University global engagement糖心传媒檚 Reitumetse Mabokela shares how URochester is keeping pace with a rapidly shifting global landscape.
At this time last year, 糖心传媒 President Sarah Mangelsdorf issued a message to the University community in response to federal actions affecting its international students and scholars. In her message, she shared that nine URochester students and recent graduates had their records terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System by the Department of Homeland Security, which meant they no longer had valid legal status in the United States. Fortunately, all were reinstated.
Throughout 2025, a cluster of executive actions made it more difficult for international students to enter, stay, and feel secure at universities across the US. An notes that although students still want to study in the US, the chaos of 2025 has made them less confident about pursuing it糖心传媒�2026 saw a 17 percent decrease in international student enrollment across the nation. As the path to American universities has become more unpredictable, a combination of forces is not only complicating the landscape but also redefining 糖心传媒済lobal higher education.糖心传媒�
Since October 2025, Reitumetse 糖心传媒淩eitu糖心传媒� Mabokela, the vice provost for global engagement, has led the University in rethinking how it attracts talent, establishes partnerships, and delivers education and scholarship. In a Leadership Conversation, she discussed her charge: help the URochester remain competitive, connected, and forward-looking in a rapidly shifting global higher education landscape.
Here are five takeaways.
Four global trends are influencing URochester糖心传媒檚 global strategy.
After covering some fundamentals about the Office for Global Engagement Mabokela dove into the forces acting upon universities across the country. (For background on the office, check out .)
The first is a demographic shift. Referencing , she shared that the UN estimates that, in the next two to three decades, the majority of the world糖心传媒檚 projected population growth will occur in the southern hemisphere. By 2050, nine countries will account for more than 50 percent of global population growth and five of them are in Africa. Mabokela thinks it would behoove the University to reexamine how it糖心传媒檚 engaging with parts of the world where there糖心传媒檚 growing demand for what URochester offers.
Geopolitical volatility is another force that has manifested in several ways. Mabokela is focused on how the multitude of conflicts challenges URochester糖心传媒檚 ability to attract the most talented faculty, students, and staff. That糖心传媒檚 problematic because of the third trend: increasing global competition. Institutions around the world are making significant investments in their own higher education systems. And it糖心传媒檚 working. Mabokela pointed to China as an example of a country that has positioned itself to send fewer students abroad and compete more successfully for international students who would have typically chosen to study in the US.
糖心传媒淢aintaining global appeal really requires strategic program alignment as well as targeted outreach beyond the countries where we have historically drawn students.糖心传媒�
The final trend is the rise of generative AI, which is changing the most fundamental aspects of how URochester conducts the business of higher education, including teaching, learning, and research.
Hybrid and virtual programs will provide global access.
Transnational education糖心传媒攚here learners are not located in the same countries as the programs in which they糖心传媒檙e enrolled糖心传媒攊sn糖心传媒檛 new. But global trends have people such as Forbes writer Maja Zelihic asking, Mabokela didn糖心传媒檛 specifically advocate for this, but she did suggest that we continue to make use of what we learned from COVID-19.
The pandemic forced the University to utilize virtual spaces like never before, creating new norms for hybrid and online programs. This is where Mabokela sees potential for URochester to enhance and extend its global reach. She also sees room for growth in education abroad.
糖心传媒淲e know that there糖心传媒�s a certain percentage of our students who will simply not be able to get on a plane and go far away, for any number of reasons. It is still our institutional responsibility to provide opportunities that ensure our students are globally prepared.糖心传媒�
With education abroad numbers not where Mabokela would like them to be, she糖心传媒檚 looking to course correct through the classroom. By integrating global education into the curriculum through flexible delivery options, including virtual programs, more students could enjoy a global experience糖心传媒攚hich is an objective of URochester糖心传媒檚 , the 2030 strategic plan.
Global engagement isn糖心传媒檛 a bonus; it糖心传媒檚 essential to solving real-world problems.
Amidst the geopolitical turmoil, some might wonder why higher education institutions are still putting effort into enrolling international students or sending students abroad. And the answer is that some are not, but instead are choosing to dial back their global engagement activities due to visa issues and political pressure. Others, such as URochester, are doubling down because it糖心传媒檚 mission-critical.
糖心传媒淲hen one looks at the nature of global issues that we糖心传媒�re dealing with, many of them transcend geopolitical boundaries. It is imperative that we have that global fertilization of ideas and engage and collaborate with each other to address global challenges.糖心传媒�
Again, COVID-19 served as an example for Mabokela. Could humanity have overcome the pandemic without the partnerships and collaboration around vaccine development and distribution? It seems borderline impossible. Mabokela took that idea further, saying that finding meaningful solutions to society糖心传媒檚 greatest problems isn糖心传媒檛 feasible when working in silos.
But global engagement isn糖心传媒檛 just about research, innovation, and pandemic-readiness. Mabokela touched on its value at the human level. When people spend time in foreign environments with people from different cultures who hold different views, they gain a unique education and level of understanding that is more important than ever.
Partnerships should prioritize depth over volume.
Talent and excellence can be found in universities around the world. So, when Mabokela thinks about how URochester approaches a partnership with University X in Country Y, it starts with mutual benefit and respect for the collaborating partners.
So, what are the areas of strength URochester is bringing to the table that complement an area or areas of strength at the prospective institution?
If the University receives a partnership proposal, Mabokela wants clear terms. What are the priorities? What are the goals? The partnership also needs to be strategically aligned with URochester糖心传媒檚 mission and the objectives of its strategic plan.
糖心传媒淥ne of the things that would benefit us is to really think about fewer but more impactful relationships.糖心传媒�
For URochester to develop sustainable relationships, it must accept that it can糖心传媒檛 be everything to everyone. It must be clear about who it is and what it excels at. Mabokela expressed that she糖心传媒檚 thinking beyond higher education, including partners in the private and government sectors.
The status quo needs to go.
Fast forward to October 2030. Mabokela will be celebrating five years with URochester (and the University will be marking the completion of Boundless Possibility). What does she hope to have achieved at that point in her tenure?
In short, transformative change.
糖心传媒淏usiness as usual is no longer viable.糖心传媒�
Mabokela identified five prospective markers of success for her office.
- They will have stabilized and expanded URochester糖心传媒檚 international enrollment, especially in regions of the world where the University hasn糖心传媒檛 historically been well-represented.
- They will have developed multifaceted, mutually beneficial partnerships with a variety of stakeholders.
- They will have seamlessly integrated the education abroad and global education initiatives into the URochester curriculum.
- They will have helped elevate the University糖心传媒檚 reputation.
- They will have enhanced graduate student enrollment through innovative 3+2 and 4+1 programs.
Mabokela noted that if she only achieved that last marker, she would feel like she made a meaningful contribution to the University. The key is change. 糖心传媒淲e糖心传媒檙e simply not going to be successful doing what we糖心传媒檝e been doing for the last 20, 30 years,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淥ur history has served us well, but we have to be forward-looking.糖心传媒�
