The Case of Estonia: Educational Internationalization Strategy and Student Mobility
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32674/jcihe.v16i2.4616Keywords:
Degree-mobile students, European Higher Education Area, Higher Education (HE) System, Funding of HE, Internationalization Strategy, Stakeholders of HE, The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), Bologna proces, Public and Private UniversitiesAbstract
The current article provides an overview of the Estonian higher education system, including its academic and professional branches. It focuses on explaining what has been done in Estonia from 1991 to the present in terms of reshaping the higher education landscape towards a more competitive model that is responsive to the range of needs from quality to equity. To improve the match between education and the needs of labour market and society, Estonia conducts a consistent policy of internationalization in terms of diversity and inclusion. The country tries to get maximum out of its national strengths by focusing on any kind of fields from economy to culture and technology. It clearly defines its internationalization goals and produces highly skilled graduates. Remarkably, the number of international students is on ascending trend in Estonia. The present article evaluates the inflow of degree-mobile international students who choose Estonia as a study destination. It also answers the question of what national educational policies, strategies and economic conditions are and how they help to drive more foreign students into the country.
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