Two weeks after Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election was announced, conversations in the sector continue to focus on the potential implications for international education and opportunities for the future.

Some reports have suggested that perspective international students with their sights set on US will not be deterred by Trump’s leadership.

However, Miriam Feldblum, co-founder and executive director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration is unsure if these prospective students “have all the information that they need to understand what’s coming”.

Speaking at The PIE Live North America conference in Boston this week, Feldblum suggested there may be a “disconnect” between their optimism and what unfolded in Trump’s first term, along with proposals and plans for his second.

“We need to be prepared for significant policy changes that will have adverse impacts on international students being able to come, stay and pursue postgraduate pathways,” she said.

However, Feldblum’s message was clear: “This is a time to prepare, not panic.”

“This is a time to prepare, not panic.”
^{_{Miriam Feldblum, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration}}

A whole range of bans or pauses on immigration are expected, said Feldblum, in policy changes that could have an impact on international students.

“We don’t know the shape of it, but I would say expect executive orders in the first few days of the administration.”

Despite this, Feldblum takes comfort in the fact that preparations are underway to allow the sector to work together to navigate what’s to come.

The Presidents’ Alliance was launched in 2017 in response to some of the policies of the first Trump administration – efforts to rescind DACA, travel bans, attacks on immigrant and international communities.

It now has over 570 presidents and chancellors of public and private institutions across the country participating and its efforts have made advancements both in defending the rights of international students and in advancing policy proposals to support international students, as well as refugee and undocumented students.

“With the leadership of the State Department, we helped with the establishment of Welcome Corps on campus, which brings refugee students to the US as refugees but it’s also an educational pathway. It’s the first time ever that the US has done that.”

Some have concerns for the future of this particular program under a Trump administration.

“This is a time to collaborate, to network, to build on the resources that we have and to continue to build big-tent coalitions,” continued Feldblum, noting the benefit and impact of the US for Success Coalition, which she said has seen organisations come together while being very intentional and open minded as they work to prepare for the future.

Senior leaders remain hopeful that there will be the potential for strong government engagement with the sector over the next four years.

Carl Herrin, chief of staff at Worcester State University and AIRC board member, is one stakeholder “optimistic” about finding allies within the new administration. This is despite his “heightened level of angst about how things are going to go starting after January”.

Herrin told delegates: “Over the course of my career, some of the biggest gains in international exchange policy, particularly financially, but also in terms of rhetoric, have come from Republican members of Congress and Republicans administrations. So I see a mixed picture in terms of history.

“Part of the challenge for us is to build those relationships, to maintain those we have with Democrats and build new ones with the Republicans we perhaps haven’t already talked to.”

Speaking with The PIE News earlier this month, vice president and chief of staff of the American Council on Education, Sarah Spreitzer, suggested that Trump’s choice of senator Rubio as secretary of state could be a a “good nomination” when considering the impact on international education.

“He’s somebody that has been very supportive of international students. I know he has very good relationships with his institutions in the state of Florida,” said Spreitzer.

Elsewhere, with much of the conversation surrounding the impact on international enrolments, Paulo Zagalo-Melo, senior internationalisation strategist at Virginia Commonwealth University and AIEA president elect, is considering how the sector should seek to prepare outbound study abroad students from the US for their experiences abroad.

“As US citizens, when we’re abroad, we are often asked to explain the politics of our country and speak on behalf of our government. I think we should think about preparing our students for that as well.”

Going forward, Zagalo-Melo emphasised the importance of highlighting the economic benefits of international students, putting such data “front and centre” to serve as a powerful tool for advocacy.

Open Doors data recently showed that international students contributed a whopping $50 billion to the US economy in 2023.

Anthony Koliha, director, global educational programs at US Department of State, commented on the latest figures while speaking at the Boston event: “$50 billion to the US economy in one year is not nothing. Our colleagues in Congress look at those numbers, we are very aware of those numbers.”

“For us at the State Department, it’s not just about the immediate economic benefit, it’s really about the long term relationship. By having 1.1m international students in the US today, that’s a lot of very strong relationships that we can build on in the future that aren’t just about the $50 billion that brings the US economy today.”

Additional reporting by Annabelle Lewes.