B Stephen Okeke
Nigeria has been ranked as the third biggest
source of international students in the world, according to a new global
education report released by United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
The report revealed that
Nigerian students accounted for five per cent of all people studying outside
their home countries in 2023, placing the country behind only China and India
in worldwide student migration.
The findings were
published in UNESCO’s first Higher Education Global Trends Report released on
Tuesday.
According to the report,
international student movement continues to grow rapidly around the world
despite the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
UNESCO explained that
outbound student mobility refers to the countries where international students
originally come from before travelling abroad for studies.
China
remained the leading source of international students globally with 37 per
cent, while India followed closely with 29 per cent.
Nigeria
and Germany shared the third position with five per cent each.
Other
countries listed among the top contributors included Viet Nam, Uzbekistan, the
United States, France, Pakistan and Nepal, all recording four per cent each.
The
report further showed that almost half of all students studying abroad in 2023
came from just 10 countries.
Education
analysts believe Nigeria’s growing presence on the list reflects the increasing
number of young Nigerians seeking better educational opportunities overseas.
Many
students are now looking outside the country due to concerns over limited
admission spaces, unstable academic calendars, frequent strikes and the desire
for internationally recognised qualifications.
According
to UNESCO, global student migration has nearly tripled within the last two
decades.
The
organisation stated that the number of students studying abroad increased from
2.5 million in 2002 to about 7.3 million in 2023.
It
added that the figure could rise to nine million by the year 2030 if the
current trend continues.
UNESCO
described international education as an increasingly important part of global
higher education, saying the movement of students across borders has created
stronger academic and cultural exchanges between nations.
However,
the organisation noted that only a small percentage of students worldwide
currently benefit from studying abroad.
Despite
the rising numbers, less than three per cent of higher education students
globally are involved in academic mobility.
The
report described international education as largely elitist, stressing that
studying abroad is still mainly accessible to people from financially
comfortable backgrounds.
According
to UNESCO, many talented students around the world remain unable to access
foreign education opportunities because of high tuition fees, visa
difficulties, travel costs and economic hardship.
The
report also stated that several factors influence global student migration.
These include the quality of local universities, economic conditions, visa
policies, government support and opportunities for work after graduation.
UNESCO
further revealed that many countries are now introducing policies aimed at
encouraging more students to study abroad.
About
35 per cent of governments worldwide, the report said, have set clear targets
to promote international student mobility.
The
organisation added that East Asia and the Pacific recorded the largest share of
outbound students globally in 2023, followed by South and West Asia.
For Nigeria, the latest ranking highlights the growing
determination of many young people to seek education, exposure and better
opportunities beyond the country’s borders.
Post a Comment