Times Higher Education to Close BMI Firm by 2026
The company will end its student recruitment services for international applicants over the next two years.
Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Higher Education
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Times Higher Education announced that it will shutter its international student recruitment firm, BMI, by the end of 2026. The decision marks a shift in strategy as the company pivots to prioritize its core data and subscription offerings.
Why it matters
The closure signals a contraction in the international student recruitment sector, which is currently facing increased global regulatory and market pressures. For students and institutions, this change marks the wind-down of a major provider of recruitment fairs and counselor networking events.
Times Higher Education is winding down BMI, a subsidiary acquired in 2022 that organizes global student recruitment fairs and scholarship summits. The company will cease all operations by the end of 2026.
The players
Times Higher Education
A global provider of higher education data, rankings, and subscription services for students and institutions.
BMI
An international student recruitment company that facilitates global student fairs, scholarship summits, and workshops.
The details
Times Higher Education is systematically dismantling the BMI division to sharpen its institutional focus on data-driven business models and subscription services. This move impacts the organization of international student counselor workshops and professional networking events that BMI previously managed across key markets including Brazil and Southeast Asia. The company has cited broader economic and regulatory headwinds affecting the international student recruitment industry as the primary driver for the exit.
Timeline
2022: Times Higher Education acquired the recruitment firm BMI.
End of 2026: The BMI company will officially cease all operations.
Education Landscape
The wind-down of BMI follows a broader trend of market adjustment within the international student recruitment sector as providers navigate heightened global regulatory scrutiny. This move highlights a strategic pivot among education firms toward core data assets over traditional in-person recruitment events.
Students and educators who rely on BMI-organized recruitment fairs or scholarship summits should monitor for updates regarding the availability of these events through 2026. If you have pending applications or plans linked to these events, consider contacting your school's international admissions office to confirm alternative recruitment channels.
The takeaway
The closure of BMI indicates that major education service providers are increasingly prioritizing proprietary data over traditional recruitment events. Students should proactively verify the status of any recruitment fairs or summits they planned to attend as BMI transitions toward a complete closure by 2026.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving landscape of global studies, visit the Higher Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The PIE News.
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