Data points Although international student enrolment in master’s in business management (MBM) programmes has fallen, students’ motivation to study abroad underscores a degree of resilience that schools can capitalise on. Tim Banerjee Dhoul analyses the latest AMBA & BGA admissions data from research conducted by Ellen Buchan
most domestic students, the average number of international enrolments stayed at 25 per cent. Meanwhile, there was a small uptick in the proportion of international enrolments in Spain, from 74 per cent in 2022 to 76 per cent among 22 programmes in 2023. In this light, it seems likely that while there may be further challenges ahead relating to an individual country’s circumstances, overall rates of international diversity in MBM programmes worldwide will remain sizeable. It is a similar story at MBA level, where the proportion of international students enrolling on AMBA-accredited programmes worldwide fell from 26 to 24 per cent between 2022 and 2023, according to the latest AMBA Application and Enrolment Report . Yet, the proportion of international students applying in the same timeframe increased, from 39 to 42 per cent.
he evolving challenge of international student recruitment can be detected
However, in a number of popular study destinations, there is a hint of the potential impact of the modern era’s climate of political flux and uncertainty, along with changing student visa requirements and processes. In the UK, for example, international students dominate master’s in management intakes. While they still represented 91 per cent of enrolees across 59 programmes in 2023, this was a drop from 94 per cent in 2022 and a return to the proportion reported in 2021. Even so, resilience remains. Across 98 programmes available in the rest of Europe, international enrolments made up 28 per cent of the 2023 total – the exact same proportion as the year prior. As you would expect, there are wide variations by individual country within this total. In France, where averages are skewed by the inclusion of the renowned grande école programmes that begin at bachelor’s level for
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in new admissions figures from AMBA & BGA. International students represented 31 per cent of those enrolling in MBM programmes worldwide in 2023. An analysis of AMBA & BGA’s past admissions surveys reveals that this figure is not far off the six-year average of 33 per cent observed for these pre-experience programmes. However, it is the lowest proportion reported since 2018. Shifts & stability Of course, these figures are illustrative rather than definitive – our survey sample changes each year along with the changing profile of AMBA’s network of AMBA-accredited schools, as well as their response rates and programme offerings.
10 Business Impact • ISSUE 2 • 2025
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