The importance of understanding inward student mobility

The discussion in University World News (and its partner International Higher Education) on whether internationalisation in the sense in which we used to know it is ending, faltering or changing course is gathering momentum with new articles emphasising the need for factoring in various dimensions into the debate.

In a recent University World News article that brings regional dimensions into the picture, Goolam Mohamedbhai discussed the pattern of outward and inward student mobility in Africa, explaining their possible effect on global internationalisation trends.

This article is triggered by the need for more elaboration on the nature of inward mobility on the African continent and supplements Mohamedbhai’s piece, the focus of which appears to tilt more towards outward mobility patterns where there is better availability of data.

Inward mobility patterns

The inward student mobility patterns in Africa can be understood not only through the number of mobile students moving to other countries, but also through a close exploration of the reasons that dictate the patterns at continental level.

Although additional examples from the continent could always be thought of, examining African trends with particular focus on Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Egypt and South Africa – known for relatively better performances of their universities in regional and global rankings, a major attraction for international students – provides useful insight.

As reported in The PIE News, Kenya draws a substantial number of international students from more than 60 nationalities across the world. While international students make up 10-15% of students in some Kenyan universities, the representation is dominated by those from the East African region.

A rate of participation similar to Kenya is prevalent in Uganda. A 2012 report from the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education indicates that the number of international students in Uganda has risen from 3,000 students in 2004 to about 16,000 in 2010. Most foreign students in Uganda come from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to media outlets Daily Guide and Graphic Online, Ghana’s public and private universities accommodate tens of thousands of foreign students that come from more than 30 African, Asian, European and North American countries. While the statistics are debated on account of different official figures from Ghana, the number of Nigerian students (who constitute two thirds of international students in Ghana) is estimated at more than 70,000 (reported as 75,000 in University World News on 30 May 2014).

Egyptian institutions also have a considerable number of foreign students, drawn especially from Asia and Africa. Data from Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education indicates that a total of 91,360 foreign undergraduate and postgraduate students were enrolled at Egyptian universities in the years from 2012 to 2017.

South Africa, which is one of the most popular study destinations for international students, continues to attract tens of thousands of students. Data from the International Education Association of South Africa indicates that the number of international students in South Africa has grown substantially, from 12,600 in 1994 to 72,875 in 2012.

South Africa mainly draws its international students from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which covers around 72% of foreign student enrolment, followed by the rest of Africa (17%) and other continents (11%). Numbers of international students that enrol for distance learning courses in institutions such as the University of South Africa are also substantial.

There are a variety of reasons for the increasing growth of internal student mobility within Africa. While such reasons as reduced cost, geographical proximity, favourable regional policies and practices, and language serve as common pull factors, distinctive conditions in the sending and host countries can also influence the attraction of foreign students.

Nigerian students seek higher education outside their country due to the limited space available in the highly competitive local universities and the incessant strikes that affect the smooth running of programmes in universities. Some Kenyan students find it easier to study in Uganda because of the comparatively higher costs charged by Kenyan universities. Students drawn from the Gulf countries and other Islamic nations prefer to go to Egypt due to ease of language and common religion.

Policies and strategies

African countries are becoming more conscious of the various advantages internationalisation can offer and are actively eyeing mechanisms that can be employed to attract more foreign students. While the regional protocols in the case of South Africa and East Africa continue to facilitate the mobility of students within the sub-regions of the continent, particular strategies employed by countries such as Kenya, Uganda and Egypt are worthy of note.

As reported in University World News on 17 April 2015, Kenya developed a policy that waived visa and residence permit requirements for East African students who have registered at Kenyan higher education institutions. The provision included allowing lecturers from any of the regional countries to work in Kenya without securing work permits.

Recognising the potential of international students as key foreign currency earners, the Egyptian government is stepping up its efforts to harness this potential. Recent reports from Al-Fanar Media and University World News indicate that Egypt‘s government is planning to raise the number of international students from the current 90,000 to 200,000 and the income generated from US$186 million to US$700 million.

In order to achieve its goals, the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education has made a plan to establish foreign student offices at all universities, and to encourage officials at Egyptian cultural offices abroad, especially those in Gulf countries, to promote educational opportunities in Egypt at international education fairs, and also to promote Egypt more generally as a centre of learning. The ministry has also published a website in Arabic and English for foreign students who aspire to join Egyptian universities.

Since 2007 Uganda has identified education services as part of its National Export Strategy. A major aim of the Marketing Uganda Higher Education Project that ran from 2010 to 2012 was, among other things, the recruitment of international students. The plan included the preparation of guidelines, web portals, improved services to foreign students and the establishment of a Ugandan Higher Education Marketing Network that would strengthen inter-university collaborations.

Even a country like Ethiopia, with no substantial prior engagement in internationalisation of higher education, is currently planning to develop a strategy for its public universities to attract foreign students through the opening of border universities and branch campuses in neighbouring countries.

Future trends

While responding to the demands and developments of the time, the debate about trends in internationalisation requires a widening of the net to include current and evolving features, on both theoretical and practical grounds. The dearth of information about inward student mobility patterns in some regions of the world may limit the prominence given to this aspect in broader discussions about the internationalisation landscape.

However, with increasing government initiatives, regional cooperation, improvements in the reputation of local and regional universities, and the high cost of higher education and other prohibitive trends in the West, the internal mobility of students in various regions will gradually but surely evolve as a contending force in shaping the discourse and trend of internationalisation at global level.

Wondwosen Tamrat is associate professor and founding president of St Mary’s University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His email addresses are: preswond@smuc.edu.et or wondwosentamrat@gmail.com.