The following article is adapted from the 2025 edition of ICEF Insights magazine, which is freely available to download now.
Ask 10 people working in our industry what “internationalisation” means, and you’ll get 10 answers. For some, it simply means attracting a certain volume of foreign students to a campus. For others, the goal is broader: programmes, campus, and partnerships are designed to have a global flavour.
At the government level, the concept of internationalisation changes over time and according to considerations that include foreign enrolment growth rates, labour market gaps, demographics, geo-politics, domestic politics, and the need to participate in global science or research projects.
The official international education strategies highlighted below emphasise the great extent to which foreign students figure into larger narratives around globalisation, security, and soft power. As those narratives evolve, so too do the strategies.
Australia
Strategy for International Education 2021–2030
Priorities
- Pursue sustainable growth1
- Diversify student nationalities
- Meet national skills needs
- Enhance student experience
- Improve global competitiveness
International enrolment goal
Australia is implementing an effective cap on the number of new students beginning in 2025.
Target markets
Not specified.
International student population (2023)
786,900 (+27% y-o-y)
Canada
International Education Strategy 2019–2024 (now expired; an updated strategy is pending)
Priorities
- Encourage Canadian students to go abroad, especially to Asia
- Diversify (source countries and students’ fields, levels of study, and locations of study within Canada)
- Increase support for Canadian educators
- Increase scrutiny and regulation of agents
- Invest more in digital marketing
International enrolment goal
No stated goal currently. Rather, the national government introduced a cap on new study permits for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
Target markets
Brazil, Colombia, France, Indonesia, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam.
International student population (2023)
1,041,000 (+29% y-o-y)
France
Bienvenue en France
Priorities
- Diversify beyond Africa
- Triple scholarships
- Simplify visa processes
- Make it easier for students to find housing
- Increase French campuses/partnerships abroad
International enrolment goal
500,000 international students by 2027.
Target markets
Expand recruiting outside Africa.
International student population (2023)
430,500 (+5% y-o-y)
Germany
Strategy 2025
Priorities
- Make Germany a top five study abroad destination
- Increase academic success of international students
- Increase share of international academics at German universities to 15%
- Encourage German students to study abroad
- Invest in more collaboration with foreign institutions
International enrolment goal
350,000 international students by 2020 – met in 2021.
Target markets
Not specified.
International student population (2023)
367,600 (+5% y-o-y)
Ireland
Global Citizens 2030
Priorities
- Attract the highest quality students and researchers
- Adopt a “moderate” growth strategy of about 10%
- Position Ireland as a thought leader in talent, innovation, and science policy in “small advanced economies”
- Enhance student experience
- Measure impact of international students beyond enrolments and economic value
International enrolment goal
15% of overall student population by 2025 – nearly met (international students now compose 14% of overall student population).
Target markets
Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea, Africa, South America
International student population (2023)
35,100 (+11% y-o-y)
Japan
Council for the Creation of Future Education Goals
Priorities
- Improve learning environments to attract promising foreign students
- Send 500,000 Japanese students abroad by 2033
- Develop a multinational labour market
- Make it easier for foreign graduates of top 100 universities to immigrate
- Streamline visa processes
International enrolment goal
400,000 by 2033.
Target markets
Not specified.
International student population (2023)
279,300 (+21% y-o-y)
Malaysia
Education Blueprint 2015–2025
Priorities
- Claim position as an international education hub with a difference: values-driven and globally relevant education
- Provide rich cultural experiences, balance of quality and affordability, and good quality of life
- Reach new markets through innovative programmes and partnerships
- Improve and streamline visa and immigration processes
- Communicate niche strengths in academic and research expertise (e.g., Islamic banking and finance, and tropical-related science and technology)
International enrolment goal
250,000 by 2025.
Target markets
Iran, East Africa, China, India, Indonesia.
International student population (2023)
Over 170,000 (+30% over 2021)
South Korea
Study Korea 300K Project
Priorities
- Expand scholarships for STEM students
- Stimulate economy through foreign talent
- Enhance global competitiveness of domestic universities and high-tech companies
- Become a top 10 “study abroad powerhouse”
- Increase Korea’s share of the global study abroad market from 2% to 3%
International enrolment goal
300,000 by 2027.
Target markets
China, Vietnam, Poland, UAE, India, Pakistan.
International student population (2023)
207,100 (+24% y-o-y)
New Zealand
International Education Strategy 2022–2030
Priorities
- Diversify sending markets and products, services, and modes of delivery
- Spread out international enrolments across regions
- Prioritise student well-being and excellence of education
- Commit to a sustainable sector that brings economic, social, and cultural benefits to the whole country
- Retain talented international graduates
International enrolment goal
None specified.
Target markets
China, India, and intent to diversify further.
International student population (2023)
69,100 (+67% y-o-y)
United Kingdom
International Education Strategy to 2030 (2023 Progress Update)
Priorities
- Increase education exports to £35 billion per year by 2030
- Host 600,000 international students per year
- Expand transnational education
- Collect accurate and coherent data for the sector
- Improve visa processes for students, including increased personalisation
International enrolment goal
600,000 by 2030 – met in 2020.
Target markets
China, Hong Kong, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
International student population (2023)
758,855 (+12% y-o-y)
