A paper exploring the long-term impact of international student mobility on poverty reduction in low- and middle-income countries has been published.
The paper, which uses data spanning two decades, was written from research undertaken by academics at the University of Oxford’s Department of Education.
Associate Professor of Comparative and International Education, Maia Chankseliani, and Postdoctoral Researcher, Joonghyun Kwak, conducted the research which shows a notable poverty alleviation in low- and middle-income countries thanks to international student mobility.
Maia said: “Our research shows that while the short-term effects of international student mobility on poverty reduction are not significant, its long-term impact—over a 15-year period—has a notable positive association with poverty alleviation in low- and middle-income countries. Returnees use the skills and knowledge they gain abroad to drive local innovations and contribute to societal changes, which can lead to systemic poverty reduction over time.
“International student mobility has tripled from two million students in 1997 to over six million by 2021. This surge reflects the growing recognition of the value of studying abroad for both individual advancement and societal development, with governments, universities, charities, and private firms offering scholarships for international study.
“However, in recent years, rising insularity and nationalist sentiments in some countries have posed challenges to mobility, with increasing barriers to cross-border education and collaboration. This makes studies like ours more critical than ever, as they demonstrate the long-term benefits of international education, not just for individuals, but for global development. Understanding these impacts can help inform policies that keep educational exchanges open and accessible, even in an increasingly inward-looking world.”
The research looks at how skills, knowledge, and connections gained abroad often lead to change after returnees have had time to apply them in their own contexts. They can introduce new practices and innovations in areas like governance, education, and economic development.
Maia continued: “Our findings underscore the crucial role international student mobility plays in long-term poverty reduction. We hope this paper will encourage policymakers to recognise the important role international education plays in development. This could lead to greater support for scholarships and initiatives that allow students from low- and middle-income countries to study abroad.”
This research was funded by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State.
Joonghyun said: “In low- and middle-income countries, domestic education systems may not always match the quality found in higher-income nations, particularly in producing and spreading knowledge and skills. In this context, those who study abroad bring back new knowledge, skills, and international connections, helping to fill crucial gaps and drive efforts to reduce poverty in their home countries.
“To broaden access for people in low- and middle-income countries, expanding scholarship opportunities is essential. Since self-funded study abroad is largely restricted to students from affluent backgrounds, increasing targeted scholarships can help provide more opportunities for those from low-income countries.”
The research, which has been taking place for the last 18 months, looked to identify trends in the relationship between outbound student mobility and poverty reduction through a cross-national analysis. To achieve this, it included all low- and middle-income countries with available data.
Joonghyun concluded: “I hope the findings of this study provide valuable policy insights for international higher education and sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries. Expanding study abroad opportunities is vital not only for individual success but also for tackling broader societal challenges like poverty. By increasing access to international education and enhancing local educational systems, we can make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of these countries.”
You can read the paper now in the International Journal of Educational Research.
For more information on the ongoing project that this research stems from, visit the project page.
Rees Centre researcher Dr Nikki Luke has published a policy brief on Measuring Outcomes for Care Leavers.
This brief was produced following a workshop in Oxford that brought together researchers, care-experienced facilitators, representatives from national and local government teams and charities supporting care leavers to participate in a research-informed discussion of what measures might look like.
Nikki said: “It’s really important for national and local government to know how care leavers are getting on across all areas of life, so they can provide the right support at the right time and celebrate care leavers’ successes. This policy brief draws on research with care leavers and our workshop discussions to make recommendations about how care leavers’ outcomes might best be measured.”
Congratulations to Sara Ratner, Research Officer for the Learning in Families through Technology (LiFT) project, on joining The Centre for Independent Studies in Australia as an Adjunct Fellow: Digital Technologies in Education.
The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) are an “independent think tank that brings together some of Australia’s sharpest policy brains to interrogate, test and figure out what the evidence says about some of the most pressing questions facing our country, questions that will determine our future.”
As a Fellow, Sara will be supporting CIS’s work to provide the Australian government with the input of independent voices, guided by evidence, to inform the public-policy discourse. Her first collaborative project involves the development of a digital numeracy screener for the early years to identify students at risk.
Glenn Fahey, Director of the Education Program said, “In acknowledgement of the excellent work Sara has already contributed to the Australian education landscape over many years at the local, state and national level, we are delighted to invite Sara to join CIS as our Adjunct Fellow – Digital Technologies in Education. We know that Sara’s valued expertise in the digital delivery of assessments at scale alongside her current research at the University of Oxford, will help offer valuable insights and contributions to our policy work and in particular, the development of the new national digital screening tool.”
Gabriel Stylianides, Professor of Mathematics Education at the Department of Education and a Fellow of Worcester College, Oxford University, has been elected to the prestigious fellowship of the Academy of Social Sciences. This honour recognises his significant international contributions in the fields of mathematics education and mathematics teacher education.
