Description
Despite its importance, there remains limited comparative research on how openness to international student mobility is conceptualised and operationalised in national policy across different contexts. Much of the existing literature focuses on institutional strategies, student experiences, or the economic benefits of internationalisation. Far less attention has been paid to how recipient countries’ immigration, labour, and higher education policies interact to shape - and often limit - international student opportunities. Even fewer studies critically interrogate the political rationales behind these policies, or how they evolve in response to crises such as COVID-19, shifts in public sentiment, or diplomatic tensions. This research seeks to fill that gap by examining how key recipient countries define, regulate, and reframe their openness to international student mobility through policy. By adopting a comparative policy analysis approach, this study will investigate the evolving landscape of international student governance in twelve countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, the United States, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, China, Türkiye and Russia. Through detailed examination of national policy documents and government statements, the project will develop a nuanced framework for understanding how openness is constructed and constrained in each context. In doing so, it will shed light on the deeper political and economic forces shaping global student mobility today - and provide timely insights for institutions, governments, and international education stakeholders navigating this period of uncertainty and change.| Period | 16 Jan 2026 → 30 Mar 2026 |
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| Work for | The British Council, United Kingdom |
| Degree of Recognition | International |