Experts urge partnerships amid global

Education experts warn that major study destinations are synchronizing stricter immigration rules, creating a systemic compliance squeeze that institutions cannot simply wait out. The warnings came from a panel at the InUni Global Convocation in London last week, featuring voices from the US and UK.

Kasia Krupka, associate director for UK partnerships and compliance at InUni Global, stated that the direction of travel is clear across the UK, US, Australia, and Canada. "I don't think it's a cycle we can simply wait out," she said. For Krupka, the response must involve deeper knowledge of student intent and evidence-based diversification, rather than chasing recruitment numbers.

The compliance challenge deepens

Krupka pointed to the UK's renewed Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) as a key example. These tighter metrics focus not only on visas, but also on course completion and student outcomes. She argued that institutions must ask critical questions about student suitability long before an application is submitted. This vetting needs to happen through recruitment partners to truly understand the prospective student.

From the United States, Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, vice provost for global engagement at the University of Rochester, highlighted the political challenges. She acknowledged the difficulty of convincing global partners of US commitment amid daily negative news and inhospitable immigration policies.

Building equitable partnerships

Mabokela urged a shift from focusing on student mobility to building durable partnerships, especially in unpredictable political climates. She argued that the quality of collaboration is most important. "If my colleague and my favorite partner in another university come together, we do some fabulous things, and then we each leave, then the relationship dies," she noted.

She also called on the sector to address inherent power imbalances in international collaborations. "Sometimes some partners are created more equal than others," Mabokela stated, emphasizing that true collaboration requires confronting this "elephant in the room."

Student benefit as the ultimate test

George Hunt, director of international development at Teesside University, stressed that student benefit must be the core test for any international education model. This applies to transnational education, articulation agreements, joint degrees, and credit mobility. "Any partnership, any arrangement that a university has anywhere in the world, I think loses value very quickly if it isn't valid for the student," he said.

Sanjay Ramdath, vice president for enrolment management at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, framed the mission for institutions serving diverse populations. "We take all students as they are. It's our job to uplift them into where they want to be." For many families, he noted, the pressing question is about the tangible value and return on investment of a degree, specifically its power to open doors to job interviews.