[Vnbiz] Number of Foreign Students Bounces Back to Near-Record High
Tai Phan
k.phan007 at gmail.com
Mon Dec 3 04:34:40 PST 2007
[image: The Chronicle of Higher Education] <http://chronicle.com/> [image:
International] <http://chronicle.com/international/> From the issue dated
November 16, 2007 Number of Foreign Students Bounces Back to Near-Record
High advertisement
<http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/international.che/;sz=250x250;num=11116?>
Related materials
*Articles:*
- Worldwide Competition<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a03401.htm>for
International Students Heats Up
- Study-Abroad
Numbers<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a03601.htm>Continue to
Climb, Trips Are Shorter, Report Says
*Tables:*
- After a 3-Year<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#slump>Slump,
The Numbers Jump
- Foreign Enrollments<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#enrollment>
- Foreign Students<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#snapshot>In
The United States: A Snapshot of Fall 2007
- Top Countries of
Origin<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#origin>of
Foreign Students in the United States, 2006-7
- Countries with the most
students<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#us>in the
U.S., 2006-7
- U.S. Colleges<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#internationals>With
the Most International Students, 2006-7
- Foreign Students<http://chronicle.com/weekly/v54/i12/12a00102.htm#region>in
the
U.S. by Region of Origin, 2006-7
By EUGENE MCCORMACK
The number of international students enrolled in American colleges and
universities rose by 3.2 percent last fall — the first significant increase
since 2001. Thanks to two consecutive years of large gains in first-time
students, foreign-enrollment figures have nearly returned to their peak
level, seen in 2002.
Those results appear in the latest edition of "Open Doors," an annual report
on international academic mobility published by the Institute of
International Education and supported by the State Department's Bureau of
Educational and Cultural Affairs.
According to the report, there were 582,984 foreign students in the United
States in 2006 — an increase of 18,218 over 2005, and only 3,339 fewer than
the highest number recorded. Those students contributed an estimated
$14.5-billion to the U.S. economy, according to the institute.
The number of new international students rose 10 percent last fall,
following an 8.3-percent jump the year before.
Higher-education officials attribute the growth to stronger recruitment
efforts by universities, the rising numbers of students who seek education
abroad, and continued efforts by the U.S. government to smooth the
visa-application process.
"The U.S. authorities are now giving visas left, right, and center," said a
representative with the New Delhi office of Infozee, a counseling service
for Indian students looking to study abroad.
Still, some international educators say too little is being done to attract
foreign students, as demonstrated by the United States' declining share of
the worldwide foreign-student market.
The report includes several positive indicators: Graduate enrollments
increased after two years of decline; numbers from India and China, the two
largest sending countries, rose after a slump; and the numbers of students
in mathematics, engineering, and business — three fields that rely heavily
on foreign talent — all had better showings in 2006.
The United States also benefited from a Saudi-government scholarship program
that more than doubled the number of that country's students attending
college or studying English here, and from a booming middle class in
Vietnam, which fueled a 30-percent growth in its enrollments here last year.
As a result, both nations found themselves among the top 20 sending
countries for the first time in two decades.
"The trend seems to be clear now that the numbers are rebounding," said
Peggy Blumenthal, vice president for educational services at the Institute
of International Education. "I think what has happened over the last few
years has really been a wake-up call for colleges and universities and for
the U.S. government that you can't just assume that the U.S. is going to get
foreign students because we're here."
The results of two other recent surveys indicate the upward trend is likely
to continue. The Council of Graduate Schools announced last week that the
number of foreign graduate students grew 7 percent this fall. And a
preliminary survey of 700 colleges conducted by eight higher-education
associations revealed that more than half of the institutions saw their
foreign-student enrollments grow this fall, while less than 20 percent saw
declines.
*Warning Signs*
The "Open Doors" report does contain some sobering details. The number of
foreign undergraduates dropped 1.5 percent, and doctoral-level enrollments
were flat in 2006, perhaps a hangover from several years of declining or
stagnant numbers of new students.
The number of students coming from Europe fell 2.3 percent, which Ms.
Blumenthal attributes in part to an increase in course offerings in English
on the continent.
And a significant portion of new enrollments have occurred in
non-degree-granting areas, namely English-language and
professional-certificate programs. That category of student grew by more
than 27 percent, to nearly 39,000.
While educators are happy that those numbers are up, they do not know
whether the 19,000 students here to study English will stay on to seek
degrees.
International educators are also keenly aware that the worldwide competition
for students is growing. The number of students seeking degrees abroad rose
from nearly 1.7 million in 1999 to more than 2.7 million in 2005, yet the
U.S. share of that market has declined. Last year the American Council on
Education released a brief showing that from 1999 to 2004,
international-student enrollment grew by 108 percent in Japan, 81 percent in
France, 46 percent in Germany, 42 percent in Australia, and 29 percent in
Britain, but only 17 percent in the United States.
