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Interest
In International Educational Exchange Remains Strong
ONE YEAR AFTER SEPTEMBER 11th according to
IIE Survey
American
Students Continuing to Study Abroad in Increasing Numbers;
Reports of International
Student Enrollment Appear Stable With Some Decreases from
Middle East
Washington
D. C., November 18, 2002 ° In an online survey recently conducted by the Institute
of International Education, campus professionals reported
that their students continue to study abroad in growing
numbers this year, and enrollments by international students
remain relatively steady, with varying reports showing
some campus enrollments increasing despite some decreases
in enrollment from a few Middle Eastern countries.
The survey findings will be released today in conjunction
with the release of Open Doors 2002, IIEØs annual comprehensive report on international educational
exchange, funded by the U.S. Department of StateØs Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The new online survey
supplements the release of the Open Doors
data by providing a snapshot of what over 300 educators
have observed on their campuses at the start of the fall
2002 term. The full survey and results, along with substantive comments
on the survey-related discussion board, are posted on
IIEØs Open Doors website (http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/).
The
InstituteØs annual comprehensive report on international
student mobility, Open Doors 2002, shows that a record total of 582,996 international students studied
in the United States in academic year 2001/02, making
higher education one of this countryØs leading exports
and bringing nearly $12 billion to the U.S. economy.
The number of international students increased
by over 6% in academic year 2001/02. Study abroad by American students has
also been increasing rapidly over the past five years
(up 55%), and the number of students studying abroad has
more than doubled since 1991 (from 71,154 in 1991/92 to
154,168 in 2000/01, an increase of 116%). However, the
total number of students who study abroad still represents
a very small percentage of the total U.S. student population.
Detailed breakdowns of the reportØs findings are
available on the Open Doors
website.
IIEØs
October 2002 online survey suggests that, in the current
academic year, study abroad by American students is more
popular than ever. Over two-thirds of respondents noted that
the number of students studying abroad in fall 2002 had
either continued to increase or remained the same on their
campus compared to the same term last year. Of those who
responded to this question, 45% saw an increase in the
number of US students currently studying abroad, and 34%
reported no noticeable change. Of those reporting a rise
in study abroad participation, 18% noted some increase
and 6% reported a substantial jump. In a separate question, 30% of the respondents noted that they
have seen an increase in the number of US students studying
abroad in non-traditional destinations. All of these findings
support educatorsØ comments that the events of September
11 have raised student awareness in world affairs.
The online survey was conducted on IIEØs membership
website over a two-week time period in late October, with
a total of 324 educators responding.
The
reports of international student enrollments this fall
showed a more complex picture. Over half (57%) of the
international education professionals responding reported
either increased or unchanged numbers of international
students enrolled in fall 2002 compared to the same term
last year. Of these respondents, 33% reported an
increase in the number of international students compared
to last year, while 24% reported no noticeable change.
Of those respondents reporting a decline, only
3% report it to be a substantial decline. Twenty-five
percent reported a slight decline (10% or less) and 15%
reported a decline of 11-30%.
Telephone
follow-up with 10 of the institutions that host the highest
numbers of international students shows that the overall
international student numbers seem to be holding steady
or even increasing. These leading host institutions report increases in the number
of international students on their campuses this year.
A preliminary look at the total enrollment figures for
these institutions shows an increase of about 4% in international
student enrollments for fall 2002 compared to fall 2001.
The
October 2002 survey asked educators to indicate whether
they had seen a substantial decline in enrollments (30%
or more) from any of the following major sending countries
and major Islamic countries: India, China, Indonesia,
Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and United
Arab Emirates. The results suggest that there has not
been a substantial or dramatic change in enrollments by
students from most of these countries. However, enrollments from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi
Arabia may have been impacted.
Of the 114 educators who answered this question,
33% noted a substantial drop in enrollment of students
from Saudi Arabia and 25% noted a substantial drop in
the number of students from the UAE. In addition, 21%
of those responding indicated a substantial drop in enrollments
from Indonesia and Pakistan. A smaller number of respondents
(10-19%) noted substantial declines in students from Kuwait,
Malaysia, India, and China, while only 5% noted substantial
declines in students from Egypt.
For most of these countries, 80% or more report
that they have not seen a substantial decline in international
student enrollment.
Commenting
on these findings, Dr. Todd Davis, Director of the InstituteØs
Higher Education Resource Group said, ²Despite some reported
decreases, nothing in the distribution of responses suggests
that the trends we have observed over the past few years,
namely continued growth in international student enrollments,
have been knocked off track. Although the responses do not point towards either
dramatic growth or declines, the survey results, combined
with our follow-up interviews with leading host campuses,
seem to suggest that existing trends found in the Open
Doors reports are likely to continue.Ó
Allan E. Goodman, IIEØs president and CEO, said, ²One year after
September 11, it is welcome news that American students
continue to demonstrate an increased interest in world
affairs and seek opportunities to study abroad, and that
international students are continuing to come to the United
States to study.
The exchange of knowledge and ideas between American
citizens and the people of other nations is vital to American
higher education and to the prospect of creating a peaceful,
more secure world.Ó
While the survey responses
were anonymous, a total of 324 respondents identified
themselves as representing institutions as follows: 195
(60%) from universities, 89 (27%) from four-year colleges,
22 (6%) from two-year colleges, 6 (1 %) from non-governmental
organizations, and 12 (3%) from other types of institutions.
# # #
Complete results of
the poll and a press kit on major findings of the Open
Doors 2002 report can be found
at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/,
IIEØs online resource for the international education
community. The Open Doors report is published
by IIE with support from the Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.
The Institute of International Education, founded
in 1919, is the leading not-for-profit educational and
cultural exchange organization in the United States.
Contact:
Deborah
Gardner, halstead@halsteadpr.com 212/734-2190
Sharon Witherell,
switherell@iie.org 212/984-5380
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