Studying abroad contributes to long-term poverty alleviation – Report

A new study has revealed that international students from low to middle-income countries, upon returning home after studying abroad, contribute to poverty alleviation in their societies over approximately 15 years.

The research, titled, “International student mobility and poverty reduction: A cross-national analysis of low and middle-income countries,” conducted by Joonghyun Kwak and Maia Chankseliani, was published in The International Journal of Educational Research in 2024.

The authors embarked on this study to address the gap in research regarding the broader societal impact of studying abroad, as most existing studies focus on individual benefits such as upward social mobility and increased income.

Findings of the study

As extreme poverty is common in Africa, it was important to study how higher education abroad affects poverty reduction there.

To address the lack of data, researchers looked at the relationship between international student mobility (OSM) and poverty in 46 African countries from 1999 to 2018. They found that as more students studied abroad, poverty levels tended to decrease over time.

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This analysis shows a significant link between studying abroad and reduced poverty, even though it doesn’t prove that studying abroad directly causes poverty reduction.

The data showed a significant decrease in poverty levels as international student mobility increased.

The research findings state that “In 1999, the mean percentage of individuals studying abroad among the tertiary education age group was 0.7 percent, which increased more than fourfold to 3 percent by 2018”.

“Meanwhile, the mean percentage of the population living on less than $2.15 per day was 17.5 percent in 1999. However, the poverty rate plummeted to two percent by 2018. These trends observed from 1999 to 2018 highlight a correlation between increased outbound mobility and reduced poverty rates in student countries of origin”.

Long-term benefits of investing in foreign education

The authors pinpointed that students who study abroad do not merely access a more developed country’s education system; they enter a “transnational” space where diverse cultures and worldviews are exchanged.

This environment, populated with like-minded international students, fosters connections that can be leveraged upon their return home.

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Upon returning to their home countries, these students utilise their acquired skills and global understanding to drive economic and social development.

Their exposure to new environments, therefore, equips them with the agency to innovate and progress, benefiting their societies.

For instance, returnees can use international connections to attract investments and support poverty alleviation projects. They may also introduce new technologies and methods in various sectors such as health, science, and business.

The authors argue that exposure to diverse cultures abroad transforms students’ engagement with their home countries and should be accessible to all students.

However, not all international students return home. Many view studying abroad as a step towards emigration, contributing to brain drain. In this context, targeted scholarships and short-term exchanges are essential.

This underscores the need for government and institutional scholarships to enable poorer students access these opportunities.