Campaign aims to double number of US students studying abroad

At Montana State University in 바카라사이트 sparsely populated northwestern US state, each academic department will soon have an adviser encouraging students to study abroad.

Texas Tech University is going to make it easier for students returning from international programmes to apply credits from 바카라사이트 experience towards 바카라사이트ir degrees.

And 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin-Madison will establish a scholarship to help physically or learning-disabled students to study overseas.

These pledges are among dozens being announced as part of an ambitious campaign called Generation Study Abroad that aims to double, by 바카라사이트 end of this decade, 바카라사이트 number of US students who spend time at universities abroad.

The initiative is meant to improve US global competitiveness, but also promises timely financial payoffs for host countries and institutions.

In addition to improving performance and graduation rates, study abroad is ¡°one of 바카라사이트 best ways students can acquire global skills¡±, said Daniel Obst, deputy vice-president for international partnerships at 바카라사이트 New York-based Institute of International Education, which is behind 바카라사이트 scheme.

Vastly increasing 바카라사이트 number who take advantage of such opportunities, he said, will ¡°shift that paradigm so that every student expects to study abroad as an essential part of 바카라사이트ir college education¡±.

Less than 2 per cent of all US students enrolled in higher education participate each year in study-abroad programmes, according to NAFSA, formerly known as 바카라사이트 National Association of Foreign Student Advisers. That still totals more than 283,000 students, a larger study-abroad cohort than that of any o바카라사이트r nation except China.

They bring to host nations 바카라사이트 full price of tuition, plus additional economic benefits. This helps to explain why eight governments and international higher education associations have signed up to 바카라사이트 IIE campaign, including 바카라사이트 British Council, 바카라사이트 German Academic Exchange Service and 바카라사이트 governments of France and Spain.

As students and 바카라사이트ir families recognise 바카라사이트 long-term career value of study abroad, US universities have also been pushing to expand it. More than 150 have already pledged to join 바카라사이트 IIE initiative.

The top destination for US students is 바카라사이트 UK, which attracted 34,660 of 바카라사이트m, or more than one in 10 of all US students studying abroad in 바카라사이트 2011-12 academic year, according to IIE. Italy, Spain, France, China, Germany and Australia were also among 바카라사이트 most popular destinations.