The diplomatic and political tussle between Saudi Arabia and Canada is going to disrupt the lives and educational ambitions of Saudi student. It will also hurt enrollments of Canadian universities hosting Saudi students. This political turbulence is characteristics of the Third Wave of international student mobility which has already affected the UK with Brexit and the US with the Presidential elections. After the drastic reduction of Saudi Government’s scholarship program, many American universities have already experienced the risky scenario of decline in enrollment due to dependency on Saudi government.
Students from Saudia Arabia formed 3.15% of total international student enrollment in Canadian universities and colleges according to UNESCO data of 2017.
Top-10 Source Countries of International Students to Canada
| Int’l Students in Canada | Enrollment |
|---|---|
| China | 60,936 |
| India | 19,905 |
| France | 15,603 |
| United States | 8,355 |
| Nigeria | 5,982 |
| Saudi Arabia | 5,979 |
| Korea, Rep. | 4,743 |
| Iran, Islamic Rep. | 3,735 |
| Pakistan | 2,658 |
| China, Hong Kong | 2,076 |
Source: UNESCO (2017)
| Year | Saudi Students Abroad |
% Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 85,277 | 0% |
| 2016 | 85,288 | -1% |
| 2015 | 86,223 | 2% |
| 2014 | 84,177 | 12% |
| 2013 | 74,855 | 16% |
| 2012 | 64,378 | 25% |
| 2011 | 51,352 | – |
Source: UNESCO
Top-10 Countries Enrolling Saudi Students
| Country | Enrollment |
|---|---|
| United States | 53,637 |
| United Kingdom | 8,469 |
| Canada | 5,979 |
| Australia | 4,387 |
| United Arab Emirates | 1,983 |
| Jordan | 1,727 |
| Malaysia | 1,066 |
| Bahrain | 1,017 |
| Ireland | 915 |
| Poland | 850 |
Source: UNESCO
Dr. Rahul Choudaha