The Academy of Social Sciences Fellowship comprises 1,600 leading social scientists from academia, the public, private and third sectors. Their expertise covers the breadth of the social sciences, and their practice and research addresses some of the major challenges facing communities, society, places, and economies. All Academy Fellows are elected for their excellence in their fields and their substantial contributions to social science for public benefit. Selection is through an independent peer review which recognises their excellence and impact.
Professor Stylianides said: “I am delighted and honoured to have been elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. I have been fortunate and privileged to work with many incredibly talented and wonderful colleagues and students over the years, both in the UK and overseas. This recognition would not have been possible without them.
“Learning to think mathematically, tackle mathematical problems effectively, and pose meaningful new problems to explore should not be reserved for an elite few. These are essential skills for life and work, and with appropriate teaching, they can be made accessible to everyone.
A major focus of Professor Stylianides’s research has been the design and scale-up of effective classroom-based interventions targeting academically important practices that are hard for teachers to teach and hard for students to learn; notably, problem solving, argumentation, reasoning, and problem posing. As he says, ‘These practices are important not only in mathematics but also across the social sciences and beyond, applying to both life and work. Also, they span all levels of education, arguably from cradle to grave.’ Alongside his primary research interests, he has also addressed issues related to task design and implementation, curricular resources, technological environments (including intelligent tutoring systems), and methodology.
His work has influenced not only academic theory and research but also educational practice in different levels of education. For example, in a current project, Professor Stylianides and his collaborators are exploring in 240 schools the effectiveness of a new online model they developed for training Year 2 teachers to implement in their classrooms an intervention aimed at enhancing children’s mathematical reasoning skills. The new online model aims to facilitate, through an efficient and easily accessible way, the large-scale dissemination of this intervention in schools across England. As such, the model serves as a paradigmatic case for rolling out effective interventions in the post-COVID era where teachers are more accustomed to remote learning.
Some of Professor Stylianides’s other recent work includes researching interventions to support secondary school teachers to enhance their students’ “proving competence” (i.e., the ability to investigate why things work in mathematics through logical reasoning) and “problem posing competence” (i.e., the ability to formulate concrete or abstract situations as meaningful mathematical problems). Both competences are crucial for thinking mathematically in authentic ways.
Professor Stylianides has authored over 110 publications, including in prominent outlets beyond his primary areas of study. His research projects over the years have been supported with over £4.5M by various funding bodies, including the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), the US National Science Foundation (NSF), the US Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), the Department for Education (DfE) in England, the Spencer Foundation, and the Norwegian Research Council.
Two of the Department’s academics have been named full Professors in this year’s Recognition of Distinction exercise.
Professor Liz Wonnacott has been named Professor of Language Science and Professor Trevor Mutton has been named Professor of Teacher Education.
Professor Wonnacott’s research focuses on language learning in children and adults, statistical learning approaches, and literacy development. She said: “I am delighted to have received this new title and I am very grateful to my colleagues who supported me in my application.”
Professor Mutton’s research interests are initial teacher education, teacher education policy and teachers’ continued professional learning. He said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded the title of Professor of Teacher Education. Having worked at the Department for over 25 years, I am indebted to so many valued colleagues who have supported me throughout my career as both a teacher educator and as an educational researcher. I am particularly excited by the prospect of contributing further to the academic life of the Department and of making the most of the opportunities that might arise as a result of this recognition”.
Exams expert Professor Jo-Anne Baird has been selected to be part of a new curriculum and assessment review led by the Government’s Department for Education.
Professor Baird is the Director of the Oxford University Centre for Educational Assessment and her research focuses on system-wide structures and processes, examination standards, marking and assessment design.
The 12-member independent panel will review the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England, to ensure they are fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people. The panel will be led by Professor Becky Francis, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation.
Professor Baird said: “I am delighted to be working with Becky Francis and this excellent group of colleagues on a review of curriculum and assessment in England spanning the school years.”
A new portrait of Emeritus Professor Kathy Sylva OBE, the Department of Education’s first female Professor and first Professor of Educational Psychology, has been unveiled.
Created by artist Beth Marsden, the portrait celebrates Professor Sylva’s contributions to the Department and will be placed within Norham Gardens.
Kathy Sylva joined the Department of Education in 1997, and has been key in making the University of Oxford a world-leading institution in early years research, and transforming early years policy and practice nationally and internationally.
Professor Sylva said: “I am honoured by the commission of this portrait and delighted that Beth Marsden was chosen to paint it. Beth is an artist whose talents are matched by her gift for friendship. How lucky I am.”
