Development & Education

In the US, immigration is a heated topic. A part of that conversation is the thousands of degree-seeking international students who move to the US every year, many with hopes to stay after completion. But what about those US students who decide to study abroad and then want to stay abroad? The World’s Carolyn Beeler, asks Amine Mechaal, director of global engagement at Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York, to break down the hurdles students face to stay in their host countries.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens have left the country. According to some estimates, more than 100,000 Russian citizens fled to Armenia alone. This reality has led to some changes within Yerevan, the Armenian capital, where some exiled Russians started a school.

The US and China want more foreign exchange students between their two countries. But politics and bureaucracy often complicate the process, and far fewer Americans are going to China to study than before the COVID-19 pandemic.

To many South Koreans, a degree from a prestigious American university is seen as a ticket to success. And for some students, there’s an alternate educational system and industry focused on getting  them into the school of their dreams.   

Two decades ago, France introduced a law banning the hijab and other religious symbols in public schools. Today, with French athletes prohibited from wearing any religious items while competing at the summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, the issue is more divisive than ever.