Lingnan invites renowned scholar from the University of Manchester to explain how exploring global south student mobility shapes the landscape in international higher education

Lingnan University’s School of Graduate Studies recently invited Dr Miguel Antonio Lim, Senior Lecturer in Education and Research Excellence Framework (REF) coordinator at the Manchester Institute of Education, to deliver a thought-provoking presentation on “Ethical Internationalisation in Higher Education and the Need for Understanding ‘South-to-South’ Student Mobility” at a seminar. Dr Lim is well-known for his extensive research in international and transnational higher education.

Dr Lim, whose presentation was attended by about 100 postgraduate students and academics, both in person and virtually, underlined the evolving role of transnational higher education as part of wider national development policies, especially in the context of the internationally significant Global South, developing countries primarily located in the southern hemisphere, and explained how policies should facilitate and achieve more equitable partnerships.

Focusing on less understood elements, mainly the transfer of policies and students between countries of the Global South, Dr Lim discussed his research findings, starting with the significant increase in intra-ASEAN student flows in recent decades, and also underscored the importance of acknowledging and understanding this trend as it continues to shape the global education landscape. He said that international partnerships should be based on equity and mutual benefit, and emphasised the importance of understanding South-to-South student mobility. 

The presentation then pivoted to Mainland China, and Dr Lim highlighted the growth and increasing scale of transnational higher education there, and its role in increasing accessibility to higher education, referencing the proliferation of Sino-foreign cooperative universities, institutions, and programmes.

Held on 12 January, the seminar was part of the Distinguished Scholars Seminar Series. To learn more about the Series, please visit:

https://www.ln.edu.hk/sgs/news/Distinguished-Scholars-Seminar-Series-2024