Study abroad


see also:  study abroad USA universities  and Education (folder) and International IQ and global mindset

 

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table of contents:


 

 

Study Abroad - industry

 

"In recent decades, the number of students studying abroad has risen dramatically, and more generally the higher education sector has become much more international. For example, in OECD countries the number of foreign students doubled between 1980 and 2001. More recent data show that this trend of internationalisation is not over (OECD 2004, 2010)." [1]

 

Globally:  According to OECD, over 3.3 million students are currently studying outside of their own country, a 65 percent increase since 2000.[2]

 

"the total number of U.S. students who studied abroad in 2009 was a whopping 262,416...represent only a tiny 1.3  percent of the total enrollment in U.S. higher education. ...nearly 99 of each 100 U.S. higher-education students don’t go abroad as part of their studies...More than half of the students who go abroad only participate in a short-term program and close to four out of every 10 prefer traditional destinations locations where, in most cases, English continues to be the language of instruction... 

 

Source here http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/international-mobility-of-students-beyond-the-numbers/27916

 

 

Top locations:

The top 10 countries to study abroad in are

 

 

Trends

  1. Budget cuts at universities (as result of economic crisis)
  2. Increased pressure to "internationalize" institutions

 

Quotes:"Public opinion favors increasing the internationalization of higher education in the U.S. as evidenced by the results of a recent poll taken by Nafsa: Association of International Educators.  Source here

 

"Higher education is changing all over the world. The nature of tomorrow’s job market and the current and future challenges of a globalized society require more aggressive, effective, and broader efforts in higher education and its internationalization."  Source here

 

 

 

 

Why Study Abroad?

 

  1. See the world and broaden your experience
  2. Gain a new perspective on your own country
  3. Explore your heritage
  4. Improve your professional and financial potential
  5. Become a full-time learner
  6. Gain new insights and outlooks through new relationships
  7. Fight stereotypes by educating others
  8. Dispel your own stereotypes
  9. Take control of your future

read more here:  10 reasons for african american students to study abroad

 

 

 

US Senate's 13 reasons to study abroad

 

  1.  Ensuring that the citizens of the United States are globally literate is the responsibility of the educational system of the United States.
  2.  Educating students internationally is an important way to share the values of the United States, to create goodwill for the United States around the world, to work toward a peaceful global society, and to increase international trade.
  3.  79% of people in the United States agree that students should have a study abroad experience sometime during college, but only 1% of students from the United States currently study abroad each year.
  4.  Study abroad programs help people from the United States to be more informed about the world and to develop the cultural awareness necessary to avoid offending individuals from other countries.
  5.  87% of students in the United States between the ages of 18 and 24 cannot locate Iraq on a world map, 83% cannot find Afghanistan, 58% cannot find Japan, and 11% cannot even find the United States. (Huge International IQ failure!!)
  6.   Studying abroad exposes students from the United States to valuable global knowledge and cultural understanding and forms an integral part of their education.
  7.  The security, stability, and economic vitality of the United States in an increasingly complex global age depend largely upon having a globally competent citizenry and the availability of experts specializing in world regions, foreign languages, and international affairs.
  8.  Federal agencies, educational institutions, and corporations in the United States are suffering from a shortage of professionals with international knowledge and foreign language skills;
  9.  Institutions of higher education in the United States are struggling to graduate enough students with the language skills and cultural competence necessary to meet the current demands of business, government, and educational institutions.
  10.   Studying abroad influences subsequent educational experiences, decisions to expand or change academic majors, and decisions to attend graduate school.
  11.  Some of the core values and skills of higher education are enhanced by participation in study abroad programs.
  12.  Study abroad programs not only open doors to foreign language learning, but also empower students to better understand themselves and others through a comparison of cultural values and ways of life.
  13.    Study abroad programs for students from the United States can provide specialized training and practical experiences not available at institutions in the United States.

* Read more from -- Source:  http://www.vistawide.com/studyabroad/year_of_study_abroad2006.htm

 

 

More reasons to Study Abroad:

  1. 10 reasons why you should study in a foreign country - http://www.vistawide.com/studyabroad/why_study_abroad.htm 

 

 

Career Impact -

 

"studying abroad significantly increases the likelihood of working abroad after obtaining their university degree. Graduates who have studied abroad are about 15 percentage point more likely to work abroad after graduation.  But through which underlying mechanism does studying abroad increase international labour market mobility? In one of the survey waves, all the graduates who have ever worked abroad were asked to indicate what motivated them to take up work abroad. While studying abroad seems to increase labour-market skills that are demanded in the foreign country there are also “softer” factors which are affected. Studying abroad raises the students’ interest in foreign cultures and allows them to meet many people. Some students even return abroad for work purposes because they met their partner while on exchange. [4]

 

These findings suggest that mobility decisions during university have long-run effects on the careers and labour-market outcomes of individuals. In particular, mobility during the course of the studies increases international mobility in the labour market. This highlights the importance of student mobility to attract highly-skilled workers. Attractive student migration policies are likely to increase the future inflow of high-skilled workers. [5]

 

 

 

Funding

 

A number of federal programs, including the US Department of State's Benjamin A.Gilman Scholarships, offer support for those with substantial financial need and limited prior opportunity. More than half of Gilman Scholars are minority students, compared to less than 20% of US study abroad students overall. Other sources of support for study abroad can be found in IIE's web-based directory: www.StudyAbroadFunding.org.

