Analysis

What next after international student recruitment? Employability was a buzzword of 2014 and an increasing focus on integration and then post-study outcomes will be one hallmark of the most forward-thinking International Educators. Sara Custer takes a look at seven trends that may come to define 2015. See what you think.

As study-work policies fluctuate in key study destinations, internships are becoming an effective and popular way for students to gain valuable on-the-job experience. To varying degrees, countries and private providers are developing strategies to enhance the role of internships within study abroad and as a stand-alone international experience. Katie Duncan reports.

Culture shock can strike international students the world over at any time, leaving them feeling isolated and displaced, and sometimes even causing them to return home. Katie Duncan finds out what agencies, educators and governments are doing to help smooth the transition and even speaks to students themselves about their cultural experiences.

As the most comprehensive assessment of the international education industry available, the OECD's annual Education at a Glance report sheds light on trends in international student mobility, what's driving student choice as growth in outbound students decelerates globally. Beckie Smith reports.

Africa has rising wealth, stabalising economies and youthful demographics that mean it will inevitably be looking outward to meet demands for education and skills training. Experts in the field explain that working in Africa offers opportunity, but it is unique in its infrastructure, needs and digital landscape. Sara Custer reports.

A perfect storm of financial, logistical and access problems mean that many Venezuelans – potential international students – are finding their ambitions are currently being hampered. Education agents are counselling long lead times to plan trips overseas to enable students to overcome Cadivi (currency exchange) problems and to mitigate against limited flight availability. Sara Custer reports.

Trade bodies, education consortiums and private companies can all help education institutions keen on establishing an on-the-ground presence overseas, especially in international education hotspots such as China, Brazil and India. Amy Baker finds out how services are flourishing for managing market entry.

International students are often supported financially by their families when they study abroad. Some families go further by investing in a property for their child to live in while overseas. Lucy Fisher investigates the link between property, residency and international student destinations.

With Modi's track record of improving the economy, his focus on skills training, a priority on scalable learning technologies and an outward perspective, stakeholders say the future of India's role in international education under the new prime minister looks bright. Sara Custer reports.

Student Friendship Ceremonies, employer engagement, world-class digital interactive learning environments and Asian-oriented business links.. Brisbane has all this and is now the host of the G20 Leaders Summit. As the eyes of the world focus on it, Brisbane is keen to extoll the virtues of a city that is works hard to offer far more than just a study experience. Katie Duncan reports on Brisbane's bold ambitions.

Soft power is a frequent phrase now in international education circles, but a Lords Select Committee in the UK spent a considerable amount of time trying to understand better what it is and how the UK can better harness it. The subsequent report makes interesting reading and calls for, yes that's right, a rethink on students in net migration targets amid 80+ other suggestions. Amy Baker delves in to this and another Who's Who-based study of soft power in the UK.

Opinions are still split on whether Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a revolution in higher education learning, but universities are confident that the open online learning modules can now provide them with much needed revenue streams. Sara Custer reports.

How to attract, engage, convert, retain and then educate and integrate international students? Reaching out to the student demographic with your unique message can be the hard part in a competitive industry. Lucy Fisher finds out how expertise is evolving.

Ukraine is unfortunately undergoing its own national crisis that has had a marked impact on demand for outbound work/travel options. Meanwhile, the impact on the 64,000 foreign students in the country is in fact limited, as Sara Custer discovers.

The PIE polled 568 international students from 66 countries about using an education agency and discovered they remain integral, according to many: “I wanted to avoid any hassles – we are investing a lot,” said a student from Mauritius...