Abstract
The Asia-Pacific region stands at a pivotal moment in higher education mobility. While global learning opportunities increasingly shape university choice, student demand across the region continues to favour Western destinations. Intra-ASEAN mobility remains underutilised, which accounts for only around 10% of regional flows, despite strong economic growth and rich opportunities for contextual, interdisciplinary learning. Beyond Asia, many international partners have yet to fully recognise ASEAN as a compelling study destination.
Representing HKUST, NTU Singapore, and VinUniversity (Vietnam), this panel explores how institutions can leverage AI-enabled recruitment to unlock this untapped potential. We examine how data-driven personalisation, predictive analytics, and AI-powered engagement can reshape recruitment narratives, thus, positioning ASEAN study abroad not as a secondary option, but as a distinct, high-impact pathway offering exposure to emerging markets, cultural diversity, and sustainability challenges. Practical strategies will include targeted partner engagement, academic course mapping, and refreshed student outreach.
Importantly, we consider how AI can amplify, rather than replace the human dimension of counselling, aligning with APAIE 2027’s theme of “Humanity in the AI Age.” We also discuss how technology can broaden access, advancing SDG 4 and SDG 10. Strengthening regional mobility is both a strategic imperative and an underleveraged global opportunity.
Learning objectives
On completion of this roundtable, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate AI-enabled recruitment tools and strategies applicable to their institutional context, including predictive analytics, chatbots, and AI-driven CRM platforms, understanding their benefits and limitations for regional student recruitment.
- Articulate a compelling value proposition for intra-ASEAN and Asia-Pacific study destinations, addressing common perceptions and leveraging data to demonstrate regional mobility as a high-impact educational pathway.
- Design cross-institutional frameworks that enable partner universities worldwide to integrate ASEAN study pathways into their global mobility portfolios, including academic mapping, credit transfer, and co-curricular alignment.
- Develop strategies to engage non-ASEAN partners in promoting regional mobility, positioning ASEAN expertise as a distinctive asset for students pursuing careers in Asia’s rapidly growing markets.
Target audience
Global student mobility partnerships, AI innovation and collaboration, AI policies and practices for higher education, global strategic partnerships, international agreements, Transnational Education (TNE), global learning, International relations, global engagement, the SDGs, and Internationalization of Higher Education.