The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected and continues to impact several areas of human lives and activities. With a particular focus on China, this reflection shares authors' observation on how COVID-19 may affect future trends of student mobility from and to the country. The reflection revealed that the impact of COVID-19 might not…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in education. We employ a gravity model to estimate its impact on international student credit mobility. Data on inbound and outbound students to and from four Spanish universities between the academic years 2017-2018 and 2021-2022 are used. While COVID-19 significantly reduced participation…

In educational research, scales are often presented as the ontological reality of a study. This study problematises this starting point and suggests approaching scales as experienced and epistemically used. Thus, this study asks how international students studying at Finnish universities during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic negotiated…

Building on a theoretical model of decision-making under risk and uncertainty, this paper examines how Chinese college students made decisions about international moblity or immobility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper finds that among the 118 interviewees, most continued to choose to study abroad, whilst some gave up after getting offers…

As COVID-19 drastically affects cross-border mobility, virtual mobility emerges as a viable alternative to cope with the crisis. This article reports on the integrated findings of an exploratory sequential mixed methods design to understand benefits and challenges of virtual mobility at a Chinese university and future projection of outbound…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate how COVID-19 impacted overseas students' decision to apply for an undergraduate degree at UK universities. Design/methodology/approach: This study compares the number of university applications from overseas students in summer and autumn 2020 with those in the period 2011-2019. Multivariate…

While international education has long been characterized by mobility, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted our attention to immobility when thousands of international students have experienced immobility in various ways, one of which is being stuck in their home countries. This paper records how the new situation of immobility challenged an…

The COVID-19 pandemic increased virtual student mobility as an elective choice and an emergency solution. Whether brought on by the pandemic or encouraged as a solution for more sustainable international education programming, virtual student mobility is a complex method for making internationalisation more inclusive. This qualitative research…

The expansion of student international mobility has been discussed increasingly with respect to concerns about social inequality. The outbreak of the COVID pandemic has exacerbated the risks of studying abroad. Due to the differences in the ability of students from different social backgrounds to cope with risks, the inequality of opportunities…

Despite a vast body of scholarship delving into international students' educational experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, little is known about the doctoral group's perception from a sociomaterial perspective. Utilizing a group of Chinese international doctoral students while drawing on semi-structured interviews, the article unpacks what and…

This study delves into the experiences with managing study abroad reported by two mobility programs stakeholders: the vice-dean of International Relations and an Erasmus coordinator at a Faculty of a Spanish University. By means of content analysis of semi-structured interviews, this article aims to shed light on the intricacies of study abroad…

International student mobility is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors. This study examines the prospect of China as a destination country for international students in the post-COVID-19 era. With qualitative data from 30 frontline international educators (support staff in international student recruitment and services) from 30…

Geopolitics is shaping the international education landscape. International education has trationally been used as a tool to boost transnational cooperation, foster multilateral and global ties, and reduce tensions between nations. Such a role has been eroded and international education has been weaponised in the context of escalating political…

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected higher education students in many ways, and it seems to also have influences students' willingness to study abroad. To date, much is still unclear about the exact effects of COVID-19 on Chinese students' intentions to study abroad and whether that differs for different types of students. This is problematic, as…

The rapid outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the students' international mobility globally. However, little is known about the challenges that the students, intending to pursue outward mobility experience in deciding between studying in the home country or a foreign country in the current reality. Using a…