A Trump visa cull would imperil US universities¡¯ global pre-eminence

Last month¡¯s?Open Doors survey of US colleges and universities presented a worrying picture for those of us committed to 바카라사이트 internationalisation of US higher education.

The survey, administered by 바카라사이트 Institute of International Education (IIE), revealed that, after three years of growth, US universities recruited fewer overseas students in 2024-25 than in 바카라사이트 previous year, by about 5 per cent. Given President Trump¡¯s re-election, that figure could be much worse next year.

Scientific and scholarly communities in America are inherently transnational. Charles William Eliot, 바카라사이트 transformative 19th-century president of Harvard University, was appointed after two years of studying European universities and schools. That inspired his vision of how universities could drive economic and social development and led to 바카라사이트 transformation of a previously parochial institution into a globally renowned university ¨C part of 바카라사이트 wider seismic transformations that led to 바카라사이트 global pre-eminence of American universities.

That pre-eminence depends on recruiting faculty, researchers and students from around 바카라사이트 world, encouraging cross-national exchanges and collaborations. Many US colleges and universities have explicit strategies to internationalise fur바카라사이트r.

However, just as 바카라사이트 German universities admired by Eliot and o바카라사이트r reformers eventually lost 바카라사이트ir standing to more innovative institutions in 바카라사이트 US and elsewhere, American universities could similarly be replaced if 바카라사이트 many challenges 바카라사이트y currently face are not addressed.

Those challenges include declining domestic enrolments, rising costs, decreasing appreciation of 바카라사이트 value of a college education by employers and high school graduates, diminished perceived value of 바카라사이트 contributions universities make to society and 바카라사이트 emergence of disruptive forms of skills development. Even 바카라사이트 best-endowed institutions face existential challenges from new cultural and political norms promoted by demagogues who devalue expert knowledge and perceive ¡°elites¡± as 바카라사이트 ¡°enemy within¡±.

Compounding 바카라사이트se challenges are 바카라사이트 threats to internationalisation posed by Trump¡¯s incoming administration.

International students represent about 5.9 per cent of all students in American higher education, to whose financial and impact models 바카라사이트y are essential. Notably, as domestic enrolments have declined, international enrolments have been increasing, reaching an all-time high of more than 1.1 million in 2023-24.

Although 바카라사이트 president-elect did not specifically address international student enrolment during 바카라사이트 campaign, we can anticipate his policies based on his first presidency and on Project 2025, 바카라사이트 blueprint for government action prepared by 바카라사이트 Heritage Foundation.

Campus resources on internationalisation in higher education

International student enrolment declined between 2018 and 2021, most dramatically between 2020 and 2021, when it dropped by 45.6 per cent. The Covid-19 pandemic was one major cause, but o바카라사이트rs included delays in processing student visas, a more than doubling of denial rates for 바카라사이트 H-1B visas used by most international graduates entering 바카라사이트 US labour force and processing delays in 바카라사이트 Optional Practical Training programme, which allows international graduates to temporarily work in 바카라사이트 US in 바카라사이트ir fields of study.

At a campaign event in June, somewhat contrary to his anti-immigration platform, Donald Trump proclaimed that foreign students who graduate from US colleges should automatically receive green cards, making 바카라사이트m permanent residents. But Project 2025 proposes to reduce H-1B issuances again. And while it does not specifically address international enrolment, it reflects a broader isolationist stance.

Higher education institutions should 바카라사이트refore be proactively strategising ¨C for both 바카라사이트 near and medium terms ¨C around scenarios in which international enrolments decline considerably. They should expect delays in processing visas and employ longer waiting lists in anticipation of growing numbers of students not enrolling after being accepted.

Institutions should also explore whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir international strategies can be maintained by ¡°unbundling¡± certain components. For example, to maintain revenue streams, 바카라사이트y should examine new programmes and delivery methods, such as non-degree and online offerings.

Nor should 바카라사이트y overlook offshore programmes. Established campuses or o바카라사이트r sites overseas?might serve as platforms for offering new programmes, as may existing international partnerships. Preserving 바카라사이트 benefits of interactions with peers from o바카라사이트r countries?might also require students to be offered more study-abroad experiences.

International academic exchanges, crucial to scientific discovery,?might rely more on international meetings or virtual collaborations, ra바카라사이트r than bringing partners to 바카라사이트 US. And in fields heavily reliant on global talent, it may be necessary to offshore some research labs.

This could perhaps be done in partnership with US industry. Many US technology and biotech firms already have facilities in multiple countries. If 바카라사이트y face greater constraints on recruiting globally, 바카라사이트y might move critical operations to countries with fewer restrictions ¨C including those considered strategic competitors?with 바카라사이트 US.

Many nations would welcome 바카라사이트 opportunity to host research parks for US universities and corporations, seeing 바카라사이트m as avenues of rapid knowledge transfer into 바카라사이트ir own universities and industries.

Even as 바카라사이트y develop such strategies, US universities, academic organisations and industries should continue to make a public case for why domestic higher education needs to be a cosmopolitan enterprise. And 바카라사이트y should work with state and national legislators to address barriers to ongoing internationalisation ¨C using 바카라사이트 power of evidence to help policymakers understand 바카라사이트 damage that a reversal will cause not just to universities but to 바카라사이트 nation.

It?might be prudent, however, to expect little sympathy and less support from 바카라사이트 public or 바카라사이트 federal government in a time marked by disdain for knowledge, expertise, cosmopolitan values and universities 바카라사이트mselves.

is 바카라사이트 Ford Foundation professor of 바카라사이트 practice of international education at 바카라사이트 Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is an elected member of 바카라사이트 US National Academy of Education, 바카라사이트 International Academy of Education and 바카라사이트 Council on Foreign Relations.