Understanding the Global Flow of Tertiary Students: A Network Analysis of 1999 and 2012

• In Event: 72.048 - Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: 72.048-13 - Exploring International Education

Abstract

In 2015, at least 4.5 million postsecondary students went abroad to study, representing about 2 percent of all tertiary enrollments globally. As globalization of education advances, international tertiary student mobility is an important channel through which high-skilled immigrants arrive. International student flows can be viewed as a form of network, describing how countries interact and communicate with each other. This study applies social network analysis techniques on UNESCO Global Flow of Tertiary-Level Student data, to explore the international tertiary student mobility networks at two time points, 1999 and 2012, and to analyze actor relationships, flow patterns, and structural changes over the period. In addition, the study discusses the implications of network development from global and local perspectives.

Author

• Ming Yin, Washington University in St. Louis