We just talk about the good stuff

US college and university campuses have spent the past few weeks busily welcoming students back to campus, including hundreds of thousands of international students who have returned to complete their degrees.

But unlike their American counterparts, international students who hope to apply their hard-earned knowledge and skills to work temporarily in the United States upon graduation must instead navigate an uncertain, complex and unwelcoming immigration system.

And while our outdated immigration laws impose barriers, other nations continue to improve their own immigration frameworks to compete for this talent.

Congress should update US immigration policies to allow those educated by our institutions to stay and contribute to our economy, not only to give international students a chance to gain practical experience to complete their education but also to meet the workforce needs of employers seeking talent.

International students bring significant benefits to our campuses and communities. They not only make our classrooms more global and diverse, helping to prepare our own students to meet global challenges and opportunities, but also represent a vital component of leading research, economic vitality and America’s reputation around the world.

The out-of-state tuition most of them pay helps to combat rising costs for US students. New numbers will be published by NAFSA this fall, but at last count, international students contributed $33.8 billion a year and created more than 335,000 jobs.

Nine states broke the $1 billion mark in economic contributions from these students (California, New York, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, Ohio and Michigan). These reports are also broken down by state and congressional district.

Impressively, these students from abroad pursue degrees in the United States primarily at their own expense. According to the most recent Open Doors report, more than half of all international students fund their education primarily through personal and family sources, and for undergraduate students, that number goes up to 83%. US government funding only comprises 0.2% of funding for international students.

Why is it so difficult for international students who invest so much in their US degrees to gain practical experience and work temporarily?

Given the significant benefits these students bring to our communities, one might think that the US government, like other countries, would have a proactive national strategy to attract and support them, and even more, to convince them to stay and work here after graduation.

Instead, our immigration system is governed by stringent and outdated policies that make it difficult for international students to choose the United States as a study destination in the first place and to transition into a more permanent employment-based immigration status after graduation.

“From the start, we signal to them that they are not encouraged to stay and work here”

First, until Congress updates US immigration law to include “dual intent” for international students, each individual applying for a visa to study in the United States must prove to the satisfaction of the interviewing consular officer that they intend to depart the United States immediately upon the completion of their academic program.

From the start, we signal to them that they are not encouraged to stay and work here. In contrast, other nations have adopted policies that welcome students to not only study but to work as well.

The specific limitations on work opportunities for international students in the United States begin during their first year of study when they are restricted to less than 20 hours of on-campus work. They continue as they face difficulties in participating in internships or practical training, culminating in the uncertainty of whether they will be able to obtain one of the very limited temporary work visas available to foreign nationals.

With a nationwide lottery of only 65,000 H-1B visas available annually for those with a bachelor’s degree and a mere 20,000 for those with advanced degrees, demand clearly exceeds supply. Surveys of students show concerns about career opportunities in the United States.

“Do you feel you were prepared for your career exploration in the US?” Students who did not feel prepared to explore career opportunities were worried about how hard it is to get a job or internship. Source: Interstride

Canada has been quick to take advantage of the United States’s inability to find ways to keep this talent with their “Tech Talent Strategy;” applications quickly exceeded the new 10,000 limit in less than 48 hours.

Stuart Anderson of the National Foundation for American Policy noted in Forbes: “The response is likely a warning sign to US policymakers that many highly sought foreign-born scientists and engineers in the United States are dissatisfied with the US immigration system and seeking other options. Canada may reopen the program and accept more applications if it finds not all applicants are approved and entered the country to work.”

Congress can fix this.

Our nation would do well to allow those educated by our institutions to stay and contribute their knowledge and skills to our economy. There is broad, bipartisan support for “stapling a green card” to the diploma of international students graduating from US colleges and universities.

Congress should create a direct path to green cards for international student alumni, eliminate the green card backlogs and prevent future backlogs. Priority should be given to those with PhDs, master’s, bachelor’s and associate’s degrees from US higher education institutions, and should represent the wide range of fields of study needed in our economy.