Madeleine F. Green, the council's vice president for international
initiatives, says she believes that some of decline in the U.S.'s market
share is inevitable. But she also notes the visa problems that plagued
academe in the years following September 11, 2001, and the difficulty that
students face who want to stay in the country after graduation.
"We have a national issue in terms of public perception," says Ms. Green. "I
think there are students out there who say, Why should I put up with what I
have to go through to get to the U.S. when I can go to England, Australia,
or Germany, where they'll be much nicer to me?"
Recent indicators show that some of those countries face recruiting
challenges as well. Australia, once touted for its enormous successes, has
seen its annual growth in foreign-student enrollments steadily decline over
the last four years, from 16.8 percent to 4.7 percent in 2006. Canada, which
is viewed as an up-and-coming market, concluded in a report released last
month that international students dislike the design and execution of the
country's new after-graduation job program and are leaving the country to
find work. England has recently seen numbers from China decline.
*Movement at the Top*
Mindful that the United States' reputation took a beating after the
government instituted tougher visa procedures, federal agencies have worked
to repair some of the damage. Visa applications are now processed more
quickly and approved more often, and, since July, international students in
several fields can stay in the country after graduating for one year of
practical training. The State Department has also organized visits this year
by senior government officials and college presidents to Asia and South
America to tout American higher education.
Many international educators argue, though, that the federal government
needs a coordinated approach to foreign-student recruitment. Victor C.
Johnson, associate executive director for public policy at Nafsa:
Association of International Educators, says that even while these
improvements are taking place, other laws and regulations have been enacted
that make it harder for foreign students to get driver's licenses or Social
Security numbers.
"The problem is that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is
doing," says Mr. Johnson. "The thing that we've been saying for years is
that if we want to get these students, we need to have a more coordinated,
consistent strategy."
As it stands now, institutions act largely on their own to attract foreign
students. Many colleges have increased their efforts abroad in a variety of
ways.
Arizona State University, which enrolls the 14th-largest number of foreign
students nationally, according to "Open Doors," has set up student-exchange
and joint-research programs with universities in China and Latin America, in
part to develop pipelines for new students. The number of foreign students
enrolled at the university rose 12 percent this year.
Word of mouth, though, remains one of the biggest influences on students'
decisions. And many see the United States as the best place to get an
education, particularly in science and technology fields.
Data from "Open Doors" seem to bear that out: The number of foreign students
studying engineering increased by 0.8 percent, after falling 4.8 percent the
previous year; mathematics increased by 1.1 percent, after falling
10.3percent; and business increased by
2.7 percent, after rising 0.8 percent.
"I didn't look at any other countries," said Sugavaneswaran Vinayagam, a
first-year graduate student from India enrolled in the school of engineering
at Arizona State. "My friends who had already come to the U.S. had given me
a good impression about the quality of education in graduate schools here. I
got their opinion about the school and about the research going on in my
field of interest, and those things impressed me."
Community colleges also continued to make strides in attracting students.
Foreign-student enrollments increased by 6.7 percent in 2006. In Vietnam
more than half the student visas issued by the U.S. consulate last year were
for two-year degree programs, and a recent community college fair in Ho Chi
Minh City set an attendance record.
"Students are finally understanding that this is an option for them to
consider," said Judith Irwin, director of international programs and
services at the American Association of Community Colleges. "We're not a
household name yet, but we're getting there."
*Shailaja Neelakantan and Martha Ann Overland contributed to this report.*
*AFTER A 3-YEAR SLUMP, THE NUMBERS JUMP*
2001-2
582,996
2002-3
586,323
2003-4
572,509
2004-5
565,039
2005-6
564,766
2006-7
582,984
*SOURCE:* Institute of International Education
*FOREIGN ENROLLMENTS*
Foreign-student enrollment in the United States grew in 2006-7.
