EduHubMig · Knowledge migration flows in education hubs: Mobile students enrolled at Indian and British branch campuses in the United Arab Emirates

Knowledge migration flows in education hubs: Mobile students enrolled at Indian and British branch campuses in the United Arab Emirates

The expansion of the global middle-class means that more families now aspire to send their children to university. In addition, states have heralded the transition to a knowledge-based economy as one of the pathways to a more sustainable economy and thriving society. These factors have contributed to a growing demand for higher education, with university enrolments forecast to rise by 163 million between 2015 and 2030. But due to decreasing national public funding for higher education, many countries cannot satisfy the surge in demand. Thus, universities have sought alternative revenue streams and boosted their activities concerning internationalised education. One trend over the last decades has been the overall growth of international student mobility. In 2018, there were 5.6 million tertiary students worldwide who moved to another country for the purpose of study. Yet, many international students enrolled in the Global North are faced with high tuition fees, anti-immigration policies, travel bans and work restrictions. A second, development is so-called 'transnational education' that allows students to study for a foreign degree 'at home', e.g. via distance learning, international branch campuses, joint degrees, etc. In other words, ever more institutions are finding ways to deliver education across international borders. A relatively new third phenomenon, however, are contexts in which both institutions and students become transnationally mobile. Until now, little is known about international students at international branch campuses and the ways in which these entangled mobilities may affect the acquisition of skills and knowledge. The overall objectives of the EduHubMig project, therefore, were to: • Engage in a critical examination of the number and characteristics of international students at international branch campuses with a focus on the United Arab Emirates (UAE); • Develop a comparative perspective of the aspirations and experiences of international students and domestic students enrolled at Indian and British international branch campuses; • Investigate how 'transnational education' is regarded and promoted by various stakeholders and the implications this may have for knowledge production and higher education in the region; • Develop appropriate theoretical frames in order to contribute to debates concerning the internationalisation of education, youth mobilities and the governance of migration. EduHubMig addressed these issues through research in Dubai – a strategically relevant education hub that has established several national Emirati higher education institutions, but also hosts one of the largest number of international branch campuses and reported a high proportion of international students. The Fellow conducted an online survey, in addition to qualitative data collection and analysis of secondary data. This research engages with pressing issues about student migration and higher education, which have become even more pronounced after the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically reconfigured global mobility patterns and the delivery of teaching.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union