Category: Policy

Sector backs Harvard int’l students in Trump legal fight

This week, the American Council on Education (ACE) was joined by 22 higher education associations filing an amicus brief in support of Harvard against the administration’s efforts to uphold Trump’s June 2025 proclamation barring international students from the institution.

“If the federal government may punish a university for its perceived ideology or that of its students, then the marketplace of ideas collapses into a monopoly of dogma,” the brief warns.

It urges the court to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by Judge Allison Burroughs last June, which blocked Trump’s attempt to prohibit foreign nationals seeking to study at Harvard from entering the US.

The signatories have said the proclamation represents an unprecedented executive overreach threatening institutional autonomy and academic freedom, as well as violating the First Amendment.

“Over the last year, the current administration has engaged in an unprecedented effort to coerce institutions of higher education to behave in a manner that reflects the administration’s preferred ideology, including by reshaping their faculty, curriculum and student body,” the document reads.

“When Harvard resisted the administration’s unlawful demands, the administration retaliated with extreme sanctions, including the proclamation issued in this appeal.”

The case arises from multiple attempts by the Trump administration bar international students from attending the Ivy League institution last spring.

Initial efforts were led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) attempting to strip Harvard of its SEVP Certification, which enables US institutions to enrol international students – a move halted by federal district judge Allison Burroughs.

Weeks later, Trump escalated efforts and issued his own presidential proclamation aimed at achieving the same result, which was met with a preliminary injunction from judge Burroughs, who said Trump’s directive implicated core constitutional protections.

Appealing judge Burroughs’ decision, the administration argued the proclamation was legal under the president’s immigration authorities – citing the familiar argument relating to national security concerns. This took the case to First Circuit appeals court, where it is now being heard.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump’s proclamation cites Harvard’s alleged “violent crime rates” and deficient reporting on foreign students as rationales for the directive, alongside its “entanglements” with the Chinese Communist Party and “discriminatory” admissions practices reducing opportunities for American students.

If the federal government may punish a university for its perceived ideology or that of its students, then the marketplace of ideas collapses into a monopoly of dogma

American Council on Education et al.

The brief argues that the proclamation is “fundamentally inconsistent with institutional autonomy – at Harvard and other educational institutions across the country” and that the administration’s actions are unconstitutional and set a dangerous precedent for all US colleges.

“The administration’s actions at issue in this case are directed at Harvard, but they reverberate throughout every state in the nation,” the brief states, arguing that punishing a university for its perceived ideology is “the antithesis of American values”.

It highlights the targeted nature of Trump’s directive, which would allow international students into the US seeking to study at any institution but Harvard – signalling the intervention is punitive, not regulatory, the amici said.

They emphasise the value of international students, “who … enrich and strengthen our community in innumerable ways”.

“But these benefits are unattainable when schools are prohibited from enrolling international students because they do not pass the government’s ideological litmus test.”

The brief contextualises the case within the administration’s long-running assault on Harvard, involving the freezing of federal grant funding, threats to Harvard’s tax-exempt status and requests for information regarding Harvard’s international students.

The administration’s appeal is expected to be considered in the coming months.

In the federal funding fight, judge Burroughs found in September 2025 that the administration acted unlawfully when it cut Harvard’s research grants – a case also heading to the court of appeal after the administration disputed the ruling.

Despite the ongoing attacks on America’s oldest institution, Harvard’s overseas enrolments rose to their highest level since 2002 this academic year, making up 28% of the total university population.

Source link

January 23, 2026
Sector unmoved after Australia revises student risk ratings again

Under the new categorisation, which came into effect on January 8, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) moved India to level 3 alongside Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka was reclassified to level 2 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF).

The changes come just months after countries such as Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were classified as the lowest risk (level 1) markets, while India, Bhutan, and Nepal were considered moderate risk (level 2).

While the timing of the updated risk ratings — typically set in March and September — is unusual, the government has signalled its intent to crack down on misconduct in the sector. It comes amid assistant minister for international education Julian Hill’s recent calls to improve the “composition, distribution and integrity” of Australia’s student cohort, alongside his warnings about fake documents and profit-driven agents during his India visit.

Although Hill told a tertiary education conference last November that the DHA was closely scrutinising South Asian student applicants and their documentation, including English language proficiency, and would adjust risk ratings if issues emerged, stakeholders say the SSVF has largely run its course, with changes to country risk levels making little practical difference.

“SSVF was developed over a decade ago to give some applicants faster and easier processing. Today, regardless of an institution’s risk level, Home Affairs expects English language requirements to be met and financial evidence to be provided in all cases. Processing times no longer depend on whether an applicant is streamlined, but instead on where an institution sits on NOSC,” Ravi Lochan Singh, managing director, Global Reach, told The PIE News.

Introduced in 2016, the SSVF categorises countries and education providers by risk level, allowing students from low-risk markets applying to low-risk institutions to submit less documentation.

However, the framework is increasingly seen as less decisive in visa processing, with greater emphasis placed on New Overseas Student Commencements (NOSC) allocations under the government’s National Planning Level (NPL).

