Navigating the Stormy Seas of Policy Change

If there is one constant in international education, it’s change. Changes in national government policies are a major factor in these shifts, as the feature article in this issue explores. Some countries, namely Australia and Canada, have recently introduced caps on new international student enrollment. Others—Germany, Japan, and South Korea among them—are reacting to those limits by embracing the opportunity to attract more international students. And many countries that once sent students abroad are now building their capacity to become receiving nations.  

These moves challenge the long-held assumption that the four major English-speaking destinations—Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States—will continue to dominate the landscape of international education and introduce real uncertainty into the future of international student mobility.

Here’s What to Know

As you read this month’s feature story, consider these takeaways:

1. Policies have immediate and long-term impacts on student flows, and political rhetoric plays a critical role in student mobility.
2. Managed growth and investment in infrastructure are essential for countries and universities receiving international students. A commitment to student care should be nonnegotiable.
3. Data and insights matter. Strategic planning requires input from students and stakeholders, alongside actionable data.
4. International students are often scapegoats for broader issues, such as the underfunding of higher education, unemployment rates, and housing shortages—even the general malaise around immigration. Advocates must make the case for the value of international education in ways that resonate with the domestic population.
5. Major shifts in policies are often the result of long-term trends. We must engage in introspection and prepare for future challenges.
6. The center of gravity for international student mobility is shifting. The landscape is becoming more complex, and we must broaden our focus beyond the traditional top four destinations.
7. We must act with urgency to ensure that international students and the sector are not vilified. Telling compelling stories of impact and forming partnerships with businesses, local communities, and universities are key to future success.

Policies Matter

As the feature article articulates and the first takeaway above reiterates, policies matter. And though international student surveys show a sharp increase in the popularity of a U.S. higher education—which, interestingly, has not been impacted by the potential outcomes of the upcoming U.S. presidential election—we must not be complacent. Much more can be done to smooth international students’ path to a U.S. higher education. In addition to doubling down on centering holistic measures of student success, we need real government action to address high student visa denial rates, lengthy visa appointment wait times, and harmful immigration policies that frustrate international educators’ ability to serve a diverse community of international students.

The U.S. for Success Coalition, of which NAFSA is a founding member, is an important driver in this space and is gaining traction. Most recently, in part by advocacy by the coalition, a U.S. Department of State customer service update put into writing a policy it had only verbally communicated to NAFSA: It will make “every effort” to ensure that students get a visa appointment and, if qualified, a visa in time to start classes.

Our cause is also gaining allies. A recent report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Defense and written by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine extolled the importance of international students to the U.S. STEM workforce and argued that “more stable and better pathways for international talent” are needed in this country. We heartily agree and have been pressing Congress to do its part by expanding dual intent so that international students no longer have to prove to consular officers they do not intend to immigrate to the United States and by creating a pathway to a green card for those who graduate from a U.S. institution.

Actions You Can Take

As ever, NAFSA is here to help you navigate the constantly evolving policy landscape and its implications for students and our field. Be sure to sign up for the Connecting our World weekly newsletter to stay abreast of global policy changes, new data, and student trend reports, and to learn how to add your voice to key advocacy campaigns to advance essential public policies.

With U.S. elections less than 30 days away, I also must stress to U.S. voters the importance of getting yourself (and your students) ready to vote! IES Abroad has a helpful voting guide for U.S. students who will be abroad for the elections. The Department of Education has also created a toolkit to help educate and motivate domestic students to exercise their right to vote. Vote.org is another comprehensive resource for all voters on how to prepare for participating in the November elections.

And for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, NAFSA Advocacy Day is returning to a (mostly) in-person format in 2025. International educators are invited to Washington, D.C., on April 1 to take to Capitol Hill on April 2. A virtual training will be held the week before. Save the date! Registration will open on November 5.

Regardless of where you are in the world, make it a priority to vote in your local elections and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Using our ballot, our pen, and our collective voice—and equipped with robust data and powerful stories of impact—we can advocate for international students. While we can’t control shifting winds, we must be steady in asserting our values.  •