International students are thinking beyond the conventional study abroad destinations these days. Tunisia is looking ahead to the opportunities in the domain by gearing up to become a leading international study destination. It aspires to secure 10% of its total higher education student body as international students by 2025.
Nearly 4% of the 240,000 students in the higher education institutions in Tunisia before the pandemic were from other countries. A majority of them were from Africa. Now the country is strategizing to reinforce its position as an international education destination beyond the pandemic.
Tunisia is already developing a programme to entice students from abroad, including bearing the expense of their fees at public sector universities. Even as private sector institutions continue with regular fees from international students, this government initiative fetched a record number of students from overseas in 2020.
The country lost only 2% of its overseas students in 2021, despite the pandemic crisis. It expects to get reasonable levels of them even in the future. Tunisia has also taken an exemplary approach for handling issues with international students, which is another reason why they are still flocking here.
It was quick to pivot its accommodation policy in response to the emergency, allowing students facing economic crunch access to housing in the country. It also offered psychological and financial support to help them deal with the unprecedented circumstances.
A centralised exam system was created by the ministry to administer exams for 900 international students globally because they were unable to travel to Tunisia. These exams were held in universities in other countries and even in Tunisian embassies and ministry offices.
Additionally, Tunisia has come up with more initiatives to bring back international students. These include organising PCR tests on arrival and providing quarantine at hotels for 400 international students. The authorities maintained connections with students and their home countries through the crisis. The aim is to attract them individually and foster international cooperation through waivers and scholarships.
Tunisia has lined up various programmes to reach its target of 10% of students being of international origin in the next four years. These programmes also prioritize cooperation with African countries. Students from 40 countries from the African region come to Tunisia with government scholarships. Further, the country is working on more possibilities to attract and retain international students for the long haul.
If you are considering studying abroad why don’t you discuss your prospects and opportunities with experts at Lurnable’s dedicated study abroad counselling division LurnPathways?
