Roshan Ghimire , Kathmandu , Nepal
Apparently, COVID 19 outbreak as a global pandemic has not just affected the global economy but the lives of every human being on earth with its future impacts on individual’s psychological, social and economic aspects. I must say it has shown its significant impact on everything that we can imagine of. Amid this uncertainty and desperation, international education industry led by governments, education providers, agents and students around the globe is at peril. The repercussion ensued by this global threat is beyond any humanly possible prediction.
The colossal income generated through international students is not just additives but largely contributes to the national economy of developed nations. In fact, International students contributed $37.6 billion to Australian economy only in the last financial year with the growth of $5 billion increase as international students are 3rd major source of national revenue to overall Australian Economy. Likewise, more than one million international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities contributed nearly $41 billion to U.S. economy and supported 458,290 jobs during the 2018-2019 academic year as per the report published by NAFSA : Association of International Educators.
Similarly, students from developing countries like Nepal have been travelling across the world in search of quality education, settlement, better lifestyle and freedom from their parents. As per the records and data published by Ministry of Education, Government of Nepal, 16,500 students went to study abroad in 2013/14 . Five years later, in 2017/18, out of those 63,000 Nepali students enrolled overseas 32,000 students chose to study in Australia alone and Nepal is now the third –largest sending market for Australia, after only china and India . Putting this trend into perspective, Nepalese students have evidently shown greater enthusiasm in pursuing their education in Australia , Japan , United States , Canada and New Zealand.
In the meantime, unfortunately, this malicious outbreak of Covid 19 pandemic across the globe has naturally diminished the zeal of students planning to explore higher education in foreign nations. Most of the students studying in foreign nations are more likely to make their way back to their country and continue their education after the end of pandemic. Currently, Nepalese students in foreign nations are seemingly traumatized as their psychological needs to be loved and cared are not adequately addressed; apart from that their financial crises are further aggravating the situation as their part time work is highly impacted. There is a famous saying written by Irish Novelist Geroge Augustus Moore , “ A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it”.
Education providers across the globe have started online classes in order to support their academic calendar and help the students in graduating their courses on time. Most importantly, future international enrollments are unpredictable as the boarders are closed and no one knows when the pandemic will come to an end. This will have a major impact in tuition fees, airfare and living expenses that are directly aligned with international students. Normally, students in developing countries like Nepal visit education agencies in order to have a detailed educational counseling, selection of countries, education providers and courses and then they file an application to the colleges / universities. Once approved, they start preparing their visa application and lodge visa to the respective immigration and fly to their dream colleges / Universities abroad.
Almost all the countries across the globe have regulated lock-down of their boarders and have imposed travel restrictions within but what will happen once the lockdown comes to an end? Can we expect normal enrollments? Here arises the big question. In my opinion, until the world finds the cure for Covid 19 , situation cannot be expected to be normal . This means the number of students willing to study abroad will disappointingly plummet and those still willing to fly overseas might have no consent from their parents as there is a high risk of being infected. Next couple of years will be crucial to the international education sector and players in international education i.e. governments, education providers and agents. ( Mr. Ghimire is an International Education Specialist and also the Managing director of Canadakhabar.com )
