There is a facade of higher education internationalisation that paints an idealistic picture of providing students with a global experience, stressing collaboration in research and strengthening ties among universities worldwide. Image: iStock This spot-on article by Philip G. Altbach and Hans de Wit asserts that internationalization primarily refers to revenue generation through international student recruitment. … Continue reading “When HE internationalisation operates as an industry”
international student recruitment
Reflections on a Dirty Industry
No, not that industry, which is literally dirty and a major contributor to global climate change. I'm referring to international student recruitment, which is often a figuratively dirty industry. A US higher education colleague who has been around the block a few times recently asked me this question: "At the risk of sounding like a … Continue reading Reflections on a Dirty Industry
“Is Gun Violence Scaring Off International Students?”
Image: iStock The author of this 10 April 2023 Inside Higher Ed article requested an interview with me because he had read some blog posts and a 2022 University World News article I wrote about gun violence and international student recruitment. The result is one reason why I ask to see a draft, as I … Continue reading “Is Gun Violence Scaring Off International Students?”
Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education (Spring 2023)
A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on Challenges and Best Practices This is the very long and descriptive title of a forthcoming book edited by Pii-Tuulia Nikula, Principal Academic, Te Pukenga – New Zealand Institute of Technology and Skills, Vincenzo Raimo, an independent higher education consultant and Visiting Fellow at the University of Reading, where he previously served … Continue reading Student Recruitment Agents in International Higher Education (Spring 2023)
The Shadowy Business of International Education
Credit: Academic Matters (OCUFA) "According to Broitman, the economics of the system reveal a fundamental truth: a student who walks into an agent’s shop is not the client—they’re the product. If an agent is getting commissions from an unremarkable community college in rural Ontario, then their only motivation is to get every teenager who walks … Continue reading The Shadowy Business of International Education
Imagine a World Without Education Agents (I Wonder If You Can)
Here's my latest essay for University World News. The title is intended to be provocative but tells only part of the story. The spotlight is on what many of us refer to as the fatal flaw in commissions-based international student recruitment. Read the entire essay to find out the rest. Start with the above summary … Continue reading Imagine a World Without Education Agents (I Wonder If You Can)
Covid-19 silver lining: overseas study opportunities abound for Vietnamese students
Here's my latest essay for VNExpress International. Looking forward to seeing the Vietnamese version for my target audience. Educational institutions in key host countries, most of which bore the brunt of Covid's fury last year, are reopening their doors to international students, including those from Vietnam. One silver lining of Covid-19 and its impact on … Continue reading Covid-19 silver lining: overseas study opportunities abound for Vietnamese students
Investing in International Student Recruitment
Courtesy BridgeU I'm sorry but there are no free rides in the world of international student recruitment unless your institution is a global brand, e.g., Harvard, Oxford, etc. In the case of the US, think top 50, including Ivy League, schools. They built it a long time ago, have an international reputation, and prestige to … Continue reading Investing in International Student Recruitment
To the USA, With Hope
Love is stronger than hate. Getty Images / ipopba From my peaceful and COVID-free perch in Hanoi, I've been thinking a lot about my colleagues in the US who have devoted their careers to working with international students, including many from Viet Nam. Like many fellow citizens, their current stress levels are stratospheric because they … Continue reading To the USA, With Hope
“We Are More Than Your Paycheck: The Dehumanization of International Students in the United States”
Photo by Katie Moum on Unsplash Here's some (more) recommended reading for anyone interested in the current situation of international students in the US. The authors are Santiago Castiello-Gutiérrez and Xiaojie Li, both Ph.D. students at the University of Arizona’s Center for the Study of Higher Education. This excerpt may whet your appetite to read the article in … Continue reading “We Are More Than Your Paycheck: The Dehumanization of International Students in the United States”
An International Educator in Viet Nam 
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