International student mobility and its broad impact on destination countries: A review and agenda for future research

Abstract

The literature on international student mobility (ISM) has recently proliferated across diverse fields, reflecting its multifaceted connections with higher education institutions, business, and industry. This paper reviews existing research to examine what is known on ISM in higher education to determine future directions. The paper provides an in-depth, systematic review of articles published over the past decade to obtain an overview of ISM’s antecedents, decisions, and outcomes. The theories, contexts, and methods employed in the paper to gain this understanding are also explained. Knowledge gaps are highlighted regarding international students’ diverse participation and their impacts on host countries. Finally, research directions are proposed to reveal ISM’s role and potential at the nexus of higher education and industry. This paper adds to existing research by adding insights into student mobility in higher education.