For decades, the "Big Four" - the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia - have attracted the large majority of international student interest. However, a combination of rising costs, political turmoil, and increasingly complex visa and immigration hurdles is driving students and their families to look elsewhere. Emerging destinations across Asia, the GCC region, Eastern Europe and Latin America are becoming high-potential alternatives. Gradually, these markets see increasing quality of education, better return on investment (ROI) and proactive government incentives designed to attract international talent. In this episode, we explore whether the global network of study abroad agencies is prepared for this shift. Beyond just having institutional partnerships, do agents truly understand the local market nuances, the diversity of non-Western education systems, and the specific visa policies of these new horizons? Or is there a widening gap between student demand and agency expertise?
News & developments:
- US immigration officials allege OPT is being widely abused and say “more actions are forthcoming”
- UK universities bracing for a further decline in international enrolments
Main topic:
Student flows are shifting - are agencies following suit?
with
Alexandre Argenta
President
BELTA - Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association
Craig Riggs
Editor in Chief
ICEF Monitor
Martijn van de Veen (host)
CBDO
ICEF