InBrief: November + December 2017

In this issue: growth in the college-age African population; declining growth in international high school enrollment; India's struggles to attract international students; shorter education abroad opportunities closing the mobility gap; Australia's upward trend in international student enrollment; and U.S. colleges missing enrollment targets.

College-Age African Population Projected to Grow Strongly for Decades

Increased competition, government investment and strategy, and English language learning opportunities are among the top 10 trends that will have the greatest impact on higher education and the future of international student mobility, according to a recent report from the British Council, 10 Trends—Transformative Changes in Higher Education.

Globally, demographic changes primarily center on the fact that median ages in industrialized countries are trending older, which will translate into more intense competition among colleges and universities for fewer students. Africa is the expected outlier in this trend, with its population of college-age adults expected to grow strongly for decades. The report projects that Africa’s 18- to 22-year-old population will exceed Asia’s by about 2080.

As competition for students intensifies, the report anticipates that governments around the world will increasingly focus on developing formalized international student recruitment strategies and initiatives. These education goals are also expected to play a more dominant role in the countries’ broader trade and economic policies. 

The report also explores the relationship between English language learning and student mobility. As online and other opportunities for English-language learning increase in countries that speak other languages, the international education sector may see a steady increase in students choosing