Summary

• International Students’ Day is celebrated every year on November 17.
• On this day, the Nazi forces executed 9 student leaders and sent thousands of students to Nazi concentration camps, where many of them died.
• This day is observed annually to highlight the significance of freedom to protest and freedom of thought for a healthy society.
• Colleges and universities organise events around the world on this day to celebrate student movements, freedom of expression, and the right to education.
• Today, international students bring billions of dollars in fees to destination countries and participate in innovation and entrepreneurship.

Why is International Students’ Day Celebrated?

International Students’ Day is celebrated every year on November 17 to commemorate the sacrifices of university students in Prague. The Nazi forces arrested over 1,200 university students when they were protesting against the brutal occupation of their country by a foreign military in 1939.

This day is observed annually to highlight the significance of freedom to protest and freedom of thought for a healthy society. This reminds us that students play a significant role in the social and cultural fabric of any country.

It also reminds those in power that students are among the most aware in society. Any suppression of their voice can give a short respite to the oppressors, but you cannot prevail over the will of the students to fight back for their rights.

The theme for International Students’ Day 2025 is ‘empowering students as agents of innovation and change.’ The theme is carefully chosen to underline the crucial role of students in innovation and tackling the modern issues that the world faces today.

Students consistently demonstrate that when equipped with resources, they excel in innovation and technology.

Today, students are leading research in cutting-edge science and technology due to their agility and hard work. It is their sheer will to do something good for the world that is helping them to change the world.

The History of International Students’ Day

The history of this day takes us back to October 1939. The Nazis had already taken over Germany and Austria and were looking to completely subjugate Czechoslovakia (modern-day Czech Republic).

To resist the complete takeover of their country, students and teachers started protesting against the Nazis. During one of those protests on November 11, a student whose name was Jan Opletal was killed.

The protests further increased at his funeral, and the occupying fascist Nazi forces closed all universities in the country and arrested over a thousand students. On November 17, Nazis executed 9 of the student leaders without any trial to suppress the protests.

To make the situation worse, the Nazis sent thousands of students and protestors to concentration camps, where many of them died.

To commemorate these events, the International Union of Students declared November 17 as the International Students’ Day. Since then this day is observed all over the world to remember those brave students who lost their lives for the sake of freedom and the right to education.

This day is important to celebrate because it unites students all over the world. No matter where they live and study, this day reminds everyone that students will continue to play their role in global politics and beyond.

Why Do International Students Matter?

Students have always played an outsized role in shaping the modern-day world. They still play a major role in the politics and economics of their own and other countries.

By 2022, there were more than 6.9 million internationally mobile students globally, a 176% increase over the past two decades, from 2.5 million in 2002, according to the Migration Data Portal.

Moreover, nearly half of these students are only in the top 10 destination countries. These countries are

• United Kingdom (10%)
• Germany (6%)
• Australia (6%) 
• Russian Federation (5%) 
• Canada (5%) 
• France (4%)
• Türkiye (4%) 
• China (3%) 
• Japan (3%) 
• Argentina (2%)

International students bring valuable foreign exchange with them. In many cases, destination countries earn billions of dollars annually from these students. They also contribute to the economy and participate in research and innovation.

In 2022, international students spent more than $37.3 billion in Canada on education-related expenses, according to the Government of Canada.  

These are some of the reasons why rich countries try to attract the best talent pool from all over the world. These talented individuals also participate in start-ups and innovate new technologies that are highly sought after at the global stage.

Despite all these positive contributions, international students have to go through several challenges, such as visa issues, delays in paperwork, and other such problems. International students also face many other kinds of challenges that are not usually discussed in the media. Some of them are language barriers, racism, cultural shocks, financial issues, etc.

Conclusion

International Students’ Day signifies the importance of higher education. It reminds us of the glorious history of students and student unions who fought brutal dictatorship but never surrendered before the powerful regimes. It is because of their sacrifices that we have a better world today where people are allowed to raise their voices and make themselves heard.

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