Set by the federal government based on provider performance and capacity, stakeholders say these allocations now influence how visa applications are prioritised as institutions approach their student caps.

Just in October last year, the federal government announced that NOSC allocations for many public universities would rise in 2026, with Group of Eight (Go8) universities seeing allocations increase by around 4%, after accounting for Adelaide University’s merger with the University of South Australia, compared with a roughly 14% rise for non-Go8 institutions.

The government already has access to vast datasets. AI should be used more effectively to analyse risk patterns at a granular level, rather than reinforcing regional stereotypes
_{^{Gurjeet Ahluwalia, Sophiya Consultants}}

According to Gurjeet Ahluwalia, CEO of Sophiya Consultants, since the requirements for students from AL2 and AL3 countries are largely similar, many Go8 and other Australian universities that continue to focus on India as a major source market are likely to be largely unaffected by the change.

“Many Go8 universities had already begun reducing their reliance on China and shifting focus toward markets like India. That strategy is unlikely to change simply because of a move from AL2 back to AL3,” noted Ahluwalia.

While reports of Australian universities curbing recruitment from North Indian states such as Punjab and Haryana have been widespread — with document fraud and agent misuse often cited as reasons for India’s fluctuating risk rating — Ahluwalia said the region is frequently disproportionately flagged, despite the government having the resources to address the issue more effectively.

“The government already has access to vast datasets. AI should be used more effectively to analyse risk patterns at a granular level, rather than reinforcing regional stereotypes,” said Ahluwalia.

Reports suggest that detecting financial fraud among students has become increasingly challenging, with some agents using “search fund” schemes in which money is temporarily deposited into a student’s account to make them appear financially eligible to apply for a visa, before being withdrawn later.

According to Ahluwalia, while most Indian students now demonstrate stronger financial profiles through tax compliance and GST-linked reporting, challenges like “search fund” schemes could be addressed if Australia adopted a system like Canada’s Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), which requires students to deposit a fixed amount into a participating Canadian financial institution to cover a year’s living expenses as proof of funds.

“A system similar to Canada’s GIC policy, where students deposit funds directly into an approved account, would strengthen financial transparency,” stated Ahluwalia.

“It would also protect students from scams while giving authorities greater confidence in financial evidence.”

Source link

January 23, 2026
International education sector reacts to new UK strategy

Earlier this week, the UK government released its refreshed international education strategy (IES). While some stakeholders have welcomed its ambitions to grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, others have dubbed it an export strategy rather than a roadmap for international education and raised important questions about the plan’s purpose and long-term direction.

“The strategy puts sustainable international student recruitment at its heart, and we look forward to continuing to take a lead on working with the government to deliver this,” said Andrew Bird, chair of the British Universities International Association (BUILA).

Unlike the 2019 international education strategy, the UK government’s latest iteration removes explicit targets for international student numbers. This marks a notable shift from the earlier strategy, which aimed for a 30% increase in international student enrolments by 2030.

Bird said the strategy recognises the power of international education to “enhance the UK’s global standing and drive growth” and was pleased to see the government’s recognition of the Agent Quality Framework to drive improved standards in international student recruitment.

Rob Grimshaw, CEO at StudyIn also welcomed the government’s strong support for the AQF noting that “high standards in student recruitment are vital to the long-term success of the UK’s higher education sector.”

“For the UK to remain globally competitive, we must continue to make a compelling case for studying here – not just in terms of quality, but also trust, outcomes and student experience,” said Grimshaw.

Mark Bennett, VP of research and insight at Keystone Education Group lauded the government’s strategy in its ability to articulate “an evolving vision for UK international education that, if successful, genuinely could see more people around the world benefit from the courses and resources offered by UK universities”.

The strategy states the £40bn aim will be achieved across the “full breadth of the sector”, including TNE, English language training (ELT), and edtech, while broadly referencing existing trade missions, soft power networks and boosting financial support mechanisms.

The IES sets out an intention to grow the government’s leadership in TNE, as well as using the joint government-sector forum, the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG), to champion partnership opportunities and educating providers on the technical risks of operating overseas.

The government’s new international education strategy sets out that each ESAG representative will lead on an action plan, published within the first 100 days of appointment to ESAG, outlining how their members will support delivery.

Bennett highlighted the ways in which TNE expands access to international education, particularly for students unable to afford travel and study abroad. He also noted its appeal to countries seeking to retain more of their students – and graduates – at home.

“And, of course, it appeals to anyone who would like international students to show up in figures for enrolments, but not immigration,” he added.

However, Bennett raised that for some universities not already operating in the TNE space, what does it mean to have a strategy that refuses to give a target for traditional onshore enrolment?

“if you ask me, it means the strategy can be called a success whether those enrolments rise by one or fall by 100,000 – and that’s important. Not everyone does TNE and TNE is not so easy to start doing,” he said.

The new international education strategy is, in reality, an education export strategy
_{^{Vincenzo Raimo, international higher education consultant}}

Meanwhile, Vincenzo Raimo, international higher education consultant, puts it bluntly: “The new international education strategy is, in reality, an education export strategy.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, but calling it an international education strategy risks obscuring what’s missing: a serious commitment to languages, outward mobility and the development of the UK’s own international capabilities in a way that equips people to understand the world, work across cultures, and thrive within it.”

