ABSTRACT. Student mobility is an important part of the internationalisation of higher education. As one of the world’s leading host countries, UK has been seen a changing student mobility pattern with the decline in the number of students flowing in during recent years, which is closely related to the government’s relevant policies and strategies. Since the British government started the Brexit process in March 2017, the British higher education market faces many uncertainties, which may make it harder for international students to study in the UK. And this is not unique on a global scale. After Trump was elected president of the United States, the liberal global order has been constantly challenged, which directly leads to a series of crises in the internationalisation of higher education. In contrast, China has been active in the international student market and has gradually changed from a complete exporter of students to one of the main destination countries, becoming a powerhouse in the international higher education sector.

Keywords: higher education; internationalisation; student mobility; Brexit; nationalism; populism

How to cite: Liu, H. (2021). “Student Mobility and the Internationalisation of Higher Education in the UK,” Knowledge Cultures 9(1): 95–112. doi: 10.22381/kc9120216.

Received 4 July 2020 • Accepted 12 December 2020 • Available online 1 April 2021