Bis research paper number 128 The wider benefits of international higher education in the uk

Figure 1
Illustrative trend in total international student enrolments in UK HE 
2.2 International students in the wider global context
International student mobility (ISM) is a core element of international higher education 
(IHE). It is the most well-established and visible aspect of the ‘internationalisation’ of 
higher education since it involves the physical movement of increasingly large numbers of 
people across national borders for the purpose of study. The growth in enrolment of 
international students to UK universities must be seen in this wider global perspective. 
According to UNESCO data, at least 3.6 million students in 2010 were enrolled in tertiary 
education abroad, up from around 2 million in 2000. This represents around 2% of the total 
number of students enrolled in higher education globally (OECD, 2012). 
There is currently high growth in domestic HE enrolments around the world, as more 
countries strive to meet the demand for places from growing numbers of their young 
people exiting secondary education. That expansion may well, in turn, lead to further 
increases in global student mobility. The British Council report ‘The Shape of Things to 
Come’ predicts growth at least until 2020 (British Council & Oxford Economics, 2012). 
Even as lower and middle-income countries increase their own local provision of higher 
education places, overall international student mobility seems unlikely to decline. 
2.3 Internationalisation of HE systems 
Over recent years increasing numbers of countries and their HE institutions have sought to 
‘internationalise’, responding to pressures of globalisation, the need to achieve competitive 
advantage in the international knowledge economy and to enhance international strategic 
positioning. Internationalisation has many facets that include international student and staff 
mobility, partnerships and collaboration in research and teaching and the 
internationalisation of curricula. 
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The Wider Benefits of International Higher Education in the UK 
This can be perceived as an evolution from international student recruitment to a more 
holistic interpretation, enhancing student experiences, international development and 
international pedagogy, and can involve many inter-related activities (Table 1).