Congress should also strengthen Optional Practical Training so that these students can gain hands-on learning in the workplace upon graduation. OPT permits international students studying at colleges and universities in the United States on F-1 visas to pursue “practical training” with a US employer in a position directly related to their course of study.

Experiential learning through OPT is a key component of US higher education. The program allows students to supplement their higher education degree program with valuable practical training experience as they start their careers, as their domestic counterparts are able to do. Many competitor countries like Australia and Canada have similar programs that attract students away from the United States.

Moreover, the US Department of Homeland Security should issue guidance that makes it easier for international students to participate in internships and gain other practical work experience during their studies through Curricular Practical Training.

Last summer, the Senate held an important hearing on strengthening our workforce through higher education and immigration, and the Presidents’ Alliance, where I serve as a senior policy advisor, submitted extensive policy recommendations.

It’s time for Congress to adjust our immigration law to permit a smoother entry for work for skilled graduates of US colleges and universities. Doing so will benefit us all.

About the author: This is the third article in a series from Jill Welch. Jill is an international education policy expert with more than two decades serving in senior policy leadership positions both inside and outside of government, including the Hill, the Institute of International Education, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and the U.S. Institute of Peace. She currently leads Out of Many, One, a consulting practice supporting nonprofit organisations in achieving inclusive, progressive, and bold goals that advance the democratic values on which the United States was founded. She also serves as Senior Policy Advisor for the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

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An exhibition run by two former international exchange students from Ukraine prompted EAIE delegates to reflect on those who couldn’t finish their studies due to the war in the country. 

Unissued Diplomas, an exhibition founded by Nazarii Nykolaichuk and co-ordinated by Anastasiia Dovbnia, was available to see in the expo hall at EAIE in Rotterdam.

The exhibition tells the stories of Ukrainian students who never got to finish their degrees because they were killed fighting in the war or during acts of Russian aggression. 

“Our exhibition is trying to tell the story [of these people]”

The 36 lives of students are reflected upon in the exhibition, with each story having been told through interviews with parents and various documents compiled by Nykolaichuk and the rest of the team.

“We started the project when a friend was killed on the front line, who was 15 years old,” Nykolaichuk told The PIE News. 

“Our exhibition is trying to tell the story [of these people]. When putting it together, we knew that some of the students had gone to the military, and they knew that going into the army, they could die. 

“But with the civilians, it was even more difficult,” Nykolaichuk explained.

Each poster shows a pseudo “diploma”, with a seal and a mark of bravery underneath. One tells the story of Hlib Ivanov, 21, who was studying at the National University Kyiv-Molya Academy. 

“Hlib chose political science as his major and dreamed of helping create [a] strong Ukraine,” the “diploma” read. 

“Hlib confidently declared his desire to join the military. So, on the second day of the full-scale invasion, he officially joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine with his father. 

“Hlib died during the hellish battles for Bakhmut,” it concludes. 

The diplomas are finished with a sigil created specifically for the students, to signify their bravery. 

The slogan for the exhibition was “when your classroom turns into a battlefield, your major becomes bravery”.

“We wanted to highlight all these students that we were supposed to study with, and to graduate with,” Dovbnia, the HR manager and a core member of the Unissued Diploma project said. 

“We then translated it into English, and eventually it’s now available in Danish, Japanese, French, German, Finnish – and it has been exhibited in over 70 countries,” she continued.

When The PIE talked to Dovbnia and Nykolaichuk, a delegate looked pensive as she walked around the exhibit, reading the stories of those who will never graduate from university. 

A 37th student was also to be included in the exhibition. Her name was Leah, Dovbnia said, but it was found that because her entire family was killed in the fighting as well as her, there are no records to accurately write out her diploma. 

“That’s probably the most memorable thing for certain audiences,” Dovbnia noted. 

