Prague Process Handbook on Enhancing International Student Mobility

This publication is the result of the fruitful cooperation among the 13 states, which took part in the Pilot Project 6 (PP6) of the Prague Process Targeted Initiative (PP TI). While implemented under the heading of ‘Legal Migration’, it was decided through consultations among the leading and participating states that the project should focus on the cross-border mobility of students.

The Pilot Project provided a suitable platform to exchange know-how, discuss the different national approaches and current practices, thus strengthening the common understanding of the main concepts shaping student mobility. The three expert-level workshops and one study visit that took place in the 17 months of implementation generated rich information, combining international practice with the national experience of the PP6 participating states. Much of this information is used for the publication at hand.

This document provides an overview of the main practices encountered across the participating states and aims to facilitate the efficient management of international students’ mobility by the responsible policymakers and other relevant stakeholders in this area. As the migration policy setup seems to represent a process of ongoing adjustments, some countries could potentially benefit from the successful experiences of others. The set of non-binding policy guidelines contained in the document aims at acquainting policymakers and practitioners dealing with the cross-border mobility of students with practical recommendations on how to best manage it. Meanwhile, the document does not entail detailed information regarding the overall migration systems of the participating states.