infrastructure in a country that supports international education through proper preparation of students to attend international institutions.
The trend we see refers to students who have moved away from traditional Western centres to pursue international education in non-aligned regions or regions that have some stability. The countries that stay neutral during times of global conflict have become more and more the focus of student educational aspirations, and in-depth information related to this shift in global education policy created by numbers of international students is contained in the report referenced above.
Managing Geopolitical Risks: How Students Are Responding Today's students are not simply passive observers; they learn to adapt. To reduce the geopolitical risks for international students, more of today's students are:
Choosing "Safe Haven" countries: Traditionally, these include Canada, Australia, and several Northern European nations. Politically, there are more restrictive policies occurring in some of these areas as well. Betting on multiple options: More students today are applying to more than one university and applying to three different countries to be certain that if one border closes, one of the other two will remain open to them. Evaluating their Return on Investment (ROI) and Flexibility: Today's students want to choose a programme with an online component or some form of a 'sandwich' year to allow them to complete the degree programme elsewhere if the political situation becomes unstable. The results of a QS Quacquarelli Symonds study clearly show that, for today's students, safety is consistently one of their highest priorities with many student populations, in many instances, ranking safety above 'living costs'. Clearly, geographical uncertainty and international students have reached a point where a student's physical security is now an essential and non-negotiable factor in determining whether or not to choose to study in a country.
The Role of Universities and Governments The educational system plays an important part in responding to these events. More and more universities are establishing teams focused on “Global Risk Management” that can reassure both potential and current international students with transparent information. How quickly and compassionately an institution reacts to a crisis can define their reputation for years to come.
In addition to this, the role of Higher Education as a “soft power” is also becoming clearer to many governments. By being a host for students from all over the world during times of instability, countries create long-term diplomatic relationships with these countries. This is why there is much advocacy in a number of sectors for “shielding” Education from the effects of political sanctions. To understand how decisions about education affect future international students, consider the information in our blog about how global rankings impact student choices .
Long-Term Impact on Global Mobility Geopolitical factors influencing international education may lead to a shift towards a more 'multipolar' education system. One or two dominant powers (e.g. Anglophone countries such as the UK or US) will no longer have the same market share; instead, there will be a network of regional centres providing stability and expertise within varying fields of knowledge.
At the same time, we should be aware that due to other global issues, such as the growing scarcity of resources due to environmental changes, there may be additional friction between nations based on socio-political competition for limited resources. This is discussed in our article regarding how Climate Change and Health Crises are affecting the way international students move from country to country.
Conclusion: Informed Decisions in an Uncertain World As we have explored, the merging of geopolitics and education presents a range of challenges; however, there is still a demand for global learning. For example, today's student doesn't merely select a university. The current generation of students has identified the level of political stability associated with their choice of school; most often, they will select a regional hub (or "safe" destination) for their study to minimize risk associated with personal safety, families, and future academic responsibility.
As a result, students can leverage the emerging and developing geopolitical issues to align their preferred course of study with their anticipated career paths. Historically, postsecondary education has been the most effective method of creating opportunities for global collaboration among diverse groups. For this reason, students should not be limited by borders (geographical or political) when developing their educational objectives; thus, they should create a solid but adaptable plan that reflects the uncertainties of the future.
26-05-2023
American University of Ras Al Khaimah 
Featured Video
