QS MidWeek Brief - August 13, 2025
Welcome! In practice, international education is a centuries old phenomenon. From the ancient study of cultures by the Romans and Greeks, to late 19th and early 20th century mobility for trades and everything in between, people have been travelling to study for a long time. But as a (somewhat) unified sector, international education didn’t really come of age until around the turn of the century.
This month, in a new QS Insights Magazine, our cover story looks back at the past two decades of student mobility to see how we got to where we are, before looking forward to where we could be in the next five years.
The August edition of QSIM also features the Latin America supplement, and we feature a look into how the region’s business schools are embedding ESG into their curricula. On the subject of Latin America, you can learn more about it at the QS Higher Ed Summit: Latin America in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October.
Stay insightful,
Anton John Crace
Editor, QS Insights Magazine, QS
Where Students Are Going
By Seb Murray
In Brief
- Global higher education is undergoing a major shake-up. International student mobility has tripled since 2000, but traditional powerhouses are now losing ground as student flows dramatically shift.
- A perfect storm of factors is reshaping student choices. Students increasingly prioritise value, post-study work opportunities, safety and affordability.
- The global mobility map is being redrawn and the future of international education is more regional and fragmented. To win the talent race, institutions are building global partnerships and delivering programmes closer to where students are, while governments must foster stable, welcoming environments.
The rise of international student mobility has been one of the quieter success stories of globalisation. Two decades ago, mobility was growing, but it had not yet become the multi-billion dollar industry it is today.
In 2000, around 2 million students were globally mobile. By 2021, that number had more than tripled to 6.4 million, according to UNESCO, with three-quarters studying in high-income countries.
What was once a niche activity, seen as cultural exchange, has become a central part of global higher education, and a major economic driver. International students contribute more than US$40 billion in the US, US$16 billion in Canada, and US$29 billion in Australia alone.
The “big four” study destinations, the US, UK, Australia and Canada, still attract large numbers of international students. But they are no longer alone. Germany, Turkey, Japan, France, the Netherlands and Argentina have gained ground, attracting more foreign scholars to their schools.
At the same time, the global picture of who needs higher education — and where — is changing. In some parts of the world, there are more young people than local universities can handle. In others, falling birth rates are leaving universities with more space than students.
Youth populations are rising sharply in countries like India and Indonesia, but shrinking in places like South Korea and much of Europe. In Nigeria, the number of 15-24-year-olds is projected to increase by about 12 million in the next decade, according to World Bank estimates, while from 2010 to 2020, China’s adolescent population dropped by some 27 million.
At the same time, immigration policy is becoming harder to predict. Canada has introduced visa caps, the UK has restricted dependents for most postgrads, and Australia is tightening work rights and raising financial thresholds while also capping foreign student numbers.
All of this raises a bigger question: where — and how — will the next generation learn?
How Today’s International Education Sector Was Built
Back in 2005, international education was expanding but it was not a core pillar of the growth strategy for most schools. Recruitment was mostly through in-person fairs, printed brochures and word of mouth. Some governments, like Australia’s, were ahead of the game, but for most nations, attracting students was still more a by-product than a core economic or diplomatic strategy.
Things today are starkly different. The Bologna Process laid the foundations for a more mobile Europe, standardising degree structure and creating a credit transfer system (ECTS) in 1999 to make cross-border study easier.
At the same time, English‑taught programmes exploded. In Europe alone, offerings grew from just 725 in 2001 to more than 8,000 by 2014, according to ICEF Monitor. Globally, the number of on‑campus English-taught bachelors and masters programmes rose by 22 percent between 2021 and 2024.
And while nations like the US, UK, Canada and Australia still draw the largest crop of students, the OECD says China and India are the biggest export markets, accounting for around 30 percent of all internationally mobile scholars. That growth is powered by expanding middle classes in both nations.
To capture these candidates, many countries streamlined their visa pathways and expanded capacity, especially between 2010 and 2020. Countries like Australia and Canada started linking international education more directly to their migration and economic goals, while the UK introduced the Graduate Route in 2021 to retain talent after graduation and bolster its workforce.
In parallel, institutions started getting more strategic. Rankings gained weight in student decision-making. Some universities began setting international growth targets, investing in CRM systems and measuring performance by leads, conversions and enrolments. International offices started operating more like business units.
For Daniel Scheu, Head of Marketing at the University of Cologne’s Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences in Germany, the launch of the Bologna Process marked a turning point. “We underwent a decisive transformation: the recruitment of international students shifted from isolated initiatives within individual departments to a coordinated, faculty-wide strategy embedded within our overarching internationalisation objectives,” he recalls.
Technology caught up too. Digital recruitment was around before the pandemic but the outbreak of coronavirus in 2020 made it non-negotiable. Virtual fairs, chatbots and digital onboarding exploded in use, and many have now become standard.
