British International Education: Policies Implemented, International Students Mobility (ISM) and Statistical Basis

Abstract

Policies on international students in the UK always show a strong impact on the UK higher education and society. This essay focuses on drawing a statistics-based analysis on the relations between international students and UK higher education. When analyzing the motivation of international students' decisions to receive higher education abroad, this essay indicates this from the "push-pull model" perspective and tells what factors can be counted as the keys to influence international students' decisions. To understand how international students are exactly impacted by the policies implemented, "International Student Mobility (ISR)" is introduced, with the demonstration of policies implemented for international students that brought significant changes to higher education (HE) from 2004 to 2010. When finding the statistical evidence as to the proof of the correlation between qualitative research, quantitative research and ex post facto research are all introduced in this essay to illustrate our claim from various angles. The explanations of the statistics can be concluded that even if the changing of students' policies can determine ISM, the policy implemented does not harm their existing students. Lastly, mutual benefits between international students and UK society cannot be ignored. This essay explains the factors as vital elements that are beneficial for each side to propose a more critical and inclusive policy in the UK from a higher education perspective in the future.