In recent years, there has been an observed increase in the number of international students enrolment among higher education institutions in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and South Korea. Indian students make up the majority enrollment numbers, particularly in the field of medicine, engineering, business administration, law and the environmental sciences.
This shift in student mobility patterns can be attributed to (1) Low tuition and living costs (2) Close to home (3) Increasing number of programmes in English language (4) Improvement in rankings (5) Direct targeting of international students (6) Global perspectives.
The cost of tuition at universities are typically the key determining factor, particularly for students’ with financial difficulties. As such, this puts universities in Asia at an advantage as they offer much lower tuition fees in comparison to those in the west. Living costs within the Asia region are also relatively lower compared to that of the west. It also allows students from the neighboring countries to have the experience of pursuing an international higher education without being away to far away from home.
Furthermore, with most premier university programmes in Asia now being offered in English – a global language, it has helped Asian universities attract more international students. The expansion of universities and professors with adjudication from well recognised universities in the West are also contributing to the growth of students whom are interested in studying in Asia.
International students are also being attracted to these institutions because of their continuous advancement in global university rankings. In addition, many institutions with the Southeast and East Asia region are making revisions to their education systems to attract more international students.
Conclusively, students want a degree that is not only internationally recognised but one that allows them to advance their careers. As Asian universities expand the number of foreign faculty, transform their courses in response to the current demands and collaborate with the industry, their appeal escalates.
Source: Study International