CfP: 2022 Conference of COST Action ‘European Network on International Student Mobility: Connecting Research and Practice’

International Student Mobility (ISM) is a prominent aspect of the Internationalization in Higher Education (IHE). Scholarly research on ISM has particularly intensified over the last two decades, which led to a significant improvement of our scientific understanding of the determinants, experiences and outcomes of ISM. However, surprisingly little connection and exchange exists among researchers across different disciplines, as well as between researchers, practitioners, and policy makers, despite the relevance that scientific knowledge on ISM has for policy and daily practice. The ENIS-network, funded by the COST Association, aims to stimulate a more systematic interdisciplinary and international exchange of knowledge on theoretical frameworks, research methodologies, findings, and best practice examples, and for translating scientific findings into recommendations for ISM practice.

In the first Action conference, we will present four thematic reviews on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on ISM flows, social inequalities, the social and cultural integration of students, and labor market outcomes. Next to these general presentations, we invite contributions from scholars and practitioners from different fields and geographical contexts to contribute to our five thematic sessions, aiming to stimulate comparative discussions and practical insights into ISM dynamics by bringing fragmented knowledge together, with the main aim of generating new interdisciplinary and innovative empirical perspectives on the phenomenon and translating these into tangible recommendations for stakeholders.

Considering the questions stated above, we invite presentation proposals under five themes. Under each theme, there is a possibility for a maximum of six presentations. Proposals are invited from both researchers and practitioners, as presentations can focus both on research-related and/or practical issues. For example, next to presentations of empirical research we are interested in presentations that focus on recent ISM initiatives within the five themes or highlight good practices. Accepted participants might be eligible for (partial) reimbursement of their travel expenses to attend the conference.

(1) Global ISM flows and trends at the macro-level. Contributions describing and analyzing the latest developments in terms of ISM flows and trends are invited under this theme. In addition, reviews of the extant literature, exploration of quantitative datasets and indicators that allow to map and explain past and current flows and patterns of ISM are also suitable for this theme.

(2) Social inequalities in access to and during ISM: Contributions analyzing social inequalities in the context of ISM – along the lines of, for example, students’ gender, age, socio-economic background, and ethnicity are welcomed here, explaining, for example, social inequalities in access to different types of ISM, cumulative (dis)advantages accruing over students’ life courses, the influence of institutional, national, and international policies on reducing or increasing ISM-related social inequalities.

(3) The social and cultural integration of international students in their host countries: Under this theme, contributions are welcomed on the challenges, opportunities and experiences of students’ social and cultural integration experiences in their host country, their well-being as well as learning outcomes.

(4) The impact of ISM on graduates’ careers: This theme focuses on the value that ISM can have for the careers of internationally mobile students. We welcome in particular contributions on skill development through ISM, the later labor market performance, social inequalities in the labor market returns to studying abroad and employers’ perspectives on the value of ISM during recruitment processes are relevant to this theme.

(5) Connecting research and practice: This theme aims to promote research-based recommendations for a range of stakeholders, including policy makers, study abroad organizations, higher education institutions, and international offices, involved in ISM. Contributions which present implications of research on stakeholders’ daily practice are relevant to this theme, as well as relevant practices developed at certain institutions.

Please submit an abstract (max. 500 words) to Nicolai Netz (netz@dzhw.eu) and Christof van Mol (C.VanMol@tilburguniversity.nl) before 11 July 2022. Please indicate clearly which of the five themes you are submitting to. Authors will be informed on whether their abstract is accepted for presentation at the latest around mid-August.