The PIE News’s own Nicholas Cuthbert notes in his analysis that the Home Office features only minimally in the strategy. He argues that excluding the Home Office from the ESAG risks repeating a familiar mistake: a disconnect between immigration policy and the UK’s education export ambitions.

Elsewhere, Universites UK International director Jamie Arrowsmith described the strategy as an “important moment” for the sector and welcomed the “renewed commitment to fostering the global reach, reputation and impact of UK universities”.

“The strategy reflects many of the priorities we set out in our Blueprint for Change, and represents a positive and holistic vision of the role universities play in the UK’s global success,” he said.

Source link

January 22, 2026
10 talking points on the UK’s new international education strategy

1. Growth is the target, but not from student recruitment
The international education strategy sets out a bold ambition for the UK’s thriving education sector: to collectively grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, but the plan makes it clear that will need to come from the broader education ecosystem including transnational education (TNE), ELT, skills and edtech.

2. The government’s love affair with TNE continues
The UK’s TNE boom – seen most evidently in India, with a slew of UK branch campuses opening over the next year or so – shows no sign of slowing down. The IES sets out an intention to grow the government’s leadership in TNE, as well as using the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) to look out for partnership opportunities and educating providers on the technical risks of operating overseas.

3. Soft power and diplomacy is an explicit focus
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has joined the Department for Education (DfE) and the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) as authors of the strategy and as a result soft power is a core feature. The strategy talks about ‘rolling out a new diplomacy‐led approach’, by appointing heads of missions to act as local education champions in priority countries. The upcoming HMG Soft Power Strategy will also dictate what global partnerships are a priority for the country.

4. The ESAG will deliver action plans
This reformed ministerially chaired forum will bring together industry, government, and representative bodies from across the education sector to tackle key concerns and identify opportunities for partnerships. Each representative will lead on an action plan, published within the first 100 days of appointment to ESAG, outlining how their members will support delivery of the three ambitions of this strategy. But who is ESAG? We’ve broken it down for you here.

5. Sir Steve Smith continues his work with priority countries as international education champion
Priority countries named in the strategy are still India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, as per the 2019 IES and the work of Sir Steve Smith. Emerging economies such as Brazil, Mexico and Pakistan are mooted as wider opportunities without any further details given. Pakistan is an outlier given the recent problems with high asylum applications and visa delays.

6. The levy and tough immigration policy is reaffirmed
The publication of the strategy was delayed in response to the government’s immigration whitepaper and the Autumn Budget, which announced the international student levy. It remains to be seen how this will be applied to students – however, the strategy doubles down on reaffirming this policy and how the IES will adhere to wider government immigration policy.

7. Cross-government collaboration welcome, but will bureaucracy slow delivery down?
There is a clear effort to include all stakeholders in the process and direction, including the government’s vast overseas networks – but will many more stakeholders prevent the UK from being agile? Global competition is ramping up again as Australia has undertaken its own strategy review and the big four study destinations expand to the big 10. Read our analysis here.

8. No new policy levers, tactics or funding included
Despite the obvious challenges, there appear to be no new tactics being presented in the strategy to meet the growth target. Instead, the report reiterates the strength of existing scholarships and campaigning by The British Council. The UK’s return to Erasmus is a welcome feature mentioned in the document and a new development after the previous IES – but that was technically announced by the government at the end of 2025. TNE and innovation are expensive and at present there is no government support offered to kick-start activity.

9. Sustainable recruitment is the name of the game, but are the Home Office official stakeholders?
The need for sustainable international recruitment is a theme mentioned repeatedly in the latest IES, with a focus on attracting “high-quality” talent from overseas. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the government’s aim of controlling immigration to the UK, the aim seems to be to maintain the UK’s stellar reputation as a study destination without seeing the same post-pandemic surge in numbers. The Home Office is implicitly involved as guardians of the new BCA metrics to which sponsors must adhere, but it remains to be seen if the previous disconnect between the UKVI and the national education exports strategy has been resolved.

10. Qualifications are a valuable export for the UK
In keeping with a renewed government focus on skills after the publication of the post-16 education and skills paper last year, the IES hones in on the value of UK qualifications abroad. It also wants to open up new markets overseas by benchmarking international credentials against UK standards.

Source link

January 21, 2026
Where will growth come from in the UK’s international education strategy?

The long-awaited strategy, released today (January 20), outlines the UK government’s target to reach an annual education export target of £40bn by the end of the decade – up from £32.3bn in 2022.

Notably, it removes international student recruitment targets, signalling a break from the 2019 strategy, which targeted the 30% growth of international levels by 2030.

“Success will mean hitting the target while operating sustainable levels of international student recruitment,” the document states, doubling down on the government’s overall aim of reducing net migration, as laid out in last year’s immigration white paper.

In an exclusive interview with The PIE News, Sir Steve said a focus on transnational education (TNE) was the “biggest change” in the sector in recent years, welcoming the “commitment across government for that pivot to TNE” and the importance of other areas including skills, early years, schools, edtech and special educational needs.

