As Canada continues to recruit more international students, there is an “urgent need” for colleges and governments to take responsibility for improving their wellbeing, a new report has said.

The Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, a provincial agency, says international students face challenges finding affordable housing, maintaining their mental health and understanding Canadian academic culture.

Ontario colleges have become highly reliant on tuition fees paid by international students, who now make up 37% of total enrolment. This influx has created a huge demand for better services to support them, the report found.

A shortage of housing across Canada is challenging both international students and Canadians. Students, especially from India, often crowd into small apartments due to the high cost of rent.

The report noted that some Ontario colleges are recruiting international students without considering where they will live. “The high cost of housing is contributing to students’ financial stresses,” the study said.

“I find it difficult to swallow that knowing that there is a lack of housing, colleges continue to bring in more students,” commented one unnamed college representative interviewed by the council. “And then they say, ‘Well, I’m sorry but housing isn’t our responsibility.’ ”

The council has urged colleges and municipal governments to work together to ensure that there is a supply of safe and affordable housing for international students. It credits some innovative ideas, such as converting existing buildings into residences, but says more needs to be done.

With rents and food prices soaring, students are increasingly relying on jobs to make ends meet. The report notes that half of all international students are employed – up from just 18% two decades ago.

Financial, housing and academic stresses are contributing to mental health problems. However, there remains a stigma about seeking help.

“Some students have expressed a misconception that, by drawing attention to their struggles, they could somehow jeopardize their student visa,” the study noted.

Some international students have trouble understanding Canadian expectations around academic integrity and plagiarism, the report said. At the same time, Canadians often fail to comprehend the culture of overseas students.

“I would call some Canadian communities deeply culturally unaware”

“I would call some Canadian communities deeply culturally unaware,” said one college employee quoted in the report. “And this is true of some of our faculty and staff.”

In the report, the council also urged colleges to review their English-language test requirements to ensure that students have sufficient language skills to succeed.

In addition, the council questioned the practices of colleges paying overseas agents commissions to recruit students. Recent media investigations have found that some agents make exaggerated promises to prospective students about finding employment and securing permanent resident status.

The Ontario government needs to “examine the recruitment practices and incentive structures used to attract students,” the study argued.

The council called on the colleges, federal government, provinces and cities to work together to solve problems facing international students. “A strategic approach can support institutions as they build safe, welcoming communities and can help protect Ontario’s reputation as a destination for high-quality education and enterprise.”

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A province of Canada has launched its own million-dollar retention program specifically for international students, including resource and support provisions. 

The program, which has been coined Study and Succeed, has the aim of “increasing availability of skilled labour” by retaining international students after graduation, amid a country-wide labour shortage. 

“Not only are international students a critical component of our talent pipeline, they also contribute immensely to making our province more diverse and inclusive,” said Arlene Dunn, minister for Opportunities NB, the provincial government’s growth accelerator. 

She also mentioned that growing New Brunswick’s initial “population base” would be essential to addressing workforce needs – and access is “crucial for NB companies of every size”. 

The announcement also said that the program will offer access to resources, support and connections “needed to launch a successful career and fulfilling life” in New Brunswick province.

The move comes after what was a more successful uptick in enrolments than expected in Atlantic Canada, announced in November 2022.

The initiative is due to last three years, and builds on the previous Study and Stay pilot program that ran in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Finishing in 2021, it was heralded as a success, and the Study and Succeed program exclusive to New Brunswick is expected to take in nine cohorts of 100 international students by its final year in 2026. 

“International students [are] a critical component of our talent pipeline”

Funding for the project comes from both Opportunities NB and the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program run by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Each is investing around $500,000.

Announced during a conference from January 6-8 in Fredericton, the city’s MP Jenica Atwin said the government was “proud to support projects” like Study and Succeed. 

We are proud to have held the first Study and Succeed in New Brunswick conference to mark the launch of the Study and Succeed in New Brunswick program! https://t.co/v7rVPjJNrV pic.twitter.com/McrvFsXx0Q

— Opportunities NB (@ONBCanada) January 10, 2023

“[They provide] international graduate students with the tools, training, and professional contacts they need to stay in New Brunswick,” Atwin explained. 

“By creating the right networks and opportunities, we are fostering inclusion and strengthening our vibrant, diverse communities,” she added. 

The Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program, while being used in this provincial instance, is a national initiative to bolster industrial and technology “clusters” and innovation ecosystems in regions across Canada.

