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Keywords

academic capitalism, international students, migration policies, post-graduation path

Abstract

Amidst the neoliberal commodification of international education, countries have taken various approaches to governing international students’ mobilities. This paper examines Vietnamese students’ navigation of different ‘regimes of mobility’ in Canada, France and the United Kingdom (UK). Drawing on Manderscheid’s (2020) “critique of mobility” we highlight how these regimes vary not only in openness, but also in the power dynamics they perpetuate. Based on two qualitative interpretive studies, including 25 interviews with Vietnamese students in Vancouver, Paris, and the UK (London, Northampton and Aberdeen), our thematic analysis addresses how mobility regimes affect students’ choice of destination, legal status, and post-graduation plans. Instead of a “triple win” (Brunner, 2021, p. 29) for students, sending and receiving countries, we examined how France’s, Canada’s and the UK’s mobility regimes perpetuate inequalities and prioritize their own economic interests. We argue that return migration might be an agentive way for international students to challenge Western mobility regimes.

Abstract - Translated

Giữa bối cảnh thương mại hóa tân tự do của nền giáo dục quốc tế, các quốc gia đã áp dụng nhiều phương pháp khác nhau để quản lý sự di chuyển của sinh viên quốc tế. Bài viết này so sánh cách sinh viên Việt Nam định hướng các “chế độ di chuyển” khác nhau tại Canada, Pháp và Vương quốc Anh. Chúng tôi sử dụng thuyết “phê bình di chuyển” của Manderscheid (2020) để nhấn mạnh rằng các chế độ này khác nhau về cởi mở và quyền hạn mà chúng duy trì. Dựa trên hai nghiên cứu định tính diễn giải với 25 phỏng vấn với sinh viên Việt Nam tại Vancouver, Paris và Vương quốc Anh (London, Northampton và Aberdeen), phân tích chủ đề của chúng tôi xem xét cách các chế độ di chuyển ảnh hưởng đến lựa chọn điểm đến, tình trạng pháp lý và kế hoạch sau khi tốt nghiệp. Thay vì “cả ba cùng thắng” (Brunner, 2021, trang 29) cho sinh viên, quốc gia gửi và quốc gia tiếp nhận, phân tích của chúng tôi chỉ ra rằng cách các chế độ di chuyển của Pháp, Canada và Vương quốc Anh duy trì sự bất bình đẳng và ưu tiên lợi ích kinh tế của họ. Chúng tôi lập luận rằng việc di cư ngược có thể là một cách để sinh viên quốc tế thách thức chế độ di chuyển của các quốc gia phương Tây.

Abstract - Translated

Dans le contexte de la marchandisation néolibérale de l’éducation internationale, les pays adoptent différentes approches pour régir les mobilités des étudiant.e.s. Cet article examine comment les étudiant.e.s vietnamien.ne.s naviguent différents « régimes de mobilité » au Canada, en France et au Royaume-Uni. Par la « critique de la mobilité » de Manderscheid (2020) nous montrons que ces régimes diffèrent par leur ouverture et les dynamiques de pouvoir perpétuées. Basé sur deux études qualitatives interprétatives, comprenant 25 entrevues avec des étudiant.e.s vietnamien.ne.s à Vancouver, Paris et au Royaume-Uni, notre analyse thématique aborde l’impact des régimes de mobilité sur le choix de destination, le statut légal et les projets post-diplôme. Plutôt qu’un « triple gain » (Brunner, 2021, p. 29) pour les étudiants, les pays d’envoi et d’accueil, ces régimes perpétuent des inégalités et privilégient leurs intérêts économiques, tandis que la migration de retour peut constituer une stratégie agentive pour les contester.

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