Globalization, economic crisis and national strategies for higher education development: research papers; Research papers iiep; 2009

Table 4.1
) followed by the UK, 
Germany, France, Australia, and Japan. There has been a decline in the relative share of the USA 
from 25 per cent in 2000 to 21.9 per cent in 2005. Australia, France and Japan have improved 
their relative position while the share of others has declined. The nine countries shown in 
Table 4.1
, 
together, receive 72 per cent of all students studying outside their home country. Australia 
experienced a rapid expansion in foreign student numbers in the 1990s and New Zealand in the 
present decade. There was a dip in the share of foreign students in New Zealand between 2004 
and 2005, but the government changed its immigration policy to attract more foreign students. 
Accordingly, students who have completed their studies can prolong their stay by one year to search 
for a job and, if they secure a job, as is very often the case, they can eventually apply for nationality 
or residence permits. 
Table 4.1 Distribution of foreign students by host countries (per cent) 
Host country
2000
2004
2005
USA
25.0
22.0
21.9
UK
12.0
11.0
11.8
Germany
10.0
10.0
9.6
France
7.0
9.0
8.7
Australia
6.0
6.0
7.7
Canada
6.0
5.0
4.9
Japan
4.0
4.0
4.7
New Zealand 
0.0
3.0
1.5
Russian Federation 
3.0
3.0
3.3
Others
27.0
27.0
27.4
Total number of foreign student (millions)
1.9
2.7
2.73
Source:
UIS (2007)
Table 4.2
shows the 
fl
ow pattern of students among countries. The seven OECD countries hosted 
68.8 per cent of cross-border students in 2005, while the 12 sending countries accounted for more 
than one third of all cross-border students. This shows the concentration of host countries and the 
spread of sending countries. Asian countries top the list of sending countries. China alone accounts 
for 14.6 per cent of cross-border students, followed by India, which accounts for 5.2 per cent. When 
compared with past trends (Varghese, 2008), China has reduced its reliance on the USA; the shift 
was initially to Australia but later on the shift was towards Japan. India and the Republic of Korea 
continue their reliance on the USA for cross-border studies. Germany attracts a good number of 
students from Turkey and the Russian Federation. Hong Kong relies on Australia, the UK and the 
USA in that order. Malaysia has increased its reliance on Australia. 
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20
Globalization, economic crisis and national strategies for higher education development
Table 4.2 Inter-country 
fl
ow pattern of cross-border students (2005)
Destination
Sending country
USA
UK
GER
FRA
AUS
CAN
JAP
Total*
%
Total 
(000)
China
23.3
13.2
--
--
10.2
--
21.1
67.8
394.7
India
60.3
12.0
3.1
--
15.8
--
--
90.9
139.4
Republic of Korea 
57.7
5.2
--
5.1
--
22.7
90.7
97.4
Germany
14.3
19.8
--
--
--
--
--
34.1
63.3
France
13.1
22.5
12.5
--
--
11.7
--
59.8
52.2
Morocco
--
--
16.2
58.9
--
--
--
75.1
50.6
Turkey
25.8
--
50.4
--
--
--
--
76.2
50.4
USA
31.1
7.1
5.2
8.5
15.6
67.5
46.3
Malaysia
14.2
25.3
--
--
41.1
--
4.2
80.6
45.1
Russian Federation
13.5
--
30.1
--
--
--
--
43.6
39.4
Hong Kong
21.6
30.9
--
--
39.0
--
--
91.5
34.7
Iran 12.2
9.1
22.9
7.7
--
--
--
51.7
19.3
Total number of students (000) 590.1
318.4
259.8
236.5
207.3
133.0 125.9 849.1
Notes:* The percentages in the rows do not add up to 100 because all host countries are not included in the 
table.
--- indicates that the number is insigni
fi
cant 
Source:
UIS (2007).
Asia dominates among the sending countries and a majority of Asians study in three English-
speaking countries – Australia, the UK and the USA. These countries generate income from 
hosting cross-border students. For example in 2005, the USA, which hosts the largest number of 
cross-border students, earned US$14.1 billion; the UK earned US$6.1 billion and Australia earned 
US$5.6 billion (Bashir, 2007).
Cross-border education is not a very signi
fi
cant component of higher education in the Central Asian 
Republics. Of these countries, Kazakhstan sends the largest number of students abroad (29,071), 
followed by Uzbekistan (23,170). Students from these countries travel to the Russian Federation or 
other countries in the region. For example, in 2005, 71.5 per cent of the cross-border students from 
Kazakhstan and 41.8 per cent from Tajikistan went to the Russian Federation, while 68.9 per cent 
of cross-border students from Uzbekistan and 29.2 per cent from Tajikistan went to Kyrgyzstan. 
Turkey and Germany are also other countries hosting students from the Central Asian republics.