The US is still the most popular place in the world to study, but more needs to be done to increase the number of foreign students attending a wider range of universities. Declaring that “there is always more work to be done,” Anthony Koliha made this statement on the same day when Open Doors statistics revealed that the US is currently housing over a million international students from over 200 nations.
The US Department of State’s Office of Global Educational Programmes director, Koliha, remarked during the occasion, “They are coming from nearly every location around the world and we are excited to host them.”
“The US can remain confident of the million plus number and the fact that we remain the top destination in the world, but we at the State Department definitely put in the work.”
However, vice provost for global affairs at PennState Global Roger Brindley indicated that the answer to the question of whether the US should feel secure rests on the possibility that the country’s market share may decline “a little bit” in the coming years.
One of the main themes of the first day of the event was access, which was emphasised in Mary Maker’s stirring opening speech as co-founder of Elimisha Kakuma and refugee activist.
While acknowledging the value of investments and scholarships in expanding prospects, Brindley also emphasised the necessity of establishing financial access.
In agreement, Shelley Landry, senior director of government affairs at Shorelight, stated that even if the industry is prospering, “we still make it “extremely hard” for overseas learners to come to the US.”
Although the number of Indian students attending universities has increased, tens of thousands of students were not even given the opportunity to apply for a visa.
Like Brindley, she emphasised the significance of employment opportunities following graduation.
We also don’t make it very simple. In order to handle rules and regulations in real time, the government, higher education, and business sectors must collaborate to find a solution.
In contrast to the US, where stakeholders have long lobbied for one, Landry pointed out that the UK, Canada, and Australia all have some sort of national recruitment strategy.
The State Department will stream brief videos featuring international students speaking out for their schools, communities, and the US during International Education Week, along with information on how to pursue a degree in the US.