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Education agents in India are concerned about the spread of unethical practices among university recruitment teams working in the country, including alleged incidents of bribery, favouritism and conflicts of interest. 

Multiple agents told The PIE that they were aware of UK university regional recruitment managers asking for cash payments or a share of the agent’s commission in return for preferential treatment, including speeding up university offers. 

“Those who pay [regional managers] will get their students passed,” said one Indian agent, speaking anonymously. “Deserving candidates are definitely going to fail. Agent partners have no option but to bow and beg for offer letters.” 

In some cases, the individuals allegedly involved are not direct employees of the university, but agents holding exclusive partnerships with universities, who other agents must apply through, or companies that universities have outsourced elements of the recruitment process to, such as agent management and pre-CAS interviews. 

Although international recruitment teams and third-party organisations are separate from admission departments and can’t make offers themselves, they can influence decision-making, in part by deciding which agencies the institution will work with. 

Facing a large volume of applicants, institutions also often have ‘priority lists’ that will be reviewed more quickly. In some cases, recruitment managers can fast-track students onto these lists and suggest specific applicants who they believe should be accepted. 

“As institution capacity is limited, the delegate staff get empowered and can play a role in who gets offers and who not,” said a second agent. 

“I have observed institutions in the UK as well as Canada appointing some master agents or exclusive agents and feel that there is an element of corruption there,” they added. 

“In the case of Canada, we have often experienced an application from us that has not been offered admission to a program and that the same student gets an identical course offer through another agency.” 

“It’s basically the manager building his own business”

Some in-country recruitment managers representing both UK and Canadian institutions are also allegedly prioritising their family members who run agencies and redirecting students who plan to apply to the university directly to a close family member’s agent. 

“There are cases here of in-country officers having a brother or a wife who is working alongside them as an approved agent and receiving commissions. It is in their interest to control the competition and which [applications] get processed first,” said a third source. 

Gautham Kolluri, founder of CIP study abroad agency, said some agencies are set up by institutional representatives specifically for this purpose.

“It’s basically the manager building [their] own business,” he told The PIE. “[They have] put somebody – a friend or relative – there and [they’re] given an agreement so that they can recruit students. It’s not based on quality, it’s not based on performance.”

Agents said these practices had been spreading in recent years as thousands of international students scramble for limited university places. Between 2014 and 2021, the number of Indian students in the UK has more than tripled, creating a flooded market in which agents are forced to fight for the attention of overwhelmed universities. 

“Deserving students are waiting for offer letters forever,” added the first agent. “Whereas those who are through regional managers’ priority agents are getting their offers in a flash.”

The PIE’s survey of 58 agents working in South Asia conducted in November 2022 found a wide disparity in the average time it takes to receive an offer among agents. In several cases, when asked to name the best and worst performing universities for admissions services, the same institutions appeared in both categories. 

Some agents said they were unaware of university representatives asking for payments, but raised other issues about the way regional teams are recruited. 

“My biggest concern is around how some universities appoint their ‘in-country’ staff,” said Ravi Lochan Singh, managing director of Global Reach and president of AAERI. 

“They are often sourced from the pool for counsellors working with education agencies and it will be appropriate and desired if proper reference checks would be conducted especially if the agency is a partner agency of the university.” 

Share your experience by emailing helen@thepienews.com

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Language school Expanish has announced a new Spanish language school that will open in Malaga this April.

The location will be the provider’s fifth in four locations across Spain and Argentina.

“We’re really excited to open our fifth language school in one of the most dynamic and fashionable cities in Southern Spain,” Expanish director and co-founder Agustin Vignale said.

“From top-class museums to traditional Andalusian culture and fantastic Mediterranean beaches, the city has so much to offer study abroad students. We can’t wait to make Malaga the newest destination for our growing network of boutique language schools.”

The school – located at the heart of the historic city – will, like Expanish’s other locations, offer immersive Spanish courses, this time providing unique opportunities to discover Malaga’s cultural and leisure activities.

The provider has two centres in Barcelona – a “regular” school for students from 16-29 and a 30+ school for those over 30 years – in addition to locations in Madrid, Valencia and Buenos Aires in Argentina.

The new centre will also cater to young learners, aged 13-17, with two and four-week summer camps.

“Our students will be able to dive into traditional Andalusian culture with our truly immersive Spanish courses in Malaga,” Vignale added.

“Our team on the ground is working hard to ensure we’re ready to offer students a memorable language-learning experience on the Costa del Sol from 2023.”

The popularity of Malaga has increased drastically in the past few years – both as a destination to live as well as study, Expanish’s Murphy Scott continued.

