The Growth of Global Education
by Amanda Fornecker
It's no secret. Global education has grown tremendously in recent years. And it seems it will continue to grow in years to come. From Americans studying abroad in both popular and unique destinations to international students studying in the US and other international countries, students all over the world take advantage of this unique opportunity to expand their horizons.
Why are students studying abroad in increased numbers?
"The full explanation is bound to have many parts," says Clete Daniel, professor and director of off-campus credit programs at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY). "Among the most important of those parts is that the message parents, teachers and our popular culture have been imparting with ever greater urgency and plausibility -- that global citizenship is the inescapable destiny of today's youth and they better embrace it if they know what's good for them (and their world) -- is getting through to them."
Although national identity is important, students are grasping the need to branch out and learn about other places. There are so many locations to study abroad and it's very different today than it was years ago. "When I was in college, I remember having four choices for studying abroad -- France, England, Germany, Spain; now kids have 50+ choices," says Caroline Allison, Co-Founder and President of Viscape. And it's true. Students are venturing all over the world -- to locations in Africa, Australia, and South America. This way, they'll get an authentic experience and really get to immerse themselves in a different kind of culture.
What does an increase mean?
Maya Frost sees the global education scope differently than others. The author of The New Global Student (Crown/Random House) says that although more students are studying abroad, it's still a low percentage. "Fewer than five percent of American higher ed students study abroad for credit -- and the vast majority of those are doing so during grad school," says Frost. "In addition, though the number of students studying abroad is going up, that's largely because of the proliferation of short-term trips:over half of those who do manage to study abroad during college spend less than eight weeks and choose familiar or common destinations.Until very recently (thanks to the weakened US dollar) the UK has been the top destination for US study abroad students."
But Samantha Yale, communication coordinator at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C., says there are many reasons for American study in the UK. She's even seen a definite increase in international study in the UK. "International students make up 10 to 30 percent of the student body at UK universities, meaning Americans can become friends with a diverse group of students from around the world," says Yale. "The UK is also a gateway for research and travel opportunities in the rest of Europe and beyond."
Beyond the UK
International travel has never been easier or more vast, with programs like Sea|mester giving students a truly unique experience for studying abroad. Although most of the students in this ship-based study abroad program are from North America, says Mike Meighan, director of Sea|mester, they all have similar goals -- to expand themselves academically, socially, and geographically. "Communications around the world have never been easier and I believe that US students are more curious than ever before, understanding the role that the US plays in the global community and realizing that international exposure is something that is likely to be important in their future business lives. Clearly an "international education" offers a far broader and multifaceted educational experience that promotes open mindedness and cultural awareness that would naturally be had to achieve while studying in an institution at home."
Students are certainly broadening their global education experiences today more than ever before. Although there are certain destinations that remain popular, there are many up-and-coming study abroad locations that prove to get students off to a great start during their college years. Where they decide to explore next remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: the number of students venturing out to other countries in exchange for a unique experience continues to grow.
