In our day-to-day professional work in international education, we all struggle to manage information flow, identify opportunities, synthesize possible solutions, and act appropriately to better ourselves, our audiences, and our world. To help in this often overwhelming task, Social Media & International Education (SMIE) Consulting offers this free weekly e-news brief to share our perspectives and to provide some wisdom along the way. Happy reading!
- Are hashtags the be all and end all of Instagram success? Heck no. If you’re looking to increase your engagement on this social platform, the team at Social Media Examiner suggest 12 ways to do so. Worth checking out, even for experts.
- Let’s face it, social media marketing won’t work with a set it and forget it strategy. Check out this latest downloadable social media marketing industry insights report to stay on top of what’s changing.
- I’ve shared recently how much I appreciate LinkedIn’s new feature that allows content creators to start their own newsletters on the platform, and now allows them to be set up through company pages. Well worth exploring.
- Not everyone is a natural on camera. Some are terrified of even trying to record themselves on video, let alone do a live. But anyone can do it with the right preparation. Useful tips in this piece on how your videos are better with you in them.
International Education News
- Encouraged to see a group developing for new intl faculty at US institutions to help them navigate campus politics, immigration law, and the academic job market. Good piece from Karin Fischer in her Latitudes newsletter.
- Spare a thought for the more than 200,000 “documented dreamers” in the US who come as children on their parents’ H-1, L-1 and other work visas, and age out of their parents’ applications for permanent residency when they turn 21.
- Happy to see Congress beginning to connect the dots better that in order to maintain (or regain) our cutting edge technologically in the world, we need to improve pathways for top talent to come here and succeed.
- But questions remain whether the role of geopolitics will continue to impact open research among scholars from different nations whose leadership may have vastly different agendas.
- While Bangladeshi students who did get US visas have been in the news for the wrong reasons, the challenge for current students there is, as we mentioned last week, fewer slots available for visa appointments due to consular staffing shortages.
- Staffing is the key at US consulates. In India they hope to be back up to 2/3rd of pre-pandemic levels, and hope to issue more than the record 62,000 F-1 visas issued last year. Things are looking up!
- When it comes to the why’s we talk about when it comes to having more intl students on campus, improving domestic students global awareness is key. Now we can add, improving domestic student employability. Yes!
- Apparently, we have 5 more years before Chinese student interest in studying in the West begins to decline more substantially than it has since 2015. India and Vietnam according to this consultancy’s study will pickup some of that slack.
On-Campus Happenings/Test-Optional Debate
- Tuition discount rates hit an all-time high (54.5% in 2021). For many smaller private institutions it is much higher and is not sustainable. Is there a realignment coming? More transparency in costs perhaps.
- Are colleges focusing on the wrong metric? This author rightly claims that net tuition revenue has far greater value in assessing institutional financial health than overall discount rate.
- Australia - While this study is from November, the real impact of international student revenue losses on Australian institutions will likely be felt for years to come with the knock-on impacts.
- Australia - This report is staggering: “In the year to March 2022, only 35,580 international students arrived in Australia, down massively from 561,040 in the year to March 2020 and the 610,270 arrivals in the year to March 2019.”
- Australia - One Australian state in dire need of reviving its commitment to international education, Western Australia, has committed $41.2 million (Aus) to reestablish onshore intl student pipelines and re-engage agents.
- Canada - North of the border, Nova Scotia is planning a September launch of a new resource hub, site, and app for international students to learn of the most appealing aspects of study in this Atlantic province.
- China - In an another worrying sign of China’s attempt to de-couple itself from Western standards and influences, Chinese unis are withdrawing from intl rankings under President Xi’s order to “blaze a new path.”
- China - This news story reflects even more restrictions on Chinese citizens going abroad - prohibiting “non-essential” travel overseas. No wonder so few of our China-based colleagues (only four) have been able to register for NAFSA this year.
- China - No doubt, this virtual ban on intl travel for Chinese citizens is of particular concern for US institutions. The language of the travel restriction does have an exemption for those students “resuming study” but not necessarily start studies.
- G7 nations - Positive support from G7 countries for international scholars at risk due to displacement, war, and other crises and a renewed call for research collaboration across borders as symbols of upholding shared democratic values.
- India - We’ve seen India’s passive support for Russia irk many in the West, but the complex relationships among BRICS countries - in particular the frayed dynamic between India and China - has had impacts on intl education to be sure.
- United Kingdom - One of the lingering impacts of Brexit is the faltering relationship between British unis and European counterparts as part of Horizon Europe’s research and development funding arrangements. British government must step up.
- United Kingdom - Lessons learned in the UK regarding the re-introduction of the new 2-year post-study work visa is the need for the government to educate British employers on what this benefit means and how they can be supportive.
- United Kingdom - British universities’ relationship with European students has fundamentally changed since Brexit. What’s missing from their communication to EU students? Employability and funding available.
- United Kingdom - Delays in visa processing is currently impacting international students attempting to start programs in the UK this summer. Apparently, the normal 3 week time is now 5 weeks or more in some markets.
If you’d like a more in-depth analysis of the main news stories each week, check out our Midweek Roundup international education live chat on Wednesday at 1pm ET on the SMIE Consulting Facebook page, YouTube channel, Twitter feed, and LinkedIn. A podcast version is available as well on all major podcast provider platforms.