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In the midst of Norway’s enchanting fjords and endless summer daylight, a gathering of educators takes place at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences in Bergen.

This assembly is a testament to the transformative power of the Norwegian Panorama Virtual Exchange and Collaborative Online International Learning Partnerships Initiative, a visionary government policy that’s reshaping how Norwegian higher education institutions engage with the world.

The initiative represents Norway’s first nationwide VECOIL program. Its aim is clear: to forge partnerships between Norwegian institutions and their counterparts in the US and Japan, two seasoned players in the world of VECOIL.

Together, the American Association of Colleges and Universities, the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills and the Institute on Innovative Global Education at Kansai University, Japan, have collaborated on the comprehensive program.

It includes online professional development, in-person workshops, customised mentoring, and campus visits for 19 higher education institutions from the three countries.

The institute’s beauty lies in its ability to foster brand-new partnerships.

For instance, VID Specialised University in Oslo and St. John’s University in Queens, NY, discovered common ground during an AAC&U online networking session, leading to a unique collaboration.

They’re linking first-year undergraduates at St. John’s with graduate students at VID to explore the concept of community across different cities and cultures. This highlights the potential of virtual exchanges in forging connections and expanding global collaborations.

VECOIL’s strength lies in its ability to facilitate interdisciplinary projects that span cultures and fields of study. This approach not only enriches the learning experience but also equips students with critical skills needed in today’s ever-evolving workplace.

It also fosters inclusivity and global citizenship by creating an environment where diverse perspectives converge. The culturally responsive practices, appreciation for global interdependencies and the sense of shared responsibility for global challenges that the program encourages empowers students to become global citizens capable of positive change.

The partnership between Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Kansai University, and Florida International University exemplifies the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration. Professors from diverse fields are collaborating on projects like researching multinational corporations’ social responsibility and exploring sustainable financial approaches in various countries.

Norway’s commitment to quality and accessibility in higher education is evident, with a significant portion of the population completing higher education. The country hosts over 300,000 students, including 24,000 international students. Similarly, about 20,000 Norwegians study abroad. Norway is dedicated to fostering global perspectives.

“Norway is dedicated to fostering global perspectives”

The country’s higher education system, consisting of 23 state-owned universities and university colleges, is strategically spread across the country. This commitment to accessibility ensures that students from diverse backgrounds can access quality education.

Even in the remote reaches of Svalbard, an Arctic archipelago, there’s a university centre with a strong international profile, demonstrating Norway’s commitment to expanding education across borders. The Norwegian Panorama VECOIL Partnerships Initiative complements this by creating a platform for cross-cultural collaborations.

As Norway invests in higher education and initiatives like VECOIL, it moves closer to its goal of having 50% of higher education students participate in study abroad programs by 2030. VECOIL complements physical study abroad programs by democratising international experiences, making them accessible to more students.

Within VECOIL, educators have the freedom to design projects that promote critical thinking and open dialogue. The freedom fosters intellectually stimulating learning experiences, creating a transformative and inclusive global learning community.

One project between Florida Gulf Coast University and University of Bergen aims to explore American and Norwegian queer history, contributing to The Norwegian Archive for Queer History. However, challenges like potential conflicts arising from new US state laws must be navigated thoughtfully.

As the 2023/24 academic year approaches, the ripple effects of the Norwegian Panorama VECOIL Partnerships Initiative will be felt in classrooms worldwide. The experiences, connections, and insights gained will inform future VECOIL courses, inspire deeper partnerships, and contribute to the transformation of higher education globally.

The journey of VECOIL in Norway is just beginning, but its potential to shape higher education into an interconnected and inclusive global community is boundless.

It envisions a future where VECOIL empowers educators, innovates global learning, and unites minds worldwide to address our most pressing challenges. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration and technology-enabled education in creating a brighter future for higher education worldwide.