“The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point,” says Scheu. “It forced a rapid digital transformation, but also showed us what’s possible. From virtual info sessions to hybrid study formats, many of the tools we introduced during the crisis have since become permanent fixtures.”
Tech-enabled Sector
What began as a loosely coordinated system to send students abroad has evolved into a strategic, data-driven operation. International offices now use CRM systems to monitor leads and conversions. Many have adopted growth goals and regional recruitment teams.
At Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the US, that shift includes a broader focus on the student journey. “Recruitment is only the first step,” says Peter Li, Director of the Center for International Education. “We’ve strengthened our efforts across the full student lifecycle.” That includes visa and mental health support and professional development, all tailored to international students.
At ESADE Business School in Spain, the approach now focuses on understanding international students’ backgrounds and helping them settle in when they arrive.
“We have developed a recruitment team specialised in understanding local talent in their areas,” says Pollyanna Nethersole, Director of International Recruitment and Admissions. “We are also incorporating cultural awareness sessions to both introduce students to Spanish cultural norms but also to facilitate their mutual engagement and understanding.”
ESADE’s approach reflects a wider shift. Structured recruitment strategies, digital tools and clear value propositions have become standard across much of the sector. The Global Student Flows report from QS backs this up: 65 percent of students now use rankings as a proxy for teaching quality, while employer reputation and graduate outcomes have overtaken “personal interest” as decision-making drivers. The message is clear: students are looking for value.
“We work closely with our career services team to ensure we can place students in global roles with companies that support visa sponsorship or offer mobility between international offices,” says Donna Ramirez Simon, Associate Director of Recruitment and Admissions at ESADE. “Ultimately, our commitment is to ensure they can thrive professionally, wherever they choose to go.”
An Uncertain Future
Even with strong recruitment strategies, universities still operate within limits they cannot control, such as visa policy, living costs and global politics. These external factors can shift student decisions faster than any marketing campaign.
The Global Student Flows report underscore that factors like post-study work opportunities, safety, affordability and political stability are now central to students’ decisions, alongside traditional considerations like rankings or reputation. The report draws on responses from over 70,000 students across 191 countries.
“Affordability was key,” says Rei Shabani, a current student of business administration at the University of Cologne, originally from Albania. “The low semester fee includes a public transport ticket, making quality education accessible. I was also impressed by the international opportunities, such as study-abroad options and internships, plus strong links to top companies that support career development.”
Ezgi Akgün, a Turkish student at the Technical University of Munich, echoes similar themes. “Having attended a German high school in Istanbul, Germany felt like a natural next step. And Munich, a city that had left an impression on me as beautiful, safe, green and walkable, felt like a calm and welcoming place to start this new chapter,” she says.
That mix of academic quality, life experience and long-term opportunity is what many students are looking for. And in some countries, it is getting harder to come by. The US, the top destination for international students, still has not regained the peak enrolment it saw in 2016/17; numbers remain around 2 percent below that level, according to the GSF report.
The Trump administration paused interviews for new student visas between May and June while expanding social media vetting, a move that slows down processing and raises privacy concerns. New international student enrolment could fall by up to 40 percent this year, according to NAFSA, translating to around 150,000 fewer students and billions in lost revenue.
Canada, once seen as a relatively safe alternative, is also pulling back. In 2024, it introduced a two-year cap on new study permits, cutting intake by 35 percent compared to 2023. Around 360,000 permits were issued that year. For 2025 and 2026, the cap is set at 437,000, and now includes graduate students who were previously left out.
“We now live in a more uncertain global environment,” says Matthew Ramsey, Director of University Affairs at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. “This uncertainty has an impact on the younger generation, and especially those who may consider studying outside of their home country.”
That leaves the UK in a fragile but important position. Student demand is still high, but recent policy changes have made things harder. The British government has removed the right for most postgrad students to bring dependents, raised visa fees and sent mixed messages about whether international students are still welcome.
Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of Universities UK, tells QS Insights Magazine: “Looking ahead, the UK’s position as a top destination will be shaped by the clarity and competitiveness of our offer to international students. That is why it remains critical that the government and the sector work together to develop a stable, welcoming and joined-up policy environment, to make sure we remain a destination of choice.”
She adds: “International students bring huge benefits to high streets, workplaces and campuses across the UK. They need stability and certainty to make long-term decisions.”
So does everyone else.
Seb Murray is a journalist and editor who writes often for the Financial Times and has written for The Times, The Guardian, The Economist, The Evening Standard and BBC Worklife. He focuses on higher education and global business. He also produces a wide range of content for a range of corporate and academic institutions. Seb is also a recognised expert on higher education and speaks at international conferences.
How is ESG Being Integrated Across Latin American Business School Curricula
By Chloë Lane
In Brief
- Latin America's valuable natural resources are under treat due to limited ESG management. Business schools are embedding ESG principles into their curricula to equip future leaders.