 

 

 

European Programs

 

ERASMUS was introduced by the EU in 1987. Since its introduction over 2 million students have participated in the programme. Participating students receive a grant and can access a network of partner universities, which reduces both the direct cost as well as the bureaucratic hurdles of applying for study-abroad spells. [6]

 

 

 

US Government programs:

 

Fulbright Scholar Program


The Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship program in international educational exchange, was proposed to the U.S. Congress in 1945 by then freshman Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas. In the aftermath of World War II, Senator Fulbright viewed the proposed program as a much-needed vehicle for promoting "mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries of the world." His vision was approved by Congress and the program signed into law by President Truman in 1946.
More About Fulbright >

 

 

Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES)


For more than 60 years, the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) has helped administer the Fulbright Scholar Program, the U.S. government's flagship academic exchange effort, on behalf of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Founded in 1947, CIES is a private organization. It is a division of the Institute of International Education (IIE).
More About CIES >
CIES Advisory Board Members >
Employment >

 

 

 

 

 

Can Study abroad help promote world peace?

 

a recent blog post by @davidcomp caught my eye:

 

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Quotes by U.S. Presidents on the Importance of International Exchanges and the Fulbright Program

 
Recently I posted to IHEC Blog on “National and International Leaders who were Fulbright Alumni” which I found in the abbreviated version of the Fulbright at Fifty publication that is hosted on the National Humanities Center website. Last night while I was doing some research for my dissertation I revisited the Fulbright at Fifty publication and discovered quotes by Presidents Truman through Clinton (as the Fulbright Program turned fifty during the Clinton Administration) on the importance of international exchanges and the Fulbright Program and I thought I would share them with IHEC Blog readers. To bring the list of quotes up to date I found and added quotes by Presidents George W. Bush and
Barack Obama:

 

“…This program is vitally important in widening the knowledge and technical ability of the peoples of the twelve participating countries…”

Harry S. Truman, Letter to the Chairman, board of Foreign Scholarships, on the Fulbright Program, May 11, 1951.

 

“…the exchange of students…should be vastly expanded…Information and education are powerful forces in support of peace. Just as war begins in the minds of men, so does peace.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower, Remarks at ceremony marking the tenth anniversary of the Smith-Mundt Act, January 27, 1958.

 

“I am delighted to sign the new Fulbright-Hays Act. This ceremony has historic significance because it marks full recognition by the Congress of the importance of a more comprehensive program of educational and cultural activities as a component of our foreign relations…”

John F. Kennedy, remarks upon signing the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, September 21, 1961.

 

“…International education cannot be the work of one country. It is the responsibility and promise of all nations. It calls for free exchange and full collaboration…The knowledge of our citizens is one treasure which grows only when it is shared.”

Lyndon B. Johnson, message to Congress in February, 1966, on international education.

 

“This report…is largely devoted to an aspect of the program too often overlooked…the extraordinary…cooperation and assistance…from United States private groups…This private cooperation…gives the program its essential character and effectiveness…”

Richard M. Nixon, message to Congress, June 15, 1970.

 

“The spirit of seeking understanding through personal contact with people of other nations and other cultures deserves the respect and support of all.”

Gerald R. Ford, remarks to foreign exchange students, July 13, 1976.

 

“,,,I think one of the wonderful things about the program which you represent is its contribution to the barriers (of culture, events, religion, and ethics) having been broken down…”

Jimmy Carter, at Fulbright ceremony in Hungary in 1996.

 

“There is a flickering spark in us all which, if struck at just the right age…can light the rest of our lives, elevating our ideals, deepening our tolerance, and sharpening our appetite for knowledge about the rest of the world. Educational and cultural exchanges…provide a perfect opportunity for this precious spark to grow, making us more sensitive and wiser international citizens through our careers.”

Ronald Reagan, The White House, May 1982.

 

“International exchanges are not a great tide to sweep away all differences, but they will slowly wear away at the obstacles to peace as surely as water wears away a hard stone.”

George H.W. Bush, 1989.

 

“No one who has lived through the second half of the 20th century could possibly be blind to the enormous impact of exchange programs on the future of countries…”

Bill Clinton, May, 1993.

 

“…By studying foreign cultures and languages and living abroad, we gain a better understanding of the many similarities that we share and learn to respect our differences. The relationships that are formed between individuals from different countries, as part of international education programs and exchanges, can also foster goodwill that develops into vibrant, mutually beneficial partnerships among nations.”

George W. Bush, International Education Week 2001 Message, The White House, November 13, 2001.

 

“Simple exchanges can break down walls between us, for when people come together and speak to one another and share a common experience, then their common humanity is revealed. We are reminded that we're joined together by our pursuit of a life that's productive and purposeful, and when that happens mistrust begins to fade and our smaller differences no longer overshadow the things that we share. And that's where progress begins.”

Barack Obama, remarks at student roundtable in Istanbul, Turkey, April 7, 2009.

 

Quotes from Presidents Truman through Clinton were obtained directly from: U.S. Presidents on International Exchanges and the Fulbright Program, http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/fbright/presiden.htm, part of the Fulbright at Fifty website hosted by the National Humanities Center, http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/

 

 

 

 

External Links - further reading:

 

 

 

 

Footnotes

  1. http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/6287
  2. http://www.iie.org/en/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2011/2011-02-22-Atlas-Book-Student-Mobility-Internationalization-Higher-Education
  3. http://universe.byu.edu/node/14513
  4. http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/6287
  5. http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/6287
  6. http://www.voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/6287