About the author: Veronica Onorevole is the Director of Innovative Global Education Initiatives at AAC&U, leading international partnerships, digital education strategies, and global thought leadership. She founded the ACE VE/COIL Transformation Lab, expanding US higher education collaborations globally. Formerly with IIE, Veronica administered the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, pioneering scholars’ return to Burma. She created Fulbright ASEAN Research and U.S.-Taiwan programs. Veronica lived in Japan as an exchange student and JET Program participant. Recognised as a Japan specialist, she holds degrees from Rutgers and American University, including a U.S. Naval Academy appointment and honourable discharge.

Curious to explore more about the Norwegian Panorama VECOIL Partnerships Initiative and the diverse projects it supports? Visit AAC&U’s VECOIL website for an in-depth look at this transformative initiative and its global impact.

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On an overcast Wednesday morning in Western India, a coach pulls up between a skyscraper and a building site. Pro vice-chancellors and university directors step out of the vehicle one by one, school-trip style. 

They arrived in the state of Gujarat the previous evening, landing at a noticeably glossy airport. Narendra Modi, India’s current prime minister, served as chief minister here for 13 years and the region has seen considerable investment over the past two decades. 

The city they are visiting is two hours south of the town where he was born and is the shining star of the state’s infrastructure glow-up. 

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, also known as GIFT City, is India’s first and only international finance hub. It was thought up by Modi himself as a way of rivalling the likes of Hong Kong and Singapore, primarily by following their template for success. Limited regulations and tax breaks will incentivise foreign companies to invest in India, so the theory goes. 

Top international universities have been invited to set up alongside the investment banks and management consultancies that are quickly populating the city’s soaring skyscrapers. University leaders have come to see for themselves whether they want their brand to be a part of Modi’s big plans. 

Boosting trade with India

Photo: British Council India

The group has been in the country for several days already as part of a trade mission organised by the UK government’s Department for Business and Trade, Department for Education and the British Council, meeting their Indian counterparts and discussing opportunities for collaboration. 

GIFT City is just one option allowing international branch campuses to be set up India, something that has only become possible recently under sweeping government reforms that position education as a tool to accelerate India’s development and economic success. 

For UK universities, deciding to establish education links here is a no-brainer. In 2022, India overtook China as the biggest sender of students to the UK and demand for international education is unrivalled in the world’s most populous country. 

“If you take the scale of India and you take the quality of the students and you take the desire of universities in India to partner with UK institutions, it’s just a fantastic opportunity,” said Andrew Atherton, vice president for international and engagement at the University of Southampton. 

An agreement between India and the UK to recognise one another’s qualifications, the details of which are currently being negotiated, is also expected to make offering transnational education in India that much easier.

“The direction of travel is the same”

“The direction of travel is the same as we both look to greater internationalisation of our sectors,” Sir Steve Smith, the UK government’s international education champion, told delegates on the first day of the mission. 

Institutional matchmaking

Photo: British Council India

From Russell Group institutions to private universities, the spectrum of Britain’s higher education system is represented among the group. With 27 universities present (and many more waitlisted applicants), this is the largest higher education delegation the government has taken abroad. But when it comes to size, the UK’s sector pales in comparison to India, which is home to over 1,000 universities of different shapes and sizes. 

Delegates have a chance to visit some of these during the week, from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, a public research-intensive university with a 545 acre campus (complete with its own crocodile, if the rumours are to be believed), to Ashoka university, a private liberal arts and science institute located on the outskirts of Delhi. 

During the first two days of the mission, representatives from both country’s universities mingle at the British Council’s offices in India’s capital, where just a week ago UK prime minister Rishi Sunak kicked around a football in the courtyard with Indian students before heading to the G20 summit. 

Academics exchange business cards and chat about partnerships over chai. Many are in the market for collaborating on dual and joint degrees, as well as growing research partnerships, but it quickly becomes clear that finding a suitable match could be the biggest challenge of the week for both sides. 

India’s elite public institutions and some of the private universities that are rapidly flying up the rankings are looking to establish collaborations of equal weight, while the UK’s younger universities and post-92s want partners who can match their ethos and international ambitions. 