“Due to the quality of life and cost, it is ‘booming’ in a sense with large companies like Google and Accenture opening offices there,” he told The PIE.

“Expanish also wanted to expand to a medium-sized city in order to offer a variety of study experiences of destinations in Spain. With Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga, we can offer both big cities and smaller beach destinations.”

“We also want to capture the local expat market”

With some of Europe’s “best year-round weather”, the centre will prove popular both among juniors as well as seniors, he indicated.

“We also want to capture the local expat market, which is why we offer an evening group course. With all the large companies opening offices and an increase in digital nomads choosing southern Spain to live, it is a large market for our schools and our part-time courses have become one of our most popular products,” Scott said.

“It is also a popular destination for summer groups given it is a smaller city than Barcelona and Madrid. We have some great packages for ministays and plan on receiving various groups this summer.”

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The PIE’s Maureen Manning sits down with the new executive director and CEO of NAFSA, Fanta Aw, to discuss her top goals and vision for the future of international education.

“In this field, in order for us to do the comprehensive work that is needed, we have to work together. That’s number one,” says incoming CEO of NAFSA, Fanta Aw.

Current vice president for Undergraduate Enrolment, Campus Life, and Inclusive Excellence at American University in Washington DC and with over three decades of experience in higher education administration, Aw will be joining NAFSA in March.

She is also a subject matter expert in immigration, exchange programs, and DEI in higher education.

In her interview with The PIE, Aw touched upon all of these aspects of IE, and underscored collaboration as critical to moving the needle in those areas. Moreover, it is the cornerstone of her mission at NAFSA’s helm.

“There are many organisations that are doing important, timely, and relevant work,” she states. In her new role, Aw says she aims to “intentionally and strategically build alliances across the sector”, believing, “we’re stronger together than in individual organisations”.

“We’re going to have to figure out how to work much more in comprehensive partnerships and alliances”

“Given the major challenges that we’re seeing in the sector and what the future outlook seems to indicate, we’re going to have to figure out how to work much more in comprehensive partnerships and alliances,” proffers Aw.

“Part of the answer is we have to figure out what our shared common goals are and how we ensure that, in working with others, it’s not a zero-sum game, and be able to convince that actually, it’s a win-win for all. We’re truly stronger together when we’re able to work in partnership because shared values can transcend borders.”

In considering the future of the profession, Aw notes, “The intergenerational piece is incredibly important.

“Who’s coming into the profession and how are they thinking about the future of international education? How do we engage them in this work in ways that are meaningful?” she asks. Aw argues we have to be willing to be bold and “harness that brainpower and passion”.

Further, she claims advocacy efforts have to be intentional, systemic, and sustained. Aw is a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in higher education.

Another one of her central goals for her new role at NAFSA is advancing this work across the sector.

“It will be really important for us to look at the intersection of the work of IE along with diversity, equity, and inclusion. I often say that the centre of gravity around this work is shifting along with the demographic shift that’s happening globally. We really need to be thinking about how we open up opportunities for areas of the world that have never been as engaged.”

Aw adds she is deeply committed to doing more in this space, particularly in the global south. Part of the inclusive nature of the field Aw calls, “The Big Tent.”

She affirms, “We need to be thinking about this tent, this kind of notion that there is room for so much and so many: government, non-profit, non-governmental organisations, corporations, the education sector, etc.

“And the multiplier effect of this work is one of those opportunities that we have.”

Aw states specifically for NAFSA, as a US-based organisation, the ability to engage with colleagues and others across the globe is incredibly important.

“And it has to be done in a way that it is respectful to our colleagues and to the areas we want to engage with. That requires reciprocity, mutual understanding, humility and the acceptance that we don’t have all the answers.”

Challenges that Aw anticipates will continue to plague the sector are the geopolitical landscape, threats to democracy and how economic conditions impact equity.

“But sometimes challenges really forces us to think about new opportunities,” she advises. “And we saw that with the challenges that Covid-19 brought us.

“Are we willing to shift paradigms? We have to be thinking for the long haul”

“We learned some new ways of doing things and new ways of being.” As such, Aw asks stakeholders to consider how to turn challenges into opportunities. “Are we willing to shift paradigms? We have to be thinking for the long haul. Not just today, but also, how we plan for tomorrow and the day after.”

With over 10,000 members, NAFSA celebrates its 75^th anniversary this year. In planning for the future in her new role that commences this March, Aw is reflective about the history, trajectory, and impact of the association.

