This morning I read a fascinating article on InsideHigherEd. The article cited a recent study that showed that the number of international college enrollments (both graduate and undergraduate) has been on the decline over the past 3 years. While the U.S. still experienced a growth of 3% this past fall, overall fewer international students are enrolling at American universities. Earlier this week an article published in The Chronicle reported that Michigan State University had recently decided to close its international campus in Dubai due to insufficient enrollment. The actions from both of these articles cite the waning economy as the catalyst for these issues.
These articles got me thinking about international education and its projected decline over the next few years. With the growth of the global marketplace the need for global education is incredibly important. It is commonly recognized that the United States has the strongest system of higher education, and it is that reason that many students from around the globe seek to study here. It concerns me that if this global recession persists that international education will become significantly damaged. Domestically we will see study abroad programs hurt, and international campus diversity will become diminished. It is a shame that systems of education cannot be insulated from economic troubles, and that the situation is actually quite the opposite. Education (both global and domestic) is often the first to feel the proverbial “tightening of the belt” when recession rears its ugly head.
If you would like to read the InsideHigherEd article it can be found at
