Shifting Trends in International Education

There’s no denying that the world is changing. Apart from the world-changing due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, international education trends are likewise shifting.

The past two years have been a really interesting time for the world at large. The ill-effects of the COVID-19 virus have wreaked havoc on countless lives, causing health issues and even worse. Yet the world somehow coped, thanks to lockdowns and a change in lifestyle for many folks around the world.

Then there is the international education sector, which is currently seeing a shift in trends that involve chosen destination countries, a shift in school systems, and even chosen programs. 

To be more specific, international education trends now include:

• A move away from the US and STeM programs: Thanks in no small part to widening choices, international students are veering away from STeM or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math courses in favor of business, the arts, or even Humanities. By the same token, these students aren’t too keen on studying in the United States as colleges and universities here are more focused on STeM subjects. 
• Choosing non-traditional countries as study destinations: Just like the aforementioned item, more students are looking to non-traditional countries as their study destinations. One of these is Ukraine for medical school. Thanks to the more affordable cost, less stringent admissions, and equally high-quality standards, students tend to look here, as well as in Eastern European countries. 
• Branching out: Indian universities, for instance, are beginning to put up in certain parts of the world. Taking their cue from their UAE IT school counterparts, these colleges and universities offer a global quality of education at much friendlier prices. 
• Going digital: One effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it has made the world go digital. We refer to digital passports that offer one a form of identification, albeit in a digital, contactless way. Then there are online universities that still offer the same high-quality education done in a virtual manner. The latter is seen to be of great value to CEOs, individuals with families who cannot simply pick and transfer to another country, and others who wish to get a global education yet must do so from their home country. 

Yes, the world is definitely changing. Whether or not these shifting trends will be beneficial to international students remains to be seen. For now, this is how the world and international education look to be shaping up. 

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