International student numbers have doubled in 20 years

The number of international students in higher education programmes worldwide has more than doubled in less than two decades – rising from two million in 1998 to five million in 2016 – with a strong focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and doctoral programmes, according to OECD’s latest Education at a Glance report, writes Kerrie Kennedy for The Pie News.

The 2018 edition, which examines education systems across 35 OECD countries and various partner countries, found that advanced degrees continue to attract more international students than bachelor or equivalent degrees.

It found that while international students accounted for only 6% of total enrolment in tertiary education in 2016, they represented more than a quarter (26%) of enrolment in doctoral programmes in OECD countries. International enrolment was also significant at masters level (17%) where on average across the OECD there is more than one international student for every 10 students at this level. But international enrolment in bachelor degree programmes was shown to remain relatively low (below 5%) in many countries, with exceptions including Austria, Luxembourg and New Zealand where more than 15% of students at bachelor’s level are international students.
Full report on The Pie News site