Internationalization in South Africa

• In Event: 49.046 - Internationalization Efforts Around the World

Abstract

Africa is commonly viewed as a major sufferer of brain drain, losing its highly skilled and academic talent to more developed countries in western Europe and North America. Yet South Africa plays an important role in building international human capital by receiving international scholars and students from abroad, particularly from the south of the continent. This paper examines the factors that drive and shape educational migration toward South Africa.
Although typically classified as a developing country, South Africa has achieved many qualities of a developed country, especially in relation to the rest of the southern continent, a fact with particular implications in terms of international migration (Crush & Williams, 2005). Ten years ago, it was reported that two-thirds of highly skilled professionals had considered relocating out of the country since the end of apartheid, due to changes such as declining quality of life (Bhorat, Meyer, & Mlatsheni, 2002). Since that time, however, conditions have improved somewhat. South Africa's global competitiveness ranking has now risen to 50th place, making it the most globally competitive country in sub-Saharan Africa (World Economic Forum, 2012).
Meanwhile, educational migration to South Africa has steadily grown, helping to curb the country's brain drain (OECD, 2011). As the largest and strongest higher education system in sub-Saharan Africa, the country's 23 public universities attract increasing numbers of international students (OECD, 2011). The flow of international students has been maintained mostly by sheer demand, particularly within sub-Saharan Africa, which contributes up to 72% of South Africa’s international students (Department of Higher Education Training, 2012). Among students from western nations, studying abroad in countries outside Europe and North America in order to experience diverse cultures has become increasingly popular. In the US, for example, South Africa ranks 13th as a preferred study destination (Institute of International Education, 2013). Globally, South Africa ranks 11th (OECD, 2011).
Yet the demand to study abroad in South Africa is greatest in its neighboring countries. Since the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) 1997 initiative to promote regional cooperation in the educational sector, educational mobility within the region has notably increased. Among other policies, the SADC reserved 5% of university slots for students from SADC member countries and set lower tuition fees for SADC students than for non-SADC foreign students (Marko, 2009). According to UNESCO (2012), higher education students from southern Africa are the most mobile students worldwide, with six out of every hundred studying outside their home country. Among these students, half study within the SADC. The leading destination for these students is South Africa (50%).
In this mixed-methods study, international students in seven South African universities were surveyed and interviewed to uncover the reasons for the country’s inward flow and experiences upon arrival. This research will inform higher education scholars on educational migration within the understudied region of southern Africa and provide useful comparative information to improve the recruitment and the experiences of international students.

Author

• Jenny J. Lee, The University of Arizona