“The first strategy was a child of that world. Now, it’s much more about moving towards bringing the strength of the UK’s education system across the board to the international market,” said Sir Steve.

The strategy states the £40bn aim will be achieved across the “full breadth of the sector”, including TNE, English language training (ELT), and edtech, while broadly referencing existing trade missions, soft power networks and boosting financial support mechanisms.

It highlights the success of existing TNE initiatives, with exports across all sectors reaching £3bn in 2022. But it doesn’t set out the financials of how much TNE will contribute to the overall growth plan.

It recognises the “strong potential” of further overseas expansion and hails the “significant achievement” of Southampton University establishing the UK’s first India campus last year – though the financial impact of the expansion is yet to be realised.

The UK’s international education champion Sir Steve is spearheading many of the IES’ objectives, with the government prioritising partnerships in India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, and recognising the “strategic importance” of China and Hong Kong.

Sir Steve said the cost of travelling to study abroad in the UK was only accessible to a small percentage of students, and that the demand for TNE was coming from international governments.

“What these governments want is UK quality, but at a price point that is more inclusive for their society, and what we do is work with the government of each of the countries where TNE is growing to make sure that fulfils the needs,” he told The PIE.

Now, it’s much more about moving towards bringing the strength of the UK’s education system across the board to the international market

Sir Steve Smith, UK international education champion

Beyond higher education and TNE, the strategy spotlights the “dynamic” ELT sector, which generated £560m in 2022. It praises the quality of the UK’s English language teaching, assessment and teacher training, though doesn’t explicitly state how growth will be boosted.

Meanwhile, edtech and other educational services added £3.89bn to the UK economy in 2022, the strategy states, identifying online learning as another opportunity for growth.

While making clear that growth will not come from increased international recruitment targets, the strategy sets out measures to promote the UK as a study and research destination, including through the Study UK campaign partly funded by the British Council.

It makes much of leveraging the British Council’s existing diplomatic network “to build bridges across cultures and sectors, deepen global ties, and support strategic collaboration”, vowing to expand such partnerships across global trade, study abroad and skills.

The strategy highlights the value of previously announced policies, including the launch of the British Council’s new TNE strategy last year, the UK’s rejoining of Erasmus+, and existing scholarships including the renowned Chevening program.

“The UK is taking a new diplomacy-led approach,” states the strategy, which is co-owned by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Department for Education and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).

As such, soft power is central to the strategy’s growth objectives, which looks ahead to the upcoming of the Soft Power Strategy that it says will support the IES, though it gives no details of the publication timeline.

Source link

January 20, 2026
A new international education strategy

The Westminster government’s newest iteration of the international education strategy commits the UK to three ambitions: to increase the UK’s international standing through education, to recruit high quality international higher education students from a diverse range of countries, and to grow education exports to £40bn a year by 2030.

Last time we got an International Education Strategy from the government was back in 2019 – famously it committed the government to increase education exports to £35bn per year, and to increase the number of international HE students studying in the UK to 600,000 per year, again: both by 2030.

The government’s current best estimate for performance against those targets – which deals with the 2022 calendar year – suggests income from education exports was £32.3bn for that year – with around three quarters of that being derived from higher education activity. For a variety of reasons, it isn’t great data.

And HESA tells us that there were 758,855 international higher education students during the 2022-23 academic year, though numbers have fallen since.

Diversification across sub-sectors

Within the higher education sector the perception has been that this decline in international student numbers has been a political choice in the face of wider public concerns around immigration rather than any failing among universities: changes to dependant visa access, a reduction in the length (from 24 months to 18 months) of the graduate visa for postgraduate taught students, reported difficulties in obtaining student visas, and the onset of price rises linked to the forthcoming international student levy.

Though a lot of the UK’s historic strengths in international education come via its higher education providers, the strategy is at pains to emphasis the full spectrum of what is on offer, noting:

We see diversification across sub-sectors as key to long-term success

Accordingly much of the strategy deals with early years and schools, non-HE tertiary education, English language training, special educational needs, and education technology. But, as with higher education, there is little detail: this will be filled in via an action plan developed by a reconstituted Education Sector Action Group (ESAG). This ministerially-chaired forum will bring together government, industry, and sector representative bodies: each representative will lead on a sub-sector action plan to be published within 100 days of appointment.

Of course, we don’t even know which minister will chair the forum yet – the strategy is owned jointly by the Department for Education, the Department of Business and Trade, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office. We do know that Steve Smith retains his role as international education champion, and that the strategy will be supported by a range of existing tools and programmes: notably for higher education these include research and technology partnerships including Horizon Europe, plus things like Erasmus+ (from 2027) and Turing (newly confirmed for 2026-27).

The British Council will play a prominent role too – most notably in the expansion of transnational education provision across every part of the sector. Here robust quality assurance will play a key part – we get detail on schools-level accreditation and oversight, but the parallel section on higher education quality assurance and international standards is missing (despite case studies on the University of London, and the India campus of the University of Southampton). The section on the work of the British Council-led Alumni UK programme (launched in 2022) offers recognition of the value of alumni as international ambassadors.

