Impact of international student transnational migration on social engagement and public governance

Qi Chen

doi:10.54254/2977-5701/2025.25618

Journal of Applied Economics and Policy StudiesOpen access

Impact of international student transnational migration on social engagement and public governance

Research Article

Open Access

Impact of international student transnational migration on social engagement and public governance

Qi Chen ^1*

¹ University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

^*Corresponding author: Qc2@student.unimelb.edu.au

Published on 5 August 2025

JAEPS Vol.18 Issue 7

ISSN (Print): 2977-571X

ISSN (Online): 2977-5701

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Abstract

Drawing on a twelve-month concurrent mixed-methods design that combined a cross-sectional survey (N = 1,240), 14.8 million platform-level digital-trace observations, and a randomized field intervention, this study examines the extent to which international student mobility reshapes civic participation and public-governance dynamics. The analysis identifies three major patterns. First, multilevel regression models show that every additional year spent abroad is associated with a 0.27-point increase (SE = 0.04) in a five-point hybrid-engagement index, controlling for socioeconomic background, language proficiency, and prior civic exposure. Second, difference-in-differences estimation reveals that a policy-literacy workshop raised the odds of formal volunteering by 42 % (OR = 1.42, 95 % CI 1.28–1.57) and boosted perceived municipal responsiveness by 0.34 SD. Finally, network analytics demonstrate that workshop participants expanded the transnational density of their online governance networks by 18.9 % while simultaneously reinforcing local bridging ties, suggesting a dual anchoring of engagement. The findings illuminate how cross-border education catalyzes novel, layered forms of civic involvement and exposes blind spots in representation and service delivery, offering concrete design principles for host-city institutions intent on leveraging student voices for participatory governance reforms.

Keywords:

international students, transnational migration, civic engagement, public governance, quasi-experiment

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References

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References

[2]. Aw, F., et al. (2023). International student engagement: Strategies for creating inclusive, connected, and purposeful campus environments. Routledge.

[5]. Tedeschi, M., Vorobeva, E., & Jauhiainen, J. S. (2022). Transnationalism: current debates and new perspectives.GeoJournal,87(2), 603–619. https: //doi.org/10.1007/s10708-021-10498-9

[7]. Hirschhorn, F. (2021). A multi-level governance response to the Covid-19 crisis in public transport.Transport Policy,112, 13–21. https: //doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2021.06.007

[10]. Sorce, G., & Dumitrica, D. (2022). Transnational dimensions in digital activism and protest.Review of Communication,22(3), 157–174. https: //doi.org/10.1080/15358593.2022.2076897

Cite this article

Chen,Q. (2025). Impact of international student transnational migration on social engagement and public governance. Journal of Applied Economics and Policy Studies,18(7),39-43.

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.

About volume

Journal: Journal of Applied Economics and Policy Studies

Volume number: Vol.18

Issue number: Issue 7

ISSN: 2977-5701(Print) / 2977-571X(Online)

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