The research from academics at the University of Oxford uses data spanning the last two decades to reveal the impact of international mobility on poverty alleviation, highlighting the contribution international students make to the development of their home countries after studying abroad.
According to the study, students from middle and low-income countries study abroad not only to access a better education system, but they also acquire new skills and credentials while experiencing different cultures in a “transnational” space.
At the University of Brighton, more than 2,500 international students are welcomed every year, including through specialised scholarships and funding schemes which target applicants from low-income countries. This drives progress and knowledge, enriches the transnational experience, and prepares students for when they return home.
Back in their home countries, the research finds, students’ skills and global understanding tend to drive economic and social development in their communities.
As the world celebrates International Students' Day on 17 November, we highlight how students from our international community are contributing to the development of their home countries.
One of them is Caroline Mukebezi, who received the University of Brighton Forward Bound Scholarship for her Master’s degree in Health Promotion. Her organisation, Pathway Foundation for Health and Economic Empowerment (PFHEE), was awarded a $50,000 grant by the Elton John AIDS Foundation to improve access to HIV response for vulnerable people – especially adolescents and young girls – in her native Uganda.