InBrief: March + April 2017

In this issue: the international student experience; a resource book to help U.S. high school counselors and students applying to universities overseas; the Journal of Studies in International Education; Canada’s growing international student population; Miami Dade's study abroad and employability summit; the effect of Russia's tuition on international student enrollment; and NAFSA's fair-trade conference tote bag.

The View from Abroad

With all the policy and perception changes swirling around international students who hope to study in the United States, it’s worth looking at data from a survey published in October 2016, before the Obama administration left office. 

The 4,250 international students surveyed in the report, Improving the International Student Experience: Implications for Recruitment and Support, by World Education Services, by and large said they greatly enjoyed and benefited from studying in the United States, but noted that institutions of all types can and should put more effort into making the experience better. Other findings include:

• Satisfaction rates overall were lofty (94 percent) with variations by home country or region. European and Indian students were most satisfied, followed by those from sub-Saharan Africa and China.
• While colleges of all stripes are eager to enroll students funded by their countries, institutions should beef up English instruction and other services “before heavily recruiting from the Middle East and North Africa.”
• Enrollment managers should work more closely with academic departments and support services. “Advising, financial aid, career services, student life, housing, and other student services need to be part of the conversation, too,” the report