And what’s in it for higher education?

The meat of the strategy for higher education providers concerns a “strategic approach to sustainable international student recruitment”. The key words are “well-managed” and “responsible” recruitment, and a quality student experience should lead to world-class outcomes. It is very encouraging to see that support systems and infrastructure (including local housing) are on the radar too.

Institutions will be “encouraged to diversify their recruitment”, moving away from reliance on any single country”. There’s support for the sector-owned Agent Quality Framework to tackle poor practices, and a suggestion that government will:

work closely with the sector to ensure that our institutions recruit international higher education students in a way that maintains quality and student experience. This includes considering factors such as skills and entry requirements, adequate infrastructure, local housing, and support systems

A section on “maintaining a competitive offer” flags the retention of the (18 month) graduate route, the high potential individual route for those graduating from top 100 institutions (nothing to do with helping UK international education expand, but it is in there), and the change in visa conditions enabling graduates to start businesses while transferring to the “investor founder” route. The international student levy clearly does not help to maintain a competitive offer but we get details of that here too:

The levy will be fully reinvested into higher education and skills, including the reintroduction of targeted maintenance grant for disadvantaged domestic students, helping to break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change and making our higher education system more inclusive for the benefit of all students

However this ends up benefitting home students, there is no detail on how the policy might discourage (via higher prices, for example) international recruitment.

Indeed, throughout the strategy there is nothing that deals with the restrictions being placed on higher education as the largest single contributor to educational exports, and how that situation will cause problems (despite warm words about “unlocking the full potential of our education sector”) in meeting this expanded and challenging financial target.

Source link

January 20, 2026
UK unveils new international education strategy
Government aims to grow education exports to £40 billion per year by 2030, growth to come from TNE, ELT, skills and edtech

New strategy removes targets on international student numbers with focus on sustainable recruitment

Ministerial group known as the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) to work with sector to deliver action plans tackling key concerns and identifying partnership opportunities
The long-awaited document marks the first new UK international education strategy (IES) since 2019, which at the time revealed goals to grow international student numbers by 30% by 2030. Education is already one of the UK’s most important exports, bolstering the economy by £32bn per year, with the IES building on 2019’s stated ambition to grow its export value to £35 bn.

However, after a post-pandemic boom, with international student numbers in the UK reaching 732,285 in 2023/24, the government has moved away from targetting increased enrolments, instead making clear that growth should come from areas such as English language training (ELT), transnational education (TNE) and edtech sectors – worth some £560m, £3bn and £3.89bn in exports respectively.

The revamped IES outlines three main priorities for UK international education; to grow education exports to a collective $40bn per year, oversee sustainable overseas student recruitment and amplify the UK’s international standing through education – including a focus on cutting red tape for TNE partnerships abroad.

Elsewhere, the government is drawing on expertise from the international education sector through a reformed ministerial group known as the Education Sector Action Group (ESAG) – a collective tasked with tackling key concerns and identifying partnership opportunities, as well as smoothing the path towards international alliances.

Each representative will develop an action plan drawing on how its members will support the IES’s three main goals to be published within the first 100 days of their accession to ESAG. As yet it is unclear who will be included in the group.

Meanwhile, Sir Steve Smith will stay on as the UK’s international education champion, with a remit to “remove barriers to education partnerships” by continuing to engage with India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam. Sir Steve is also looking into opportunities in “emerging economies” such as Brazil, Mexico, and Pakistan, the IES said.

By expanding overseas, our universities, colleges and education providers can diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and give millions more access to a world-class UK education on their doorstep, all whilst boosting growth at home
_{^{Bridget Phillipson, education secretary}}

The document also signals the publication of more specific strategy documents in the future, including a Soft Power Strategy outlining plans to grow the UK’s global influence through its education, sports, science, governance, development and tech sectors.

Expanding the UK’s soft power abroad is a key part of the IES, which recognises the power in education as a way to position the country as “a place of learning, openness, research and innovation – building life‐long alliances and deepening trust in the UK”.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said that supporting international partnerships would help institutions to “diversity and strengthen their business models”.

“By expanding overseas, our universities, colleges and education providers can diversify income, strengthen global partnerships and give millions more access to a world-class UK education on their doorstep, all whilst boosting growth at home,” she added.

Minister for Trade Chris Bryant branded education exports as a “major UK success story”.

“We’re on track grow the sector to £40 billion by 2030, powered by world leading providers driving digital learning, AI enabled innovation and future skills development,” he said.

Malcolm Press, president of Universities UK welcomed the new document, saying it “signals a renewed commitment to fostering the global reach, reputation and impact of our universities”.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates on this emerging story…
Source link
January 20, 2026
key headlines from East and Southeast Asia

From China’s TNE reforms, to Japan’s internationalisation push, East Asia is in the midst of a drive to attract more international students. Meanwhile, Southeast Asian countries are deepening higher education links with the UK and Australia while seeking to attract international students themselves.

Here’s The PIE’s pick of the biggest international education stories of the region from the year that’s just gone.

