The Road

How universities can boost internationalisation

From the perspective of institutions, it is vital that they have innovative and effective marketing strategies to add to international student numbers. Highlighting the importance of this, Alex Berka, Insights Manager at QS said that it is necessary for institutions to tailor their marketing strategies to the diverse priorities of international students. He pointed out that students from North America are motivated by personal interest in course content, underscoring the importance of creating engaging academic experiences.

“Institutions that are serious about diversifying their pool of international students need very sophisticated marketing strategies that are tailored to where those students are from. It’s very important to acknowledge where they’re from, what they’re looking to study and where they’re looking to go to understand mobility across the Americas and recruiting from North America,” said Berka.

The most important thing to keep in mind for institutions, he said, is to illustrate how the course will appeal to students. “Students are going to be engaged by the course content and they have that personal interest in the subject matter. It’s about communicating how you can cater to that and how you can bring that to their university experience,” he noted.

Dr Neil Hernandez Gress, Research Director at Tecnológico de Monterrey, highlighted the growing trend of Latin American students opting for Europe, Asia, or North America over intra-regional mobility. He drew attention towards the need for universities to make the region more attractive to students, both through academic and experiential opportunities.

“We send several students abroad every year to Europe, the US, Asia and within Latin America. However, a very small number of students are coming to Latin America or staying here and this is something that we have to work on,” said Dr Gress.

Elaborating on the motivating factors for students to study overseas, he mentioned that students are drawn towards what they learn, the cultural background and security. The environment, non-professional skills that they will develop and geopolitical events are also important for students. Scholarships and cost of living are also taken into consideration, he added.

Challenges and opportunities

The panel also deliberated on the challenges and opportunities that affect student mobility in the region. Lack of funding and scholarships, especially for research, is one issue that needs to be tackled.

Dr Córdova highlighted the challenges presented by political situations in some countries that deter potential international students. These views were echoed by Mónica María Correa Zabala, Director of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Universidad del Rosario. Noting that student mobility from Latin American countries mainly flow towards Asia, Europe and North America, Correa Zabala emphasised that it is essential to address factors such as geopolitical events, security concerns and the cost of education, as these impact student mobility decisions.

“The education experience of an international student goes beyond academics…it is also about understanding the social, political and economic situation of the countries in the region,” she said.

Universities need to be quite assertive with those granting funds and make sure that they understand that this is something researchers need in order to grow their fields. The panel agreed that universities shouldn’t just be passive recipients of whatever grantors decide to give.

Linking accreditation of higher education institutions to mobility and internationalisation is one way of tackling the challenge of low mobility. Implementing accountability mechanisms within universities to encourage and monitor student mobility programmes will also help, as this will aid inbound and outbound mobility within and outside the region, says Dr Córdova.

Adding economic incentives to promote cooperation in higher education, particularly in research and training, is a significant barrier that can be overcome to allow universities within the Americas, especially Latin America, to collaborate at various levels.

"Regionally, there's a huge opportunity to encourage a more diverse range of mobility experiences," said Dr Mencía-Ripley. Universities need to work on developing interdisciplinary programmes that cater to students’ varied interests and career goals The panel also noted that public-private partnerships are another core element of the entire process. Strengthening partnerships between universities, governments, and private entities to boost support for students will lead to an increase in students coming to the Americas, especially Latin America.