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Drop in foreign grad students (in American Universities) raises alarm
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Posted by: Khashyar

Drop in foreign grad students (in American Universities) raises alarm

Friday, November 5, 2004

(AP) -- A new survey indicates the number of foreign graduate students enrolling for the first time at American universities is down 6 percent this year -- the third straight decline after a decade of growth. Educators worry the trend is eroding America's position as the world's leader in higher education.

The fall wasn't as steep as feared, considering applications last spring were down 32 percent. American universities staved off a comparable decline in enrollment by admitting a higher percentage of students and persuading more admitted students to enroll.

But the results of the survey, of 122 member institutions by the Council of Graduate Schools, are still alarming to educators. American universities are highly dependent on foreign students for teaching and research help, particularly in the sciences and in engineering, a field in which foreigners comprise 50 percent of graduate enrollment.

"If you took them out of the system, we would not be at the same point we are in many of our endeavors -- scientific endeavors and also economic growth," said Heath Brown, the council's director of research and policy analysis. And students who return home also advance American interests by bringing to leadership positions a better understanding of the United States, he said.

More than two-thirds of schools reported some decline. The steepest drops were in business (12 percent), sciences/agriculture (10 percent) and engineering (8 percent), though physical sciences rose 6 percent.

Experts believe a major factor is the difficulty -- or at least perceived difficulty -- of getting student visas under tightened U.S. immigration policies. Other factors include anti-Americanism abroad, and increasing competitiveness from universities in India, China and Europe.

The State Department has tried to streamline the student visa application process, and a number of universities have taken matters into their own hands, stepping up efforts to provide technical help for foreign students. The University of Texas, one of the nation's largest enrollers of foreign students, recently said it would reimburse international students the $100 fee they must pay to obtain a student visa.

Part of the motivation came from Texas President Larry Faulkner's frustration when alumnus John Coetzee, the winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in literature, declined to attend a ceremony in his honor at the university because he feared the hassle of traveling to the United States.

UT had 638 incoming foreign graduate students this year, down about 50 from a year ago. Jerry Wilcox, director of the school's international office, said the visa process is improving, but many are still turned off by delays and worried that, even if they get a visa, they could be stuck again if they return home for a holiday.

Governments in countries such as Great Britain and Australia are working successfully to lure students who might otherwise come to America, Wilcox said.

"I'm hopelessly optimistic. What we have to offer here in terms of graduate education and the funding to support smart people from around the world is almost unparalleled," he said. "My sense is over time we'll come back -- the numbers might not be quite as big -- but there are a lot of things working against it right now."

Posted by: Khashyar

I wonder if Russian students who intended to study in the U.S. have experienced problems receiving visas?

Khashyar

Posted by: spamer

I would like to see the enrollment of schools over the last 40 years and see if this is a "yo-yo" affect.
I haven't heard any countries complaining (other than normal) about coming here. (maybe I miss the articles)
The only other thing could be the presidential election. I know living in Florida many people who come here for the winter won't come until after the election so they can vote and see who wins. (They seem to make there plans by who is the winner)

As we all know people hate to change and like any other business you need to change your ways to keep yourself in business. Maybe it's time to change ways for the colleges.

Posted by: BradIL

Khashyar--- good find with this article.

Spamer--- would agree that the business of higher education is under growing scrutiny.

In Illinois, costs at college & universities have been accelerating much faster than consumer inflation. Now that teaching assistants & grad assistants have begun organizing into labor unions its certain that pressures generated by labor costs will not abate anytime soon. The Southern Illinois University system is an example of this. The employees included in 1 teacher group will receive 7% raises annually for the next 3 years, coming at a time when the state is struggling to expand higher ed funding.

Have higher ed costs across the US finally become unreachable for foreign students? Without government grants & other foundation assistance, is graduate work in the US simply unattainable for foreign students?

Posted by: spamer

without going into a long post..... I think in the next few years you will see major changes in the college system. Like any other business, they don't like to loss money.
The question is: where are the cuts going to happen so they can bring cost down.

I'm watching the employment system myself. Where the assistants & grad assistants become teachers at a much lower pay scale. Most likely they'll get rid of the older teachers that are costing them money and producing little.

Posted by: lolomarseille

yes, since ashcroft, it's harder to study in america, so students goes to europe

Posted by: BradIL

Quote:

Originally posted by lolomarseille
yes, since ashcroft, it's harder to study in america, so students goes to europe

Ashcroft doesn't write law, the US Congress does. They tell Ashcroft what to prosecute, when to prosecute, even the way to prosecute.

Posted by: Jill

I thought Ashcroft resigned

Posted by: lolomarseille

a jesuit meets a franciscan in rome, and ask him for st peter's
the franciscan answers:
oooh, father, you will never find it: it's front of you

Posted by: spamer

What does Ashcroft or religion have to do with the subject of the posting?

Posted by: lolomarseille

Quote:

Originally posted by spamer
What does Ashcroft or religion have to do with the subject of the posting?

religion i was playing: jesuit parabole
ashcroft a little; it's because of his law ( or congress law, i don't care) that it is harder for foreign students to go to america
so they go to europe or NZ
simple
i dunnow why they argued about how making the law in the second biggest democracy of the world...