1. Universities across ASEAN join forces to strengthen HE collaboration and partnerships

At the ASEAN Universities Exhibition and Forum 2025, which brought together universities from across Southeast Asia, more than 10 collaborations were signed between ASEAN institutions, highlighting growing regional cooperation in higher education. The forum also emphasised a collective commitment to strengthening Asia’s position as a “rising contender” to the traditional big four study destinations.

Key announcements included the soft launch of the ASEAN Global Exchange for Mobility & Scholarship (ASEAN GEMS) platform and the launch of the ASEAN Student Mobility Program in collaboration with Universiti Utara Malaysia and 13 Malaysian universities, with transnational education being underscored as a “key pillar” of the region’s higher education future.

2. East Asian countries view internationalisation as key to sustaining regional economic growth

In 2025, most East Asian countries were clear that international students and intra-regional mobility are key to sustaining strong economic growth. The “Asian tigers” — Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore — have been central to this shift, with places like Hong Kong actively diversifying their student body to include learners from India, Nigeria, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan and other emerging markets.

While enrolments from East Asia to UK universities remain steady, rising price sensitivity and expanding regional options are reshaping student flows. At the same time, uneven wage growth across East Asia has coincided with student mobility within the region growing faster between 2013 and 2020 than mobility to major English-speaking destinations.

3. Malaysia’s rise as Asia’s “belle of the ball” for international students

The Southeast Asian country has seen a 26% rise in international applications over the past two years and has set a target of hosting 250,000 international students by 2030.

With the majority of applications coming from China, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the Malaysian government announced plans last year to introduce a centralised system aimed at streamlining international student admissions, alongside collaboration with source countries to ensure a “smooth and secure” process.

Moreover, Malaysia is seeking to grow recruitment from Central Asia and Africa, though the planned introduction of a 6% service tax on private education services for non-Malaysian students has raised concerns about the destination’s long-term attractiveness.

4. Chinese student demand softens for the Big Four, especially the US

A July 2025 webinar confirmed what many had long suspected: China is no longer the “easy goldmine” it once was. Chinese students are increasingly opting for alternatives closer to home, with countries like the US and Canada seeing notable declines in Chinese enrolments, while destinations such as the UK, Australia and New Zealand have shown opposite trends.

This shift comes as China issued warnings to its student nationals in April last year to exercise caution when planning to study in certain US states following the passage of Ohio’s higher education bill, which restricts Chinese partnerships.

At the same time, the Trump administration pledged to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students with links to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in “critical fields”, although the President has since defended Chinese students as an important part of the US higher education system on separate occasions.

5. China aims to expand TNE enrolments from 800,000 to eight million within a decade

In 2025, China’s education ministry announced a series of updates to its TNE policy during a briefing for international diplomatic missions, as part of efforts to scale up TNE enrolments nationwide.

The revised framework eases several restrictions, including removing the 1,200-student enrolment cap previously applied to joint education institutes and programmes. It also expands flexibility beyond the traditional 4+0 model to include 3+1 and other blended formats that allow students to spend part of their studies overseas, while enabling institutions to submit multiple applications within a single approval cycle.

Against this backdrop, a Universities Australia delegation led by chair Carolyn Evans and supported by CEO Luke Sheehy visited Shenzhen and Beijing in October 2025 to renew partnerships in education, research and innovation, with the aim of deepening cooperation in areas critical to both countries, including clean energy, advanced manufacturing, health and technology.

6. Japan moves to increase international students and researchers

Japan’s Ministry of Education (MEXT) is planning to raise enrolment caps at select institutions to boost international student numbers.

Under the proposals, some universities, junior colleges and technical colleges would be allowed to exceed their enrolment limits by up to 5% from the next academic year, starting in April 2026. The move forms part of the government’s push to meet its target of attracting 400,000 international students by 2033.

In parallel, Japan has launched a new program aimed at attracting overseas researchers to 11 institutions as it seeks to position itself as a world-class research hub. Led by MEXT, the initiative will see ¥3.3bn allocated across the universities to support researchers over the next three years.

7. South Korea hits 300k international student goal two years ahead of schedule

International student enrolments in South Korea surpassed 300,000 for the first time in August 2025, according to government immigration data, with more than a third of students coming from Vietnam. Chinese students made up 28% of the total, followed by smaller cohorts from Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Nepal.

The growth has been driven largely by government policy, particularly the launch of the “Study Korea 300K” initiative in 2023, which aimed to reach the target by 2027.

Measures under the strategy included easing financial requirements for D-2 student visas, expanding permitted working hours during study, extending post-study job-seeking periods, and stepping up recruitment in Southeast and Central Asia. Universities were also given greater flexibility to introduce English-taught programmes and strengthen student support.

However, challenges remain, with experts pointing to a lack of clear pathways linking international students to employers. Students and the labour market remain largely disconnected, even as around 90% of international students hope to stay and work in South Korea after graduation.

8. China rolls out K visa in bid to attract international talent

Effective since October 1, the K visa is open to international youths with undergraduate or STEM degrees from leading domestic and global research institutions, as well as early-career professionals engaged in education and research in STEM fields.

