The Sustainability of International Student Mobility: Evidence on Carbon Emissions and Climate Change

In higher education policy and practice, international student mobility is often portrayed in unqualified positive terms, with benefits ranging from efficient skills development to personal growth and intercultural... [ view full abstract ]

In higher education policy and practice, international student mobility is often portrayed in unqualified positive terms, with benefits ranging from efficient skills development to personal growth and intercultural communication abilities. It is thus not surprising that international student mobility has increased rapidly, with global numbers of mobile students growing from 1.4 million at the turn of the century to over four million at present. While there are many positive aspects to the expansion of international student mobility, its sustainability and negative external consequences are rarely if ever considered. This paper investigates these issues by considering how international student mobility contributes to global climate change by analyzing its carbon footprint. Specifically, it presents estimates of carbon emissions from international student mobility and analyzes changes in its carbon intensity (i.e relation of carbon production to its economic utility). The paper concludes by analyzing whether the circumstances that have supported a rapid growth in international student mobility are likely to be sustainable in the medium to long term.