ABSTRACT
Over the last decade, the number of students travelling to another country in pursuit of higher education increased over 75 per cent; estimates indicate that some 3.7 million students migrate globally (Varghese 2008). Current estimates stand at 4.1 million students worldwide (OECD 2012). Globalization processes have been a key driving force that has impacted and spurred international student mobility. Although the rapid growth of student mobility is relatively recent, the desire to acquire higher education beyond national borders is itself not new; students and scholars have always sought learning opportunities around the world as a way to broaden their educational and cultural horizons. What has changed, however, is the overall context of global mobility, both in terms of who is going where, the mix of host and sending countries and the various social and economic factors that motivate students to pursue educational opportunities outside of their home country.
