In the last few years, the Middle East has been a tremendous source of international students for the United States and Canada. Recent events, however, ranging from tensions and conflict to the prolonged decline of oil prices, have made the future of student mobility in the region less certain. This webinar explores current trends in Middle Eastern student mobility – including to North America and intraregional mobility – and the factors at work behind them, with an eye to the future.


Topics Covered:

  • Student mobility trends
  • Push and pull factors, including geopolitical, economic, and social factors
  • The growth of transnational education in the region (e.g., branch campuses)
  • Potential strategies and best practices for recruiting students from this region

Presenters

World Education Services

Alejandro Ortiz

Senior Research Associate

Alejandro is a regular author of WES research reports and feature articles and recently presented at the CONAHEC and Partnership of the Americas conferences. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico.

World Education Services

Bryce Loo

Research Associate

Bryce has published several research reports and articles for WES, most notably on credential assessment for refugees and on career services for international students. He has presented at NAFSA Annual, NAFSA Region X, and the 2016 WES-Boston College Center for International Higher Education Summer Seminar. Bryce earned a master’s degree in international education development from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in history from California State University, Bakersfield.