The International Education Strategy and a social ecological approach to resilience and inequalities among international students

International students yield substantive socioeconomic, cultural, and intellectual benefits for the UK and
its universities. The knowledge, skills, and networks students gain benefit themselves, home
communities, and foster global cooperation. Recognising their role in tackling changes like demographic
aging and Brexit, the government's International Education Strategy pursues increased international
student numbers and expanded rights for graduates to remain and work. International students
encounter challenges to their wellbeing, acculturation, educational and employment outcomes, and to
sustained, effective knowledge transfer and internationalisation. The pandemic amplified family
separation, distress, barriers to support, exclusion, and xenophobia. Those on student visas cannot
access British social protection schemes and have limited employment rights. They depend on familial
resources, private financing, and limited scholarships, hampering access for those from marginalised and
disadvantaged backgrounds. This interdisciplinary social policy research explores the challenges and
inequalities international students face throughout their studies, and individual, psychosocial,
socioeconomic, and social policy factors supporting resilient adaption. It uses mixed methods, including a
rapid review of social policy, creative visual methods, and a longitudinal survey. Shared through policy
briefings, journals, conferences, and research networks, findings will inform the co-development of social
policy with students at university, national, and international levels. Nationally, this can widen access to
higher education, reduce inequalities, foster inclusion, improve integration, and support international
graduates to remain and work. Globally, this can help an outwards-looking Global Britain exercise
positive influence, facilitating horizontal global intellectual exchanges and equitable partnerships for the
achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, reducing global poverty and inequalities.