The Dynamics of International Student Circulation in a Global Context

Student mobility is the most important factor in the internationalization of higher education. In this book, existing assumptions will be questioned: that mobility is primarily South-North and North-North, and that South-South flows are rather marginal; that the economic rationale has become so dominant that there are nearly no other motives to be found anymore; and that the growing presence of national and international providers of higher education, and opportunities for distance education, reduce the need for international student mobility. The dynamics of international student circulation will be analyzed on the basis of four countries (Egypt, India, Indonesia and South Africa), which are perceived to be primarily on the sending side of student mobility, and Europe and the USA, which are perceived to be primarily but not exclusively on the receiving side. These case studies will be placed in the context of broader developments in the internationalization of higher education, and related to definitions, methodological issues and global data, as used by UNESCO, OECD and others. This study has been undertaken by five scholars from different parts of the world in the context of the 2005-2006 New Century Scholars Programme 'Higher Education in the Twenty- First Century', of the Fulbright Programme. The book will be of relevance for both researchers and practitioners on globalization and the internationalization of higher education.