- The region faces deep socio-economic inequality, uneven economic growth, and climate vulnerability. Only 46% of companies having a formal sustainability policy.
- Business schools are rethinking traditional programmes to integrate ESG, often driven by student demand. They are using innovative methods like real-world case studies, capstone projects, and hackathons to train talent for responsible resource management.
With its rich natural resources, Latin America holds great potential. The region’s 33 countries contain almost a third of the world’s forests. The vast Amazon rainforest, for example, spans several countries, including Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.
Many Latin American countries have already climbed the ranks of top-rated emerging economies, according to the 2024 Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index. In the region, natural resource-based industries account for 12 percent of value added, 16 percent of employment and around half of total exports.
Renewable resources such as water and green energy also offer powerful levers for inclusive and sustainable growth. However, the region also faces an array of challenges: deep socio-economic inequality, uneven economic growth and mismanagement of its abundant natural resources. Many Latin American democracies are still relatively young and fragile. The region is also highly vulnerable to the climate crisis. Without the right governance, social frameworks, and environmental strategies, Latin America’s vast natural resources risk being exploited.
These vast challenges highlight the urgency for ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles across sectors. Yet, according to the latest ESG Latin America Landscape survey by RSM International, only 46 percent of Latin American companies have a formal sustainability policy. This, the survey states, is due to KPI tracking, executive-level disengagement and limited training for workers.
To equip the next generation of leaders to address these complex issues, then, Latin American business schools must embed ESG principles into their curricula.
Building leaders to tackle the region’s challenges
“It’s about forming leaders who can critically assess the social and environmental impacts of their decisions, and design solutions that generate long-term value for people and the planet,” says Cristóbal Rodríguez, an education leader and youth advocate with over 15 years of experience designing and scaling learning programmes across Latin America.
As Regional Director for North and Latin America at beVisioneers: The Mercedes-Benz Fellowship, Rodríguez oversees initiatives that support young environmental innovators across the region.
“We need professionals who are not only aware of ESG principles,” he adds, “but who can integrate them into the core of organisations, institutions and policy frameworks across sectors.”
Business schools in the region are rethinking how they can prepare these future leaders.
At EGADE Business School, part of Mexico’s Tecnológico de Monterrey, ESG is not seen as a branding tool or a philanthropic addition. Instead, it is embedded into the core of business strategy. Successful ESG impact requires a boardroom-level commitment rooted in financial impact, innovation, and long-term value creation.
To meet this goal, EGADE recently launched a Master in Sustainable Business.
Boyd Cohen, Director of the programme, explains that sustainability is positioned as an innovation opportunity within the degree, helping students design competitive business models that create environmental and social value while remaining financially viable.
“We need to rethink the role of business,” says Cohen, “and use technologies like artificial intelligence, blockchain, and renewable energy to generate abundance, improve quality of life, and ensure profitability.”
As extractive industries, agribusiness and green infrastructure continue to expand in the region, universities have a central role in ensuring that ESG is embedded into national development strategies, he shares.
Understanding ESG efforts across countries
There is clearly a focused effort on developing and implementing effective ESG frameworks across Latin American countries, notes Rodríguez. Yet, there are significant differences between countries, driven by each nation’s specific needs and challenges.
Brazil, for example, has implemented ESG developments focused on the Amazon rainforest, addressing the regulatory limitations that need to be strengthened to combat deforestation and protect biodiversity.
However, these topics tend to have less prominence in countries like Mexico and Chile, where water scarcity and desertification are far more pressing. In these countries, water conservation, sustainable land use and resource resilience play a greater role.
Despite national differences, there is a common thread that draws the region together. The emergence of ESG-related programmes across Latin America seeks to address a local need: to train talent capable of managing the region’s human and natural resources responsibly, Rodríguez explains.
“One of the clearest signs of this shift is the growing connection between this educational training and the interests of new investors seeking sustainable operations and well-prepared leadership,” he adds.
Dr Ana Nacvalovaite, Research Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Kellogg College's Centre on Mutual & Co-owned Business, believes that higher education institutions have a central role to play in ensuring that ESG is embedded into national development strategies.
“Universities will have to move beyond siloed sustainability courses, and embed ESG across disciplines, from engineering and economics to law and political science,” she says.
She explains that ESG education in Latin America can help equip future leaders in public policy and civil society – not just business. This can help them develop context-specific approaches that prioritise social justice, Indigenous rights, climate resilience and institutional integrity.
“The future of ESG in Latin America will depend not only on regulation or markets,” states Dr Nacvalovaite, “but on education systems that can localise global ESG principles and build institutional capacity from the ground up.”
Chloë Lane is a gold-standard NCTJ-trained journalist specialising in higher education. A former Content Editor for QS, Chloë has a wide range of experience writing articles for a variety of B2B and B2C publications about topics related to business schools, universities, careers and academic research.
