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2012-09-17 09:25:54
These days, record numbers of students are studying abroad all over the world.
According to the international Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development, the number of international students worldwide rose from 0.8
million in 1975 to 3.7 million in 2009. In addition, Unesco s Institute for
Statistics finds that the number is increasing by about 12% each year.
The United States attracts the most international students, according to the
Institute of International Education, with 691,000 students studying abroad in
the US during the 2009 to 2010 school year. Of students who study in the US,
the majority go to California, New York and Texas, respectively. The world s
second most popular study-abroad destination is the United Kingdom.
China has become a major destination for study abroad, too, with around 265,000
students from other countries studying there in 2010 , according to China s
Ministry of Education. China also sends more students abroad than any other
country in the world, followed by India and South Korea, respectively. For
Chinese students in the 2010 to 2011 term, the top field of study was business/
management, with engineering following close behind. Business/management was
also the top field of study for Korean students abroad, while engineering was
the number one field of study for students from India.
Latin American countries are also working to send more students overseas. In
2011, Brazil launched an initiative to provide 75,000 scholarships for
international study in science and technology by 2014. The country s private
sector plans to provide 25,000 more scholarships in the same timeframe,
according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, a newspaper geared toward
college and university faculty members and administrators. Chile plans to offer
30,000 such scholarships by 2018, and even tiny El Salvador is offering 35
scholarships per year. Latin American students are also winning more
international grants -- the amount of money for the prestigious US-funded
Fulbright scholarships awarded to Latin Americans, for instance, went up from
$7.5 million in 2000 to $21 million in 2010.
Universities in the United States are also recognising the importance of study
abroad programs. This year the Harvard Business School started sending its
entire class of 900 students to learn and work overseas as part of its Global
Immersion Program. Split into teams of six, this year the students worked with
organisations in 10 different countries (ranging from Ghana to Vietnam) to
learn how to launch a new product for a developing market, according to Fortune
Magazine.
As for the gender demographics of study abroad programs, more women than men
travel overseas to study. In the US, research reported in the Chronicle of
Higher Education reveals that women account for two-thirds of participation in
overseas programs. According to a study by the University of Iowa, for men, the
decision of whether or not to study abroad tends to be impacted by peer
influence, but that isn t the case for women. Conversely, women were more
likely to be influenced by their previous studies, such as courses that focused
on different cultures and societies.
The benefits of studying abroad are felt both by individuals and entire
nations. International students in the US, for instance, contribute
approximately $20 billion to the US economy each year. Plus, countries that
encourage their students to study abroad usually do so with the hope that they
will return and give back to their home economies. Among Chinese students who
study overseas, more than 70% end up returning to China. International students
can also boost a country s higher education standards, with universities doing
their best to attract the world s best and brightest in the fields they
specialise in.
For the students themselves, studying abroad can present opportunities for
learning new languages, travelling, career development, experiencing new
cultures and forming new friendships. But there can be downsides to studying in
other countries as well. Tuition and travel costs are often very high,
especially for students from developing nations, and student visas can be
difficult to obtain and maintain. As with any form of travel, there are health
and safety concerns to take into account. Depending on where students are
travelling to, vaccinations may be necessary, and they may need to get medical
insurance to cover unforeseeable events during their stays. For students
considering studying abroad, this roundup of advice from higher education
experts may provide some guidance.
Travelwise is a BBC Travel column that goes behind the travel stories to answer
common questions, satisfy uncommon curiosities and uncover some of the mystery
surrounding travel. If you have a burning travel question, contact Travelwise.