A preview of Gone international: reflections on student mobility from Jisc and Northern Consortium

How does Gone international: a new generation differ from the last edition of the Gone international series?  

“The previous Gone international report looked at data on the 2015-16 graduating cohort from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey,” Dr Lucy Van Essen-Fishman explained.  

“The new Gone international report uses linked data from the HESA Student and Graduate Outcomes survey datasets, focusing on the 2021-22 graduating cohort. It looks at student participation in international mobility and compares the outcomes of mobile students 15 months after course completion to those of their non-mobile peers.”  

As well as this, this report is unique in offering a longitudinal analysis of mobility trends, academic performance and graduate outcomes over time, comparing the 2021-22 cohort to the four preceding years. For the first time, this means we can deliver deeper insights into career progression and the impact of mobility over time as well as multiple cohorts, including students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.   

With this new approach to analysing student mobility data, what can we expect to see in the upcoming report?  

The benefits of student mobility 

The benefits of student mobility are clear. “This report provides further evidence to quantify the overall benefits that are seen in [academic and employability outcomes], but also specifically demonstrates the uplift given to less advantaged groups of students when compared to their non-mobile counterparts," Dr Malcolm Butler explained. 

Malcolm also emphasised the personal development that accompanies international experiences: 

"Above the quantifiable academic and employability outcomes that mobile students experience, it is widely agreed that they develop enhanced personal or soft skills. These include, but are not limited to, increased confidence, resilience and cultural awareness that will support them in all aspects of their lives, with many describing it as a life-changing or transformative experience." 

Beyond individual benefits, mobility enriches the broader student community. As Malcolm pointed out: 

"Mobilities are often reciprocal, so outbound students are matched with inbound students, which means the international community at the home university is enriched to the benefit of all students studying there. Furthermore, students who have studied abroad bring back knowledge, experience and ambition to share with their fellow students long after their mobility has concluded." 

Malcolm hopes the findings presented in Gone international: a new generation will inspire action:  

"The evidence presented in this report will help us all – as providers and champions of internationalisation – to build on the achievements so far and focus efforts on increasing the opportunities available, improving accessibility, and optimising the benefits." 

Expanding access to mobility  

Addressing gaps in student participation remains a priority. “Gaps in participation between students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds and their more privileged peers have been closing, but still remain," Lucy shared.  

She highlighted the importance of making mobility options more accessible, particularly for those who may encounter barriers:  

"The correlation between mobility and positive outcomes suggests a benefit to further expanding access to mobility for all students. It also suggests a need for more consistent data collection on shorter periods of mobility, which may be more accessible to students from disadvantaged backgrounds." 

By removing barriers and expanding opportunities, we create a more inclusive mobility landscape where all students can unlock the benefits.

Find out more at the Global Mobility Conference 2025

The release of Gone international: a new generation offers an important opportunity to reflect on the value of mobility and the steps needed to ensure more students can benefit from international experiences. 

"International experience, whether at your home university or overseas, is a fundamental component of a UK higher education and is invaluable for a successful future in our globally connected world,” Malcolm noted. 

Ahead of the report's publication online in March, we look forward to previewing more exclusive insights into the report's key findings on 24 February at our much-anticipated session at the Global Mobility Conference 2025.  

Following the Global Mobility Conference session, on 6 March we will be hosting an exclusive webinar in collaboration with Jisc and Northern Consortium. Together, we will explore the report’s insights in greater detail and discuss what steps we can take as a sector to implement these findings.  

Register your place at the webinar for free today, and stay tuned for the full report release in March.