Etienne Piguet

International Student Mobility between the South and the North

The phenomenon of international student mobility (ISM) has received little scholarly attention even though it is now a major issue for a) receiving states (as a potential source of skilled labor), b) sending states (as a potential source of brain drain and/or successful returns), c) universities (as a potential booster of international rankings), and d) students deciding where to study, live, and work. This project focuses on Switzerland, a top destination for international students.

Project Fact Sheet (PDF)
Main Results (PDF)

Messages for Decision-Makers

International students are key players in international migration: they produce knowledge that is beneficial to Switzerland’s international reputation of excellence in research, and represent highly skilled labor resources.

There is great potential to develop and implement measures supporting students’ social and economic integration, and foster their contributions to international development and Switzerland‘s global presence.


Project-related scientific publications