Building bridges not walls: the power of international education

Twenty years ago, in 2005, the world was on the cusp of technological change. The early 2000s saw the rise of digital platforms that would accelerate global connectivity. The iPhone was still in development, and we were marvelling at using BlackBerrys to make calls AND send emails. But it wasn’t all about technology. The publication of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince united young people around the world who queued outside bookshops at midnight to be the first to read it.

It was also a year of reckoning. The Kyoto Protocol came into force, reshaping conversations on energy efficiency, sustainability and renewables. Hurricane Katrina left devastation in its path which became a major wake-up call for climate change. And in engineering, long-overdue conversations about gender inclusion began to take root.

That same year on 26 July 2005, I became a UK citizen.

Born in Monterrey, Mexico – an industrial city and hub for steel plants – I was the first in my family to attend university. I chose engineering because it offered something more than a career or the chance to build things: it offered a way to solve problems, to connect people and have an impact. For me engineering was never just about machines or systems. It was about purpose. It was about people.

I didn’t know then that this journey would lead me to the UK, to become a professor, a university founder and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. I didn’t know that I would one day call the UK home. And I certainly didn’t know that I would help shape the future of higher education for international students!

But I knew one thing: I wanted to make a difference.

Shaping engineering education

After completing my MEng in Mechanical Engineering and Management in Mexico, I moved to the UK to pursue an MBA in Industrial Management in the city of Sheffield, known around the world for its engineering and skilled manufacturing. Living in a new country, learning a new language in a new academic environment was life changing for me. I saw how education could transform lives and how, international students like me, can bring new perspectives that added value to classrooms, research and communities.

At the University of Sheffield, as an academic, I began to see the classroom not just a place for instruction, but as a space where empathy, collaboration and global citizenship could be cultivated. One initiative, the award-winning Make a Change programme, brought engineering students together with stroke survivors to co-design solutions to help them communicate and live. I’ll always remember the powerful results of this initiative, not only in terms of technical innovation but in the way that it gave students a deeper understanding of how engineering can and will make a difference to humans.

I was proud to become a professor. Up until that point, professors were appointed based on their research prowess, but I changed that. My professorship was awarded to me for innovation in teaching, the first of a new kind of professorship, which meant that others could follow my path and shine a light on the value of pedagogy and student impact.

My next chapter took me to Herefordshire as a founding leader of the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE), where we built a university from scratch. Our mission was simple but ambitious: create a new kind of engineering education that was hands-on, inclusive and purpose driven. Students work on real-world challenges embedded in industry and community. It’s the kind of education that prepares students not just for jobs but for life.

As an immigrant, my journey has been shaped by both opportunity and responsibility. I chose to build my career - and my life - in the UK, not because it was easy, but because it offered the chance to contribute meaningfully. I have given my energy, my ideas and my heart to this country, and in return, I have found purpose, belonging and a platform to make change.

Just like technology twenty years ago, international education is now on the cusp of radical reform with the rise of geopolitical change and AI. Today I am proud to be Provost and Chief Academic Officer of Study Group and part of an organisation of people committed to building a better world through education. We’re not only preparing students for their degree but pioneering delivery models and introducing new geographies that meet international students where they need and want to be.

My mission remains the same: to empower individuals through education, so they can empower their communities.

What does this mean for leaders in higher education

My story is not unique. It’s one of many examples that shows how international education can transform lives – not just for students but for universities and communities. International students bring their whole selves to university. They change the experience of their peers, teachers and communities. They are not just receivers of education; they co-create it.

As the world becomes more fragmented and some leaders build walls, international education breaks them down and builds bridges. It creates global citizens without borders. It fosters empathy, collaboration and shared purpose – qualities we need now more than ever.

So how can we, as educators, rise to this challenge?

1. Empathy 

We must understand the lived experience of international students. Many of us - especially in Study Group - have walked that path ourselves. Let’s use that insight to create more compassionate, responsive learning environments.

2. Voice 

It’s not enough to welcome international students - we must listen to them. Their perspectives should shape curriculum, policy and institutional culture. They are not guests; they are part of the fabric of our campuses and increasingly they help shape the experience of future students through what we learn from them. In that sense, they are also our teachers.

3. Belonging 

True inclusion means more than fitting in. It means creating spaces where international students feel they belong and learning from them what that means. Shakespeare famously said that ‘one man’s meet is another man’s poison’ and we are on dangerous ground if we assume each of our students experience welcome and belonging in the same way. Peer mentoring, student leadership and high-quality teaching all play a role in building that sense of home.

4. Student-centred innovation 

We must continue to innovate in how we teach - adapting to diverse learning styles, leveraging technology and designing experiences that are relevant, engaging and empowering. Education is all about change — knowledge develops, technologies expand the possibilities of conveying knowledge and students and teachers change too. This is a dynamic environment, but our desire to light a fire of lifelong curiosity and understanding is timeless. 

5. A truly global education

International education must itself become more international, and geopolitical and economic shifts in the world mean that process is accelerating. It’s time to move beyond the one-way journey to Western institutions and embrace global delivery models, transnational partnerships and flexible pathways that reflect the interconnected world we live in.

Advice for international students starting their journey

So if you’re just beginning your studies abroad, congratulations and here’s my advice:

• Have the courage to step into the unknown
• Work hard, be kind and never treat anyone badly – or let anyone treat you badly
• Make mistakes and take risks. Learn from them
• Don’t give up, persevere and keep going – you will get there
• Use your education as a privilege to make the world better.

And finally, enjoy every moment. Your journey will have bumps in the road, but it will be worth it. And who knows? You might find yourself not just studying at a university but building one. I look forward to reading your own story one day soon.