Graduate jobs back home can curb far right’s HE threat
Seeing all the LinkedIn posts from the 2024 European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference in Toulouse, France, it’s clear that Europe is optimistic about future internationalisation. One thing is for certain: both international education and EAIE have come a long way since I moved to Malaysia in 2009.
Unfortunately, since my move eastwards I haven’t attended the EAIE conference since 2007 when it was held in Trondheim, Norway, and it’s remarkable how much the event has evolved.
Back in 2007, the conference was held in rather uninspiring university buildings and a provincial sports centre, with accommodation so limited that my colleagues and I had to stay over 30 minutes’ travel away in a quaint fishing lodge. Not exactly what you’d expect for an international education event drawing thousands of delegates from over 100 countries, from as far as Australia and the United States.
Since 2007, both the EAIE and international education have made significant strides, not just in professionalism but also in the scale and quality of the venues they use. The 2024 conference welcomed over 7,000 delegates and took place at the MEETT, Toulouse’s state-of-the-art exhibition and convention centre, which opened in 2020 and is one of the largest in France.
Reasons for optimism
More importantly, Europe has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about its future in internationalisation, especially as major English-speaking study destinations face increasing challenges in attracting international students.
Australia and Canada are capping international student numbers, alongside other policies aimed at curbing immigration.
In the US, immigration is a hot topic as the nation heads into a key election year, and the UK is adjusting to a new governmentafter policies enacted by the previous Conservative government significantly impacted international students.
These policies included banning dependants of postgraduate students, raising the NHS surcharge, increasing visa fees and imposing stricter financial requirements. Unsurprisingly, many European countries are now seeing a marked increase in international student enrolments.
Germany, with its affordable and high-quality education system, has been one of the primary beneficiaries. From 2020-21 to 2022-23, Germany saw a 10% increase in international students, and over the past decade, that number has surged by 52%.
Similarly, France attracted more than 412,000 international students in 2022-23, making up 14% of its student population, with a 3% increase in the past year alone.
Spain and Sweden have seen high growth rates too, up around 8% and 4% respectively in 2023, while the Netherlands has witnessed an extraordinary 30% rise in international student numbers.
However, the situation in the Netherlands is a cautionary tale. Despite the rise in international student enrolments and the increase in English-language degree programmes, new legislation aimed at reducing international student numbers and promoting Dutch language learning is being introduced.
Former education minister Robbert Dijkgraaf stressed that the debate should remain separate from broader immigration issues, but some political parties are pushing for even stricter immigration controls, including limits on international students. This has left Dutch universities facing an uncertain future.
The impact of the far right
Across Europe, the rise of populist and far-right political parties poses a growing threat to efforts aimed at expanding international education.
In the Netherlands, new restrictions on international students are already in place. Meanwhile, in Germany and France, populist parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Marine Le Pen’s National Rally continue to gain support.
These parties often promote anti-immigration rhetoric, which could have serious long-term consequences for internationalisation efforts across European higher education.
However, Nic Mitchell’s recent article in University World Newshighlighted a survey of 489 higher education institutions across 46 European higher education systems and, despite political pressures, internationalisation and global outreach remain top priorities for these institutions.
Thérèse Zhang, deputy director for higher education policy at the European University Association (EUA), noted that 80% of European universities now have strategies to attract more international students, with 77% expecting further increases in the coming years.
While European universities remain committed to global expansion, the rise of populist governments could bring about restrictive policies that challenge internationalisation efforts. So, how can Europe strengthen its position and compete with traditional English-speaking study destinations, which have long dominated global student mobility?
Closer industry links
The EUA survey suggests that a key focus should be on collaboration with industry and entrepreneurship. This approach was prioritised by 76% of respondents overall and 100% of technical universities, with a strong emphasis on innovation and internationalisation.
Such collaborations can help counter the rise of far-right policies and highlight the societal benefits of higher education, particularly creating a more employable and economically prosperous population.
By aligning university programmes more closely with employment outcomes, European universities could also develop new revenue streams in the areas of direct recruitment services for industry, continuing professional development and applied research, as public funding for higher education inevitably declines.
A deeper understanding of graduate destinations and career outcomes will also better position universities to forge partnerships with industries and encourage entrepreneurship among students.
In addition to industry collaboration, many respondents in the EUA survey emphasised the importance of universities delivering on their ‘third mission’ and providing services to society. But what does this look like in practice?
A common argument for increasing international student numbers is to compensate for Europe’s ageing population, but this is a short-sighted view.
Technological advances and continued innovation, much of which is pioneered by universities themselves, may well address some of these demographic challenges without relying heavily on immigration.
Instead, European universities should focus on supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by creating partnerships that encourage students from the Global South to return home and contribute to their countries’ economic development.
Retaining these students through post-study work schemes will not only worsen global inequality but could also fuel the migration concerns that populist parties exploit for political gain.
A more balanced global economy
The true opportunity for internationalisation lies in building talent pipelines and soft power between Europe and rapidly growing economies in Africa, Asia and South America, at a time of increasing political tensions, with China and Russia growing their influence.
By doing so, Europe can promote innovation and economic growth in these regions, where skilled professionals are most needed, while reducing the push factors for migration and contributing to a more balanced global economy.
What’s clear is that the landscape of international education is shifting, and while English-speaking destinations may still dominate global mobility for the foreseeable future, despite the political headwinds, the time is right for Europe to make the most of prospective international students spreading their net wider and considering alternative study destinations.
That said, every survey conducted among international students since 2020 has indicated that it is not education in itself that motivates global student mobility but its impact on individuals’ future careers.
With this in mind, Europe will only be in a position to diversify its international student recruitment and to maximise this opportunity to grow if universities throughout Europe focus on supporting international graduates’ successful transition to the workforce back in their home countries and ensuring the far right does not hamper their ability and desire to internationalise now and in the future.
First published on University World News, by Louise Nicol, at 16 October 2024, Graduate jobs back home can curb far right’s HE threat
