Social licence and our underplayed trump card

When we talk about social licence, we’re not just throwing around another sector buzzword. If we lose it, the consequences cut deep: for students, communities and global engagement.

Losing social licence is an existential threat to international education.
– Professor Betty Leask

Social licence has become one of the most talked-about issues in international and higher education. We discuss it at conferences and in policy papers. We roll out the data on economic impact. And we talk up the soft diplomacy benefits. But beyond our own echo chamber, it’s one of the least understood. The very people we need to reach – the everyday public – aren’t even interested, let alone listening. If they’re not convinced, we have little hope of countering negative sentiment towards higher education or international students.

So what are we missing? And what’s the trump card we’re not using nearly enough?

Education abroad alumni. They’ve walked a mile in the shoes of international students and can speak about their global experiences with authenticity and credibility. They are powerful advocates. But right now, they’re grossly underused.

This is the conversation miXabroad sparked at last month’s Australian International Education Conference (AIEC) in Canberra. In collaboration with Professor Betty Leask, Linda Rust, Jason Valusaga and miXabroad’s Emily O’Callaghan, we hosted a café session focused on harnessing education abroad alumni to strengthen the sector’s social licence.

An existential threat we can’t ignore

The role of universities and the value of higher education is under increasing scrutiny. Despite their importance to workforce development, research capability and global engagement, they’re increasingly caught in the crossfire of political and cultural unrest.

A global shift to the right has helped erode trust in reputable institutions worldwide, and universities are often cast as out of touch with everyday values and too closely aligned with political or cultural elites.

As Ann Kirschner writes in Forbes, just “36 percent of Americans now express confidence in universities – down from 57 percent two decades ago”. In Australia, the situation is similarly bleak. A mere 15 percent of respondents in a recent Deakin University poll said they “trust universities a lot”.

And when you zoom in on global engagement, the picture is even tougher. International students are routinely swept into debates around ‘mass immigration’ and cast as the scapegoats for everything from rental shortages to crowded trains.

Rather than being recognised as vital contributors to an underfunded system, they’re seen to be taking the places (and jobs) of local students, and generally diluting educational standards.

The untold benefits of the international education sector barely register. Social cohesion, global understanding and a deeper sense of shared humanity? They rarely make it into public debate. As Professor Leask cautions: “We often presume that because we see the benefits of what we do, others will automatically see those as well. Trust, credibility and perceived legitimacy are fading – and that worries me.”

Education abroad alumni. They’ve walked a mile in the shoes of international students and can speak about their global experiences with authenticity and credibility. They are powerful advocates. But right now, they’re grossly underused.

How the data strengthens the case

While public trust in international education is under question, education abroad alumni could be one of the strongest levers we have in rebuilding social licence.

They know what it feels like to arrive in a new country. They’ve navigated culture shock, stayed with host families, made connections that challenged their views and returned home transformed.

According to miXabroad’s global benchmark report 2025, 

• 96 percent of students are satisfied or very satisfied with their international experience
• 77 percent would actively encourage others to go abroad.
  

High satisfaction translates into advocacy. Those who are very satisfied are far more likely to actively recommend their experience to other students.

Why are these experiences so powerful? Because the outcomes go far beyond academic credit. Globally, students report significant growth in personal growth and self-awareness (95%), communication and interpersonal skills (88%) and cultural competency and global awareness (86%). These qualities position students as credible voices for cross-cultural understanding and global mindedness. 

As miXabroad CEO Emily O’Callaghan emphasises: “Education abroad alumni are natural advocates, with stories of connection, resilience and cultural learning. Providers that deliver deeply satisfying experiences see students become champions for education abroad.”

From experience to advocacy

So how do we support alumni to become the advocates the sector needs? Here are three ideas that tie together our AIEC session and might just help shift the dial on community sentiment.

1. Make local connections intentional, rather than incidental
   Students often head overseas keen to meet locals. miXabroad data shows that two of the biggest motivators are ‘Understanding another culture’ (73%) and ‘Meeting people and making friends’ (72%).
   
   Yet once they arrive, most gravitate towards fellow study abroad students. “When you’re overseas and you hear a familiar accent, you’re automatically drawn to it,” says Jason Valusaga, New Colombo Plan alumnus and education abroad champion.
   
   During his placement in Indonesia, Jason deliberately steered against familiarity. In turn, he came away with deeper cultural insight, more confidence and a new commitment to community engagement. “It changed my entire perspective when it came to thinking and engaging with people,” he says.
   
   Pre-departure programs can help plant these seeds early. Linda Rust, Manager of Global Learning at the University of Melbourne, says helping students articulate what they want from their time overseas and how they’ll pursue meaningful local engagement is a key focus for her team. They are also developing a returning home module to help students reflect on what they’ve learnt and the skills and connections they have gained.
   
   There’s real opportunity here to better tailor programs for local engagement, supporting students to go out and make connections. Host universities can also create natural touchpoints for connection rather than leaving it to chance.
   
   
2. Keep better track of alumni and maintain the engagement
   Universities do a fantastic job sending students out into the world. We do far less well keeping track of them once they return.
   
   As Linda Rust puts it, “We have big targets for getting students out the door, but what are we doing about tracking and measuring impact after they come home?”
   
   It's a missed opportunity. Alumni often go on to volunteer, mentor international students on their home campus, work in intercultural roles or contribute locally in ways that build social licence organically. If we track and nurture that engagement, the stories are already there waiting to be amplified.
   
   Employers are part of this picture too. When industry understands the practical value of global learning – resilience, communication, adaptability – alumni feel more confident to share their experiences in ways that land outside our sector bubble.
   
   

Jacinda Ardern and Penny Wong took part in education abroad. That experience changed their lives, and they went on to change the world.
 – Professor Betty Leask

1. Identify your strongest voices and help them be heard
   If universities can track graduates more consistently, they’re in a far better position to identify the alumni whose stories carry real power.
   
   Two high-profile examples include former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Penny Wong, Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs. “Both of these women took part in education abroad. That experience changed their lives, and they went on to change the world,” says Betty Leask.
   
   And then there are the everyday graduates whose stories are relatable and grounded: equity students, regional students, vocational education and mature-age students. Their experiences are often the ones that cut through. We need more of these voices in local media, community and council events and workplaces. 

Rebuilding trust, one story at a time

Of course, there’s no silver bullet or quick fix – the broader social and political issues affecting the social licence for higher education transcend education abroad and the wider international education sectors. 

Where complex issues feel abstract, relatable voices can make them real. Education abroad alumni carry the impact of their experiences into the workplace, civic life and community. Real progress will come from people who can speak authentically about how global learning has shaped their own view of the world. That might be from a podium or podcast with an audience in the thousands. Or it might be one-to-one in everyday conversations.

For miXabroad, this is at the heart of what we do. We’ll keep gathering the data, sharing the insights and helping institutions strengthen experiences across preparation, support and community connection. And we’ll keep encouraging the sector to champion the people who can tell the story best.

Interested in how you can leverage your student voice to improve programs and promote value? Get in touch.

Peter Muntz is the Communications Director at miXabroad. He specialises in international education and has two decades of experience across universities, NGOs, professional associations and education start-ups.