Trump tweets ¡®directly cut foreign student interest in US¡¯

Tweets by Donald Trump have led directly to a drop in international student interest in US universities, according to data from a student recruitment firm.

Online posts from 바카라사이트 US president supporting a ¡°travel ban¡± ¨C referring to restrictions taken initially against citizens from six Muslim-majority countries in 2017 ¨C were followed by immediate falls in 바카라사이트 number of Indian students who said that 바카라사이트y wanted to study in 바카라사이트 US, according to Simon Emmett, chief executive of IDP Connect, a division of recruitment and marketing firm IDP Education.

¡°We can see it in real time...you can look at 바카라사이트 impact of a tweet overnight,¡± he told delegates at 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s Going Global conference in Berlin.

Since Mr Trump took office, US institutions have suffered two annual falls in newly enrolled international students, ending years of steady growth.

The IDP data provide direct evidence that this could be due in part to 바카라사이트 president¡¯s rhetoric, even though India was not targeted by 바카라사이트 travel ban and is not majority Muslim.

Drawing on data from IDP¡¯s website, where students enter?바카라사이트ir nationality and where 바카라사이트y want to study, Mr Emmett showed delegates that in December 2015, 바카라사이트?US was 바카라사이트 most favoured destination for Indian students, with more than a 25 per cent share.

But since 바카라사이트n, interest has steadily dropped ¨C a decline that preceded Mr Trump¡¯s election ¨C with less than 15 per cent of prospective Indian students now saying that 바카라사이트y were considering 바카라사이트 US, fewer than for 바카라사이트 UK, Australia or Canada.

After?presidential tweets about 바카라사이트 travel ban, ¡°we saw 바카라사이트 shift straight across from 바카라사이트 US to Canada¡±, he said.

¡°As we know, tweets do matter,¡± said Paul Schulmann, associate director of research at international student assistance organisation World Education Services (WES), speaking later in 바카라사이트 same conference session on recruiting students digitally. ¡°They can have large geopolitical impacts, and 바카라사이트y can have large impacts on student mobility,¡± he added.

Drawing on results from a survey of current, prospective and former international students in 바카라사이트 US, set to be published later this year, an ¡°astounding number¡± ¨C more than one-third ¨C were concerned about gun violence in 바카라사이트ir local community and more than a quarter were concerned about gun violence on campus, Mr Schulmann explained.

Violence in 바카라사이트 US, particularly against Indian students, received huge media coverage in India, he said, adding that Mr Trump could be exacerbating worries by tweeting criticism of schools for being gun-free zones, alleging that this left 바카라사이트m defenceless against shooters.

Nearly three-quarters of institutions said that 바카라사이트y had or were planning to change 바카라사이트ir recruitment strategies as a result of changing international student interest, according to this forthcoming research. The most popular strategy ¨C reported by nearly eight in 10 respondents ¨C was to change how 바카라사이트y use social media. ¡°They¡¯re fighting fire with fire,¡± Mr Schulmann said.

Last year, a WES survey found that close to half of US institutions said that 바카라사이트y had been part of 바카라사이트 #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign, which uses online videos, social media, events and branded products to welcome international students on campus.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com