“This is really a time of renewal”

“What a journey it has been for the organisation over this period of time,” she comments. Aw believes this is a prime opportunity not only to reflect on the past, but also to build upon it to help ensure a bright future for the sector.

“The field has gone through so much. We have changed; organisations and associations have changed; the world has changed. But for us, this is really a time of renewal.”

As a result, Aw says she approaches the role “with an eye for new beginnings. Working with others, asking questions, listening, and seeking the answers together; embracing change. And knowing that, yes, we have challenges ahead, certainly, but so many opportunities as well.”

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The UK government will provide an additional £15 million in hardship funding for students, it announced today. 

The money will be distributed to universities to give to students who are struggling to cope with rising costs.

The government said this will build on the £261 million student premium fund allocated this year – money aimed at supporting disadvantaged students.

“This extra funding will complement the help universities are providing through their own bursary, scholarship and hardship support schemes,” said Robert Halfon, minister for skills, apprenticeships and higher education, in a statement. 

Chloe Field, NUS vice president for higher education, welcomed the funding but said hardship funds are “a quick fix to a long-term problem which has come to a head in the cost of living crisis”. Field called on the government to implement additional measures, including a rent freeze. 

Data published by The PIE News this week shows the prolonged demand for additional financial support from universities among international students. Several British institutions paid out over £100,000 in hardship funding to non-UK students during the 2021/22 academic year, and students have continued to request help this academic year. 

Tim Bradshaw, CEO of the Russell Group, also said more government assistance is needed. “Without it, we are concerned this will have an increasing impact on students’ studies and wider mental health and wellbeing,” Bradshaw said. 

It is beyond disappointing that thousands of students in financial crisis at Approved providers will miss out on support that could mean the difference between continuing their studies or not.

— Alex Proudfoot (@AlexProudfootUK) January 11, 2023

Alex Proudfoot, CEO of Independent HE, said it was “disappointing” that the new funding would only be available to fee-cap registered institutions, rather than all providers approved by the Office for Students. 

“Hardship can affect students wherever they choose to study”

“Hardship can affect students wherever they choose to study, regardless of their institution’s particular bureaucratic status. Students should be able to count on the same support from government irrespective of whether their college or university receives other government grants,” Proudfoot wrote on twitter. 

Vivienne Stern, CEO of Universities UK, welcomed the new funding.

“Throughout this cost-of-living crisis, our members have stepped up to provide support to students, from daily meal deals to increasing hardship funding, universities are working hard to offer much needed help to students,” she said.

“This extra funding from the government will help to shore up their efforts.”

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Australian universities have been “inundated” with applications from international students as demand exceeds pre-covid levels at some institutions, with Indian students driving the rebound. 

Applications from international students were 40% higher than in 2019 at the University of Wollongong and 27% higher at the University of Queensland, according to Australian press. 

Much of the demand is from Indian students, as applications from this cohort increased by over 150% at the University of Queensland. 

Chinese applications are less stable. Macquarie University experienced a 27% decline in demand, while other institutions are seeing more interest. UNSW in Sydney and the University of Queensland reported 25% and 40% increases in application rates from China, respectively.

Speaking on ABC radio, Alex Frino, senior deputy vice-chancellor at the University of Wollongong, said that the institution decided to focus its recruitment efforts in China, India and Vietnam shortly before borders reopened. 

“The subcontinent component really took off,” Frino said. “So India is our number one source country and Pakistan is our number two. Nepal is our number three. So the subcontinent’s really responding and responding quickly, at record levels.”

While Frino said the University of Wollongong has been “inundated” with applications, he described demand across the sector as “patchy” but “reasonably strong”. The picture is also “mixed” for independent providers, according to Troy Williams, CEO of ITECA, with members concerned about high student visa application rejection rates.

“The student visa application rejection rate is more profound in the international skills training sector, with some members now questioning whether their institution will be viable over the medium term,” Williams said.

“Only today, one ITECA [member] suggested that the department seems to be openly contemptuous of the international skills training sector, and this is not an isolated view across ITECA’s membership.”

Frino blamed the “poor response” from China on geopolitical tensions and China’s border closure. 

“We really don’t know which of those two reasons account for the huge drop in applications from Chinese students and we’ll soon find out now that the borders have opened. As the next few weeks unfold, applications and application numbers from China will tell us whether it was the geopolitical situation or the closure of borders that was holding back applications.”

Many countries, including Australia, have introduced testing requirements for Chinese nationals, but Frino didn’t believe this would be detrimental to the return of international students. 

