Emporia State University has seen a sharp increase in the number of students enrolling from around the world, according to ESU’s Office of International Studies.
A large number of these students are from China, and reflect that country’s booming economy and growing middle class. But the economic downturn might limit the program in the years to come as its effects are felt around the world.
According to The Associated Press, this growth trend comes after schools all over the country saw a sharp decrease in international enrollment in the years after the September 2001 terrorist attacks.
“There was a dip in international enrollment after 9/11,” said James Harter, ESU’s assistant vice president for international education. For several years, there were fewer than 200 students participating in the program here. In fall 2006, the program doubled in size and has been growing ever since.
“We’ve gone from a handful of Chinese students in 2001 to over 200 this year,” Harter said.
In 2007, there were 184 students from China enrolled at ESU. This year, there are 230.
The increase reflects a nationwide trend in Chinese enrollment. According to the AP, figures released by the Institute of International Education last week showed that the number of Chinese students enrolled in U.S. universities increased by 20 percent last year. The report shows that international student enrollment has increased 7 percent. Most of those increases are students from China. There are 624,000 international students currently studying in the United States.
The AP reported that Kansas State University enrolled 199 Chinese students this year, up from 65 last fall.
“There is a whole emerging middle class of Chinese, well over 300 million, many of them with one-child families who are interested in sending their son or daughter abroad with higher educational experience,” Kansas State provost Duane Nellis told the AP. “We’re trying to capitalize on that and also enrich our campus community.”
Most Chinese students who study in the United States don’t stay here, however. According to ESU president Michael Lane, some international students do stay, but others have made arrangements with the governments of their home countries to return.
“For example, the students from China, most of them understand that the agreement with the Chinese government that permits them to come requires them to go home,” he said.
According to a survey by NAFSA, The Association of International Educators, international students and their families contribute more that $15 billion a year to the U.S. economy. Since they pay more in tuition than local students, they are an important source of revenue for American colleges.
One concern is that the economic downturn will affect the numbers of students coming to the United states from abroad. But Harter says he doesn’t expect to see international enrollment at ESU drop too dramatically.
“It’s going to have some effect,” Harter said. “But a large number of our students are coming on exchanges, and the exchanges are still going to be strong because they have the support of their host universities.”
Lane says the U.S. economy probably won’t affect the numbers of students from China, but since the economic downturn has hit the Asian countries, he anticipates ESU might see a slowdown in those numbers in the coming years.
“It’s a little hard to tell, because a lot of the students from that part of the world that come to Emporia State are coming from families that are more affluent rather than less affluent,” Lane said. “So we’re not a hundred percent sure. We’re not planning for any significant decrease in the next year, but we’re certainly keeping our eye out to see what’s going on.”
sciguy (anonymous) says...
Jim Harter and others have worked very hard to establish ESU's reputation internationally. I'm glad to see that the the efforts have been and continue to be successful.
December 17, 2008 at 7:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rmbcollege (anonymous) says...
It is great that other students from other countries get to come here and study, but it becomes a problem when the American students are the minority and the teachers focus more on the international students than the students that are from the US.
December 17, 2008 at 9:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sauders (anonymous) says...
The Asian students are good for Emporia. They are smart, well behaved, have a goal in mind and stay close as most don't drive - thus they buy almost everything locally. And, the reverse - ESU students ability to go to China and study under this agreement is a real asset. Looks like a win/win situation to me.
December 18, 2008 at 6:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Happiness09 (anonymous) says...
Okay......I don't get it. Everything we buy is from China, but they don't have a decent college there? Will someone please enlighten me?
December 26, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Happiness, a college is not just a building, it's educators with PhD's or professors with Master's and tons of experience. China would not only have to build the buildings, they would have to attract educators from all over the world, ones who may or may not want to spend several years there. Then there is the matter of accreditation. You don't just build a building, populate it with teachers and call it a college. Does this help?
December 26, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
An example I can offer is one I experienced several years ago. I had a student teacher who came from Alaska. While it is true that she had attended the University of Alaska at Anchorage. she was unable to obtain a teaching degree there because that university had lost it's teacher accreditation. So she came to Emporia State where she took all her teaching courses and then served one semester of student teaching under my guidance. So you see, colleges have to be accredited in specific areas or they cannot offer degrees in that discipline. Hope this all helps.
December 26, 2008 at 3:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )