NUMBER OF FOREIGN STUDENTS COMING TO STUDY IN AMERICA DIMINISHES IN WAKE OF 9/11
WEEKLONG GLOBAL CELEBRATION HOPES TO REVERSE THE TREND
CHESTER, PA, November 9, 2004 -
A dramatic decrease in the number of foreign graduate students coming to study abroad in the United States following the September 11 attacks threatens the future of higher education and undermines the connection between cultures, says an expert on international study in higher education.
Mark Shay, CEO of StudyAbroad.com, an enterprise partnered with the International Institute of Education in promoting international education through their own website and IIEPassport.org, calls for reforms to forge a more culturally aware and tolerant world in recognition of International Education Week (IEW), November 15-19.
To commemorate its fifth year as a global event, 86 countries will join together to showcase the significant contributions that international education makes in preparing citizens of all countries to live together. Schools, embassies, and communities throughout the world will hold activities celebrating the benefits of internationalization. The event is taking place through a partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State.
While American study abroad applications increased 42 percent following 9/11, according to the Institute of International Education (www.iie.org) , enrollment in American universities by foreign studies has been steadily declining since the attack. The Council of Graduate Schools cites an 18 percent decrease in admissions of foreign graduate students since last year.
Secretary of State Colin Powell commended the celebration, saying, "The U.S. Department of State is pleased to join the U.S. Department of Education in marking the fifth year of IEW. Celebrated worldwide, IEW provides an opportunity to highlight the benefits of international education and exchange; to express appreciation for students and scholars who study and teach here; and to commend the millions of people who build and strengthen bridges of international understanding by organizing and participating in exchange programs."
According to Secretary Powell, more than 200 alumni of State Department-sponsored international exchange programs have become heads of state or government. The Department of State wants this trend to continue, and hopes that IEW and similar events can do just that.
Mark Shay hopes his company's StudyAbroad.com website can further stimulate the study abroad market. "The creation of more, not less, global awareness is necessary," he says. "In seeking to create a greater understanding between people of all nations, the role of international education becomes increasingly valuable. While knowledge is important in gaining understanding and promoting diversity, practice and experience are equally important, and studying abroad introduces a new environment through which knowledge can be gained in a real-time setting. The successes gained through these experiences both equip and prepare individuals to thrive in a global world."
StudyAbroad.com
StudyAbroad.com is the Internet's leading source of information on educational opportunities for students to study in other countries. It is a comprehensive directory of study abroad and intensive language programs organized by subject and destination. StudyAbroad.com also offers Destination Portal Pages, a handbook serving as a guide to traveling abroad, and financial aid information. StudyAbroad.com is a service of Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. (EDU), a leading Internet company serving higher education. Based in suburban Philadelphia, EDU's steady growth since its inception in 1989 has led to its inclusion in the Philadelphia 100, Inc. Magazine/ICIC Inner City 100, and Inc. 500 lists of fast growing businesses.
For more information on study abroad statistics please visit http://opendoors.iienetwork.org or http://www.cgsnet.org/