“It’s really important to build those relationships now”

British universities aren’t just competing with one another for opportunities in India, but with the rest of the world. “There is a strong interest from Indian universities in partnerships with the UK, but certainly not only with the UK and so it’s really important to build those relationships now,” said Mark Crossey, assistant director for policy and global engagement at Universities UK International. 

Photo: British Council India

Alison Barrett, Director India at the British Council, is optimistic about Britain’s reputation in India. “The quality of the UK higher education system is really well known,” she said, a point backed up by record student mobility numbers. 

One example of a seemingly good match is the University of Birmingham’s recent partnership with IIT Madras, which has seen the institutions launch a joint master’s in artificial intelligence and data science. The first group of students began the 18-month program this summer.

They will spend six months in Madras before completing a short industrial placement. They can then spend five or twelve months in the UK and will conclude the program in either Birmingham or Chennai.

“We have moved very rapidly with discussions commencing in June 2022 and the program launched in May 2023,” said Dipankar Chakraborty, regional director for South Asia and the Middle East at the University of Birmingham. He added that the “commitment from senior leadership” at both institutions made a huge difference to the success of the partnership.

India’s internationalisation plans

While lower-ranked UK universities may find themselves overlooked by more elite institutions, there is still plenty of potential as all of the India’s universities look to internationalise – a relatively new concept for some. 

India’s National Education Policy, launched in 2020, calls on universities to develop student and faculty exchanges, set up research and teaching collaborations, and establish international offices to support foreign students. Indian academics are taking these instructions seriously. 

“Institutions are changing their outlook on international collaborations”

“What I got out of this week is really a sense of change in India,” said Caroline Baylon, pro vice-chancellor for international at the University of Reading. “It’s really striking how much institutions are changing their outlook on international collaborations.”

The next step will be translating the initial excitement on both sides into meaningful outcomes. Before the trip, universities were advised that one quality partnership is better than multiple surface-level ones. 

“I’m quite sure that everybody in this room has a drawer full of MOUs that have been signed and are still sitting in the drawer,” said Agnes Nairn, pro vice-chancellor for global engagement at the University of Bristol, speaking at a conference session organised by the British Council. 

Throughout the week, Indian institutions also expressed their desire to welcome more UK students to their campuses – something the British Council wants to help facilitate. Barrett herself is a testament to the benefits of these kinds of exchanges. “I came here myself in my twenties to learn Hindi… and you can see I never really left,” she said. 

The branch campus question

Photo: The PIE News

More widely, India’s ambition is to become a hub for foreign students. “We are trying to promote India as a destination for affordable, quality education,” said Pankaj Mittall, secretary general at the Association of Indian Universities. 

Foreign branch campuses are a key part of this: Indian policy-makers hope students from the continent will be attracted by the promise of a degree from a renowned university, without having to fork out the costs required to study in a more expensive part of the world. 

“I feel that this is the beginning”

In an air-conditioned office in Gujarat, the pro vice-chancellors question GIFT City’s regulators on the finer details of what setting up in India really means, from where students will live to what happens after the ten year tax-free window is up. 

But those interested in setting up their own teaching space in India are not limited to these 886 acres. The Indian government is expected to release full guidelines on establishing branch campuses across the rest of the country soon. Without the tax incentives, however, questions remain about whether doing so will be financially viable for British universities, many of whom have little cash to spare. 

By the end of the trip, most of the delegates have run out of business cards but have gained, they say, a deep understanding of the prospects and challenges in India. In Mumbai, where the trip wraps up for those on the GIFT City route, they tuck in to a final biryani at the British Trade Commissioner for South Asia’s residence and meet guests representing Indian industry. They enthuse about how welcoming the country has been. 

“The seeds are sown,” said Debra Hinds, pro vice-chancellor international at Arden. “I feel that this is the beginning.” 

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