The visa is designed to offer greater convenience through multiple entries, longer validity, and extended stay durations, while also facilitating exchanges and collaboration across education, science, technology, culture, business, and entrepreneurship, with applications assessed based on age, education, and work experience rather than requiring sponsorship from a local enterprise.

The move comes amid declining interest in pursuing artificial intelligence degrees in the US, alongside growing interest in studying AI in China. The K visa is being seen as a significant step in China’s efforts to attract young international science and technology talent and challenge US technological leadership.

9. Monash opens second Malaysia campus amid Australia’s Southeast Asia push

Monash University Malaysia will partner with TRX City, developer of Kuala Lumpur’s Tun Razak Exchange, to deliver its RM2.8 billion (USD $1bn) investment in a new campus aimed at deepening engagement in the ASEAN region.

Scheduled to open in 2032, the campus will eventually accommodate 22,500 students and 1,700 staff, featuring cutting-edge research centres in energy transition, health, AI, and data science.

The move aligns with Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, which seeks to strengthen ties between Australia and Southeast Asia across education, agriculture, and resources.

10. TOEIC cheating in Japan raises questions about paper-based test delivery

Japan cancelled 803 TOEIC scores following a student’s arrest for cheating, prompting a review of tests taken since May 2023.

The testing company said maintaining the integrity and fairness of its assessments is a top priority, with security measures described as “multilayered” and “regionally adaptive”.

11. China and Japan warn students about safety in each other’s countries

Last year, China and Japan issued safety warnings for students amid rising diplomatic tensions. China’s Ministry of Education cited “social unrest” and increasing crimes against Chinese nationals in Japan, while Japan advised its citizens in China, particularly students, to exercise extra caution and said it was working to ensure their safety.

The warnings followed Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi’s statement that any Chinese military action against Taiwan could threaten Japan’s survival, prompting Beijing to call the remarks “brazenly provocative”.

With over 123,000 Chinese students in Japan and more than 10,000 Japanese students in China as of May 2024, both countries are now expected to see a decline in student enrolments.

12. First UK-Australia university campus opens in Indonesia

The Deakin Lancaster Indonesia University (DLI) campus, first announced in January 2024, officially opened in Bandung, West Java, on February 26, 2025.

The campus represents the first UK-Australian transnational education (TNE) partnership in Indonesia, allowing students to complete dual undergraduate degrees from Deakin University and Lancaster University without leaving the country.

13. Vietnam’s growing international education strategy and UK partnership gain traction

Vietnam aims to increase international students from 0.5% to 1.5% of enrolments and improve the global standing of its universities, targeting top-500 positions worldwide and top-200 in Asia. The government’s 2030 strategy focuses on advancing education, science, research, and innovation, with a vision extending to 2045.

Separately, Vietnam is opening its doors to UK institutions to establish branches and expand operations, as the country positions itself as an emerging hub for international education.

Source link

January 9, 2026
What’s next for Latin American international education in 2026?

Outbound mobility

Intra-regional and outbound mobility from Latin America are set to grow over the next five years, according to QS Student Flows data, though tighter visa restrictions in major destinations and shifting student priorities are transforming study decisions.

“Outbound flows are being reshaped by affordability pressures and visa tightening in traditional destinations, pushing students toward Europe, especially Spain,” said Studyportals researcher Karl Baldacchino.

“Sector analyses highlight affordability, employability and flexibility as the dominant decision drives for Latin American students,” he said, highlighting that post-study rights and labour-market relevance increasingly matter more than institutional brand.

What’s more, international student caps in Canada and Australia, as well as stricter English requirements and dependents restrictions in the UK, and political volatility in the US, are accelerating a shift toward continental Europe, stakeholders noted.

They highlighted Spain as the most popular European destination, which is supported by favourable policies and linguistic proximity, with Studyportals data confirming this rise in interest across Latin America.

What’s more, Baldacchino said Erasmus+ 2026 – which is open to partnerships beyond the EU – was a way for Latin American institutions to strengthen European ties through student and faculty exchange, joint programs and capacity building.

The importance of career outcomes and immigration pathways were trends also noted by EdCo LATAM Consulting founder Simon Terrington, who predicted students from Brazil, Mexico and Colombia would continue to dominate outbound flows.

According to a recent EdCo LATAM partner enrolment survey, Canada received a greater proportion of undergraduate Latin American students compared to the UK and Europe, which were predominantly seen as postgraduate destinations. This region was popular among master’s students from Mexico – the largest sender of this cohort – closely followed by Colombia and Brazil.

Alongside educational opportunities, Terrington said the impact of political volatility and security concerns in some Latin American countries were notable drivers for students wanting to study in different environments.

Meanwhile, QS senior consultant Gabriela Geron said Trump’s policies in the US – traditionally the primary study destination for Latin America – would be “critical to monitor as they may influence visa regulations, international student flows and partnerships affecting the region”.

Amid recent escalations in US-Venezuela relations, students from the South American country are increasingly turning away from the US, with interest from across the region “somewhat softening”, experts have said, amid reports of noticeable declines in visa approval rates for Latin American students.

Inbound mobility

When it comes to inbound mobility: “Latin America is taking modest but important steps toward becoming a host region thanks to growing scholarship schemes and targeted English taught expansion”, said Baldacchino.