Academic year
Number of international students
Percentage change overprevious year
1996-97
457,984
+0.9%
1997-98
481,280
+5.1%
1998-99
490,933
+2.0%
1999-2000
514,723
+4.8%
2000-1
547,867
+6.4%
2001-2
582,996
+6.4%
2002-3
586,323
+0.6%
2003-4
572,509
-2.4%
2004-5
565,039
-1.3%
2005-6
564,766
-0.05%
2006-7
582,984
+3.2%
*SOURCE:* Institute of International Education
*FOREIGN STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES: A SNAPSHOT OF FALL 2007*
Seven hundred and two institutions were surveyed in October to determine how
foreign-student enrollment has changed from 2006. Here are some of the
results:
For new foreign students, proportion of institutions reporting:
A decline
19%
An increase
55%
No change
6%
For all foreign students, proportion of institutions reporting:
A decline
19%
An increase
57%
No change
24%
Among those institutions reporting drops, top factors contributing to the
decrease are:
2007
2006
Visa-application process and concerns over delays and denials
22%
20%
Cost of tuition/fees
16%
16%
Decision to enroll in another country's institutions
8%
7%
For new foreign students in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics), proportion of institutions reporting:
An increase
28%
A decline
9%
No change
63%
Sixty percent of institutions reported making special efforts to ensure
that their foreign-student enrollments do not decline. Among the steps they
took:
New international programs and collaborations
33%
New staff or additional staff time
26%
New financing for international recruitment trips
23%
New financing for marketing and promotions
21%
Top regions they focused on:
China
25%
Other Asian countries
18%
South Korea
16%
India
15%
Latin America
14%
*SOURCES:* Institute of International Education in cooperation with
American Association of Community Colleges; American association of state
colleges and universities; American Council on Education; Associationof
American Universities; Council of Graduate Schools; Nafsa: Association of
International Educators;and National Association of State Universities and
Land-Grant Colleges
*TOP COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN OF FOREIGN STUDENTS
IN THE UNITED STATES, 2006-7*
The table highlights the percentage change in students from 2005-6 to
2006-7 for the top 20 countries.
1-year change
Brazil
+1.7%
Britain
+2.0%
Canada
+0.3%
China
+8.2%
Colombia
-1.2%
France
+1.0%
Germany
-2.0%
Hong Kong
-1.6%
India
+9.6%
Indonesia
-3.1%
Japan
-8.9%
Kenya
-3.2%
Mexico
-0.8%
Nepal
+27.9%
Saudi Arabia
+128.7%
South Korea
+5.7%
Taiwan
+4.4%
Thailand
+1.4%
Turkey
-1.0%
Vietnam
+31.3%
*COUNTRIES WITH THE MOST
STUDENTS IN THE U.S., 2006-7*
1. India
83,833
2. China
67,723
3. South Korea
62,392
4. Japan
35,282
5. Taiwan
29,094
6. Canada
28,280
7. Mexico
13,826
8. Turkey
11,506
9. Thailand
8,886
10. Germany
8,656
11. Britain
8,438
12. Saudi Arabia
7,886
13. Nepal
7,754
14. Hong Kong
7,722
15. Indonesia
7,338
16. Brazil
7,126
17. Colombia
6,750
18. France
6,704
19. Kenya
6,349
20. Vietnam
6,036
*U.S. COLLEGES WITH THE MOST INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS, 2006-7*
Number of international students
1-year change
1. U. of Southern California
7,115
+3.4%
2. Columbia U.
5,937
+6.5%
3. New York U.
5,827
+5.9%
4. U. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
5,685
+15.9%
5. Purdue U. main campus
5,581
+0.7%
6. U. of Michigan at Ann Arbor
5,429
+16.8%
7. U. of Texas at Austin
5,303
-1.7%
8. U. of California at Los Angeles
4,704
+18.2%
9. Harvard U.
4,514
+23.0%
10. Boston U.
4,484
-1.3%
10. U. of Pennsylvania
4,484
+21.6%
12. Ohio State U. main campus
4,345
-2.9%
13. State U. of New York at Buffalo
4,103
+0.8%
14. Arizona State U. at Tempe
4,062
+41.6%
15. Indiana U. at Bloomington
3,976
+12.3%
16. Michigan State U.
3,968
+20.5%
17. U. of Florida
3,921
+4.6%
18. Texas A&M U. at College Station
3,857
+7.5%
19. U. of Wisconsin at Madison
3,829
+13.3%
20. Stanford U.
3,751
+17.2%
21. Cornell U.
3,746
+1.3%
22. U. of Minnesota-Twin Cities
3,701
+9.4%
23. Pennsylvania State U. at University Park
3,681
+15.1%
24. U. of Maryland at College Park
3,476
0.0
25. Wayne State U.
3,362
+13.4%
*SOURCE:* Institute of International Education
*FOREIGN STUDENTS IN THE U.S.
BY REGION OF ORIGIN, 2006-7*
Asia
59%
Europe
14%
Latin America
11%
Africa
6%
North America
5%
Middle East
4%
Oceania
1%
Total
582,984
------------------------------
http://chronicle.com
Section: International
Volume 54, Issue 12, Page A1
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://<_sre.SRE_Match object at 0xb7abcf60>/pipermail/vnbiz/attachments/20071203/140cc307/attachment.html
More information about the Vnbiz
mailing list