Turning the Tide: Why the United States Must Do Better in the Global Competition for International Students and Scholars

In order to compete effectively in the growing global competition for talent, the United States must take more seriously its stake in welcoming the world’s best students and scholars, says a new report issued today by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Restoring U.S. Competitiveness for International Students and Scholars argues that the absence of a national strategy to attract international students and scholars is starting to show its effects, and urges a renewed commitment by the United States to this important asset.

The contributions of international students and scholars to foreign policy and public diplomacy are well known. In today’s global economy, they are also a vital part of the pipeline of talent on which the United States relies to fill jobs at the cutting edge of research and industry. Global mobility is the norm in today’s world, and crossing borders for study, research, and work is a defining characteristic of life in the 21st century. To succeed in attracting the knowledge, innovation, and skill we need from around the world, the United States must create and support a climate that encourages the contributions of international talent.

While acknowledging improvements in visa processing, and welcoming the frequent statements by high-ranking officials about the importance of international students to key U.S. interests, Restoring U.S. Competitiveness highlights developments in global education and U.S. policy that have combined to diminish the United States’ ability to be a magnet for students and scholars from around the world – and thus to ensure its future security, economic vitality, and global leadership. The report also updates and expands the recommendations of NAFSA’s 2003 task force report In America’s Interest: Welcoming International Students.

Restoring U.S. Competitiveness describes an international education landscape that has been transformed in recent years, to which the United States has been curiously slow to respond. Numerous countries have implemented proactive recruiting strategies to attract international students and have adjusted their immigration and work laws to create a more welcoming climate for international talent. Countries once known primarily as “sending” countries are taking significant steps to bolster their own higher education capacity. New regional competitors and international centers of instruction in higher education have emerged. Students across the globe have an ever-increasing array of choices in terms of where they pursue their studies – and later, how they will contribute their skills and knowledge in the global economy. At the same time, the United States’ capacity to participate in the growing global competition for international students and scholars has been limited by the impact of post-9/11 visa restrictions, by America’s diminished image in the world, and – perhaps most decisively – by the absence of a national strategy to protect the U.S. interest in this key asset.

The report outlines the elements of such a strategy, and, in today’s context of global competitiveness, highlights two areas for particular attention:

• Coordinating the efforts of the U.S. government

The Departments of Homeland Security, State, Commerce, and Education need strong policy direction, clear mandates, and better synergy in order to coordinate their work related to international students and scholars – whether related to recruitment, services, or monitoring – and pursue a coherent and positive course of action.

• Removing excessive governmentally imposed barriers

A comprehensive strategy for international student and scholar recruitment must bring the U.S. immigration system into line with the realities of the global age; articulate a balanced visa policy that facilitates access for students and scholars, consistent with security; and ensure that restrictions on access to laboratories and equipment do not hamper legitimate and important international collaboration in the sciences and technology.

To view the full report, visit: http://www.nafsa.org/CompeteReport