InBrief: November + December 2019
In this issue: international students’ economic impact; Canada’s big investment in international education; anxiety around gun violence on U.S. campuses; and increased investment in the African student market.
International Students’ $300 Billion Impact on the Global Economy
The 5.1 million international students who were pursuing tertiary education in 2016 had an estimated global economic impact of $300 billion, according to a recent report from StudyPortals. The analysis, which includes students’ direct, indirect, and induced economic impact, is based on data from NAFSA’s International Student Economic Value Tool, the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, and other sources.
The report’s author, Rahul Choudaha, argues that the combination of higher costs and lower work prospects presents a threat to the long-term sustainability of international student mobility; it is increasingly difficult for international graduates to find work opportunities, given anti-immigration policies and other complexities related to the job market.
The report also examines trends in international student mobility. It finds that in 2016, the top 15 destination countries for international students accounted for 69 percent of the total globally mobile student population, or 3.5 million students. The report also broke down data on student mobility trends by family income level and finds there is “significant untapped potential” in expanding mobility among students from lower-middle or upper-middle income groups.
Anxiety About U.S. Gun Violence On the Rise
Gun violence is a growing concern for international students at U.S. institutions, according to recent research from World Education Services (WES). The research is based on a
