Patricia MONTAÑO

Abstract: International student mobility is being reshaped by changing student expectations and rapid technological advances, including AI. This session draws a study from the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), a network of more than 60 research universities across 20 economies, offering a diverse platform for examining mobility trends across varied cultural, policy, and institutional contexts. Based on a cross-member survey, the session highlights common priorities and structural barriers, including financial constraints, credit transfer issues, and unequal participation. It also reveals strong institutional ambition for growth, innovation, and more flexible mobility models. Using APRU’s transnational network, the session places these findings in comparative perspective through institutional case studies, identifying both shared challenges and region-specific responses shaped by local culture, funding, and policy environments. Building on the survey findings, the speakers will explore how AI can strengthen mobility ecosystems through smarter advising, personalised programme matching, and data-informed planning that expands access and supports institutional strategy. Combining network-wide evidence with institutional examples, the session offers a practical and forward-looking view of how universities can make mobility more inclusive, data-informed, and resilient in the AI age. Learning objectives: - Interpret comparative evidence on student mobility trends, barriers, and priorities across a diverse network spanning multiple countries regions - Identify inclusive and flexible mobility models, and network-based approaches that respond to evolving student needs - Benchmark institutional practices against peer universities in different cultural and policy contexts, recognising where solutions are globally shared or locally specific - Apply insights from case studies across APRU members to inform institutional strategies for scaling equitable and sustainable mobility programmes - Understand how AI can be practically integrated into mobility ecosystems Target audience: - Directors / Heads of Global Engagement, International Office, or Mobility - Managers of Global Learning / Study Abroad - Leaders overseeing exchange partnerships and mobility programmes