Students life

In the wake of COVID-19, it has become clear that public discussions about international education recovery have positioned international students predominantly as customers of an export industry. Numerous headlines focusing on lost revenues, shifts in market share and student recruitment diversification have continued to expose how international students’ value is measured largely in economic terms. The dominant discourse focusing on revenue losses facing host universities appears to overshadow international students’ enormous contributions and value to host countries’ universities, culture and society beyond financial terms. Despite its dire impact and emerging challenges, COVID-19 can offer us an opportunity to re-imagine and transform international education. However, the current focus on the economic value of international students may represent a missed opportunity to recognise and optimise the diverse cultural, intellectual and experiential values that international students can offer to internationalise online delivery, made the new normal by COVID-19, and to enrich learning for all.