Recorded live at the 2026 ASU+GSV Summit in San Diego, this session featured Tom Dretler, CEO & Co-Founder at Shorelight, LLC; Clare Rawlins, Senior Vice President of Student Recruitment, Marketing and Partnerships at Kaplan International Pathways; Julia Rosen, Vice President of Global Academic Initiatives at Arizona State University; Martin Basiri, Founder & CEO at Passage.com; Alejandro Caballero, Principal Education Specialist at International Finance Corporation / The World Bank Group; and Fionnuala Duggan, Board Director and Partner at Folens Group / Cairneagle Ltd.

The speakers explored how international degree pathways have evolved amid mounting immigration pressures, visa constraints, and the growing strength of higher education providers in emerging markets. They discussed how institutions across the U.S. higher education spectrum—including public, private, global, and online providers—have responded to declining international enrollments and shifting geopolitical realities by developing high-return, lower-cost strategies to sustain and grow international student participation. The session focused on durable approaches to international engagement, examining how institutions can adapt recruitment, partnerships, and pathway models to remain competitive in a more constrained, bordered world.