Professor Victoria Murphy, Director of the Department of Education, said: “I am absolutely delighted the Department has recognised Kathy‘s enormous contribution in this way. It is difficult to overstate the contribution Kathy has made to the field of early childhood education in general, and the work of our Department specifically. She has been a tremendous support to students and staff alike and has been a major contributor in putting our Department front and centre of the educational landscape. This portrait is long overdue.”
After obtaining her PhD in Developmental Psychology from Harvard University, Professor Sylva moved to Oxford where she has led large scale longitudinal studies along with randomised controlled trials to evaluate parenting interventions. Her publications include several books and more than 200 papers on early childhood, early literacy, and ways to support parents and families.
Professor Sylva was awarded an OBE in 2008 for services to children and families and the Michael Rutter Medal for Lifetime Contribution to Child and Adolescent Mental Health in 2023, as well as honorary doctorates from the University of Gothenburg, the Open University, Oxford Brookes and the University of Yvaskyla. She has been a specialist adviser to Parliament and is a Fellow of the British Academy and the British Psychological Society.
This summer, more than 230 researchers from 26 different countries visited Oxford for an expansive conference on diversity within classrooms and societies hosted by the Department of Education.
The European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI) Special Interest Group 11 ‘Teaching and Teacher Education’ and Group 13 ‘Moral and Democratic Education’ annual conference took place on 12-14 August at St Catherine’s College, with over 180 presentations and three high-profile keynote speakers.
Professor Rob Klassen, Professor of Education and newly appointed Co-ordinator of EARLI’s ‘Teaching and Teacher Education’ Group, said: “Hosting this conference in Oxford has been an unforgettable experience, not just for the knowledge shared, but for the connections made. The diversity of thought and experience shared here in Oxford is a testament to the global commitment to advancing teaching and teacher education.
“The international participation and diverse perspectives enriched our shared understanding of teaching and teacher education, paving the way for future research and innovations.
“For me the junior researchers were the stars of the show, from a thoughtful and provocative keynote from our own Dr Abi Branford to individual papers and posters presented by junior researchers from across Europe and the world.”
I loved the sense of ease, inclusivity, and informality that allowed in-depth discussions of the research as well as social interaction.
Avi Kaplan, United States
Rebecca Snell, Research Officer and co-organiser of the conference, said: “The conference has left me feeling even more excited and positive about the future of our research, and with many thoughts of exciting possible collaborations.
“The conference has driven home how much excellent work is being done across Europe, and how we in the UK need to make sure we connect with our European colleagues – we can learn a lot from our neighbours.”
Dr Sophie Thompson-Lee, Research Officer and co-organiser of the conference, said: “The highlight for me was the atmosphere. It was great to see so many early career researchers attend and actively take part, and the poster session was the best attended that most of us have ever been to. It was a very inspiring and invigorating event to be a part of.”
We met many like-minded scholars and friends and had a wonderful three days together. I hope there will be more cooperation and learning opportunities in the future.
Liqing Zhou, China
To mark A-level results day tomorrow, the Department of Education has released a podcast which explores the assessment system and A-Level grading.
The podcast, which is part of a series by the Oxford Education Deanery, features Associate Professor of Educational Assessment Michelle Meadows, who is now an academic at the Department and previously was Deputy Chief Regulator at Ofqual, and Religious Studies teacher, Jonny Tridgell.
Senior Departmental Lecturer, Hamish Chalmers, who is co-Director of the Oxford Education Deanery is interviewing.
Hamish said: “A-level results day is a hugely impactful day in the life of anyone who is hoping to go to university. I remember the day well myself – collecting the manila envelope and then walking around the city centre for a couple of hours plucking up the courage to open it.
“In this podcast we explore some of the burning questions around A-level assessment – are grade boundaries for different subjects set differently? If I have an identified educational need is this taken into account? How are grade boundaries achieved?
“We wanted to explore some of these questions and demystify some of the unknowns for people. Jonny gives us an on-the-ground perspective of what it’s like to be a teacher, supporting students through achieving qualifications. Michelle explains to us how the process works behind the scenes and the mechanisms for assessment.
“Hopefully the podcast can give clarity to teachers, parents and students and, of course, we wish students the very best of luck with their A-level results.”
The Oxford Education Deanery is based at the Department of Education and empowers educators worldwide to understand, use, and co-produce high-quality research evidence in education.
They offer training top-ups, a range of short courses, and events for professionals and educators looking to engage with Oxford’s world-leading research, and each other.
Find out more about the Oxford Education Deanery on the Department’s website: Oxford Education Deanery – Department of Education
To listen to this podcast, and any from the Deanery Digest series, go to the University of Oxford’s podcast page: Deanery Digests | University of Oxford Podcasts
Or listen to more from the Department of Education: https://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/units/department-education