2017 is just around the corner, and, just before we usher it in, we are pleased to present our fourth annual review of the year past.
The following summary recaps the most-popular items and most-important market developments covered on ICEF Monitor throughout 2016.
The year in visas
We saw a number of key developments through 2016 with respect to student visa processing, post-study work rights, and immigration after graduation, and, as always, these items were of keen interest to ICEF Monitor readers.
We started the year with early signs from Canada that the newly elected federal government was prepared to for international graduates, and indeed Canadian policy in this respect was formalised with for foreign graduates late in the year.
In July, the same month in which came into effect, Canada also offered a surprise announcement on .
And meanwhile in the US, we saw two long-awaited policy announcements from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program: the first on and another on .
Not to be outdone, this year. And, in keeping with its increasing emphasis on international student recruitment, .
Continued growth for leading destinations
, , and – a milestone the country celebrating by releasing a very impressive and comprehensive for further growth.
But the headlines for much of this year belonged to another traditional leader: the UK.
What’s that you say?
In a move that surprised observers around the world, rocked currency rates and stock exchanges, and ran against pollsters’ projections, – an exit from the European Union – in a 23 June referendum vote.
The country, including the international education sector, has faced in the months since. Student surveys leading up to the referendum suggested that a vote to leave would make the UK a less attractive destination both and , and indeed earlier this month we saw some early indications of for the coming academic year.
Late in the year, the Brexit vote was overshadowed by the equally . It is hard to measure, but also hard to understate, the impact of such developments on the attractiveness of a given study destination. In the lead-up to the US election, we explored in another widely read item this year.
Hey, big sender
We spent much of 2016 tracking major shifts in some of the world’s most important sending markets, including , a significant contraction in the landmark , and corresponding scholarship and foreign exchange constraints .
These developments helped to fuel one of the more important underlying trends in international education for 2016: . We saw a greater throughout the year as a result – a trend that we can only anticipate will extend into 2017.
How we connect now
came more to the fore this year, and, along with institutional websites and social channels, we can anticipate that online channels will continue to play a greater role in international student recruitment going forward.
This point was reinforced this year by new research that mapped as well as the key factors in and influencers of s.
These studies join a growing body of research evidence that provides important, and increasingly nuanced, insights into how prospective students make decisions around study abroad.
Looking ahead
We gather such observations, however, in a time of profound change for teaching and learning. Online learning achieved , and we continue to see entering the online space.
Language learning is being similarly , and we note as well.
For now, let us conclude where we often begin our thinking about international student mobility: with the big picture. The competitive landscape of international education , with a growing role for regional destinations and some significant growth for important emerging destinations, including and . There is every indication that we can expect this broad pattern of expanding regional mobility and shifting destination share to continue into the new year.
As always, thank you for reading along with us this year and we look forward to bringing you more news and insights for international student recruitment in 2017.