“We can and must do more to entice the best and brightest to our shores”

There are also concerns that the country is not prepared for the influx of new arrivals – researchers have warned there is not enough affordable accommodation after they found that 70% of students surveyed were going without food so they could pay rent.

It comes as the Australian government releases a new report showing that international students drove a recovery in migration figures in 2022 after the country experienced a net outflow of 85,000 migrants due to Covid-19 in 2020/21. Despite this, recovery is not expected to fully offset the loss and the country is expected to remain “smaller and older than would otherwise have been the case”. 

Catriona Jackson, CEO at Universities Australia, said the population statement “confirms international students play a vitally important role in our migration mix”. 

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A survey of Finland’s universities of applied sciences has revealed that increasing numbers of students are finding themselves unable to enter the country due to visa issues. 

ARENE, the group representing the rectors of the country’s applied sciences institutions, found that out of all institutions, a significant proportion were only seeing 60-80% of their international students arrive at all. 

Almost half of the students from abroad that were eventually admitted to Finland had not arrived in the country by the beginning of December last year, despite studies starting in August and September.

“The residence permit handling [was not] successful last year in many areas and therefore many institutions suffered losses,” Joanna Kumpula, head of international education and integration support at Tampere University told The PIE News.

The survey also referred to places being cancelled because of the visa backlogs, and ARENE also recognised that another challenge for the immigration service is the “unreasonable length of them” student visa renewal tends to take in the country.

“When the legislation concerning student residence permits changed last year, we did openly note that the issue most often is not the Finnish immigration services but the consulate backlogs for the identification process,” she explained. 

Sandra Slotte, who has worked in internationalisation of higher education for 15 years and currently works as head of sustainable career support at Arcada University of Applied Sciences, said this identification process has been a pain point for a long time. 

“This is not just a pandemic backlash,” she clarifies, talking to The PIE.

After tuition fees were introduced in 2017, numbers dropped slightly for general universities, and slightly more sharply for universities of applied sciences – but neither figure ever truly suffered, and Finland is now seeing record numbers of international student applications. 

The PIE also reported on problems around residence permit delays in 2019.

“That aim to attract and retain as many international students as possible, tripling the amount of international degree students by 2030 and getting 75% of them to stay in Finland to work – huge national policies – is dependent on the fact that people are able to get into the country,” explained Slotte. 

“We try to be flexible and support them so that we can have them on campus in August or get them started online if not. As some of them aren’t getting the residence permits in time, they are understandably stressed and worried and reach out to us but there is nothing higher education institutions can do about the actual visa process,” she added.

“This is not just a pandemic backlash”

The executive director of ARENE, Ida Mielityinen, also concurred that the goal to triple numbers by the end of the decade meant students would require students to actually “arrive on time”. 

Slotte also elaborated on how higher education institutions are now more dependent on those tuition fees after cuts to education funding for a variety of reasons. 

“Tuition fees obviously are going to be charged for those who actually make it to Finland. And now we have the situation where the higher education institutions don’t get the funding if the students don’t arrive,” she added. 

The identification process is currently the crux of the problem, according to schools in the survey. Students have to go to a Finnish embassy or consulate to identify themselves before they are admitted to the country, but some students have had to wait up to six months for access to identification, resulting in what Slotte referred to as a bottleneck.

“With the technical changes introduced during the spring – for example the so-called automatic activation, the aim is to continue to respond to scheduling challenges. At the same time, we are also cooperating with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland to make the initial phase of the process smoother,” said a statement sent to The PIE from the Finnish Immigration Service. 

It argued that there was actually a speed-up in summer visa processing – and that despite the strong increase in the number of applications, “the average processing time has not increased to the same extent”.

“The residence permit handling [was not] successful last year in many areas”

The service is confident that with its work with the foreign affairs branch during the spring, it will be “able to better respond to the growing number of applications during the next summer season”. 

However, Slotte also pointed out that a simpler, more enduring issue may still hamper the speed-up of Finland’s visa processing for students. 

“Timing-wise, there seems to be a mismatch between the annual summer leave for staff at Finnish embassies and consulates abroad, and the most active period for study-based visa applications,” she said. 

While Kumpula mentioned that the backlogs were to be expected as numbers started to climb post-Covid, applied science universities are being affected more than other institutions. She was not sure whether it would let up leading into another academic year, given that numbers would continue to climb. 

“Our deadline for international masters level applications is January 11 and Tampere already has an almost 200% increase in applications,” she noted.

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