“The region’s biggest missed opportunities remain limited English-taught capacity, underdeveloped TNE partnerships, and the absence of a structured pre-tertiary mobility pipeline,” he continued, identifying the former as the primary constraining factor.

While the TNE gap between Latin America compared with Asia and the Middle East has become more visible, Baldacchino said awareness of the issue could also create momentum for new partnership models.

Geron agreed that limited program expansion, insufficient English-taught courses, language barriers and infrastructure challenges were reducing the region’s competitiveness compared to emerging hubs in Europe and Asia.

The biggest structural constraint remains underdeveloped English-taught capacity

Karl Baldacchino, Studyportals

She identified three key opportunities for the region: “Strengthening engagement with neighbouring countries, leveraging growing demand from Europe and investing in flexible delivery models – including digital solutions and TNE – to remain competitive”.

Baldacchino highlighted some progress by institutions in Chile and Ecuador entering the QS Latin America & Caribbean 2026 rankings, driven by increased international collaboration and incremental expansion of English-taught courses.

What’s more, scholarship schemes in Brazil and Mexico continue to attract interest from the Global South, “signalling a gradual move toward Latin America becoming a genuine host rather than only a sending region”, he said.

Meanwhile, Geron predicted that Argentina would maintain its position as the leading host destination in Latin America, supported by its long-standing offer of accessible public higher education driving significant intra-regional mobility.

However, though there are yet to be any formal policy changes, ongoing political debate about charging tuition fees to non-resident international students has introduced a degree of uncertainty for prospective students, Geron noted.

Elsewhere, Brazil’s introduction of post-study residence and work authorisation for international graduates “represents a positive step toward linking higher education with labour market retention”, with the policy set to improve the country’s retention outcomes this year, she said.

With elections scheduled this year across Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Nicaragua, Geron saw several opportunities for Latin America’s development as a study destination.

She highlighted positive policy adjustments in countries such as Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Ecuador, which, while representing progress towards internationalisation, are unlikely to significantly alter the region’s standing in higher education in 2026.

“The improved rankings, expanded scholarship schemes, and targeted English-taught provision across Latin America suggest a slow but meaningful pivot toward diversity,” said Badacchino, advising institutions in the region and beyond to articulate clear, employment-led value.

Source link

January 9, 2026
Judge rules in Trump’s favour over $100K H-1B visa fee hike

The judge ruled on December 23 that it was within the President’s powers to regulate immigration, rejecting arguments brought by the Chamber of Commerce that the proclamation exceeded Trump’s statutory authority.

“The parties’ vigorous debate over the ultimate wisdom of this political judgment is not within the province of the courts,” wrote the Obama-appointed judge Beryl Howell.

“So long as the actions dictated by the policy decision and articulated in the Proclamation fit within the confines of the law, the Proclamation must be upheld.”

The lawsuit is among two other cases challenging Trump’s controversial $100K fee for H-1B petitions, which the plaintiffs argued would lead companies, hospitals and other employers to cut jobs and weaken the services they provide to the public.

It was brought by the US Chamber of Commerce – the world’s largest business federation with roughly 300,000 members – and the Association of American Universities (AAU), which represents 69 US-based research universities.

Following the proclamation, the administration clarified international students changing status in the US would be exempt from the fee, though stakeholders have said it will undermine America’s leadership in education, research and innovation.

Zuzana Cepla Wootson, deputy director of federal policy at the Presidents’ Alliance, called the judge’s decision “deeply disappointing”.

“The United States must stop deterring the very talent that strengthens our classrooms, fuels our economy, and drives American innovation,” she said, urging Congress to “pursue bipartisan solutions that support US prosperity and competitiveness”.

The White House welcomed the ruling as a victory for American workers, vowing that Trump would continue to protect them from being replaced by “cheap, foreign labour”.

“The $100,000 payment accompanying any new H1-B petition is a necessary and long-overdue first step to reform the H-1B visa program that has been abused at the expense of hardworking Americans,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told The PIE.

The fee, which is still being challenged by two other lawsuits, hikes the cost of an H-1B visa petition by more than 20 times the previous charge, which ranged between $2,000 and $5,000.

The H-1B visa program enables US employers to temporarily hire international workers in “specialty occupations” from healthcare to computer science and financial analysis. California’s tech industry is particularly reliant on the visa stream.

The United States must stop deterring the very talent that strengthens our classrooms, fuels our economy, and drives American innovation

Zuzana Cepla Wootson, Presidents’ Alliance

“The $100,000 fee makes H-1B visas cost prohibitive for businesses, especially small- and medium-sized businesses that can least afford it,” Chamber of Commerce executive vice president Daryl Joseffer said after the ruling.

He said the chamber was considering further legal action and underscored the positive economic benefits of the H-1B stream, which has been found to reduce unemployment rates and lead to faster wage growths for US employers, according to the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).

Howell’s ruling came the same day as the government finalised a rule to replace the random H-1B selection process with a weighted system favouring higher earners – something critics say will harm the US tech industry and dampen the country’s appeal among international students. The new process will come into effect on February 27.

Source link

January 2, 2026