While most of the data in Open Doors are presented in aggregate form or percentages, we often get requests for custom reports with more detailed, institution-level information broken down by place of origin, U.S. state, or other variable. For many Open Doors respondents, the release of institution-level data, particularly if broken down by country, is a highly sensitive issue. Therefore, it is important that the information collected be kept confidential. To do otherwise would compromise IIE’s ability to obtain accurate information and generate participation in the Open Doors surveys.

To balance IIE’s need to keep the data confidential with the needs of scholars, the media, and other interested organizations to obtain quality data on international student exchange, IIE creates custom reports. The reports can identify the leading institutions hosting students from specific places of origin; these institutions are listed in alphabetical order without totals and can be sorted by state or region. IIE will also consider other requests on a case-by-case basis. All requestors are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement that binds them to strict guidelines with respect to data usage. Generally, IIE will consider a request where the detailed data will be:

• Used for scholarly research, with the findings published in aggregate.
• Used by educational agencies for the express purposes of facilitating international student exchange.
• Used by a company or firm to facilitate student recruitment for employment in the students’ home countries or home regions. Purchasers of such reports must agree to respect students’ obligations to the sponsors of their U.S. study and/or to their own governments, and confirm that they do not engage in discriminatory hiring practices.

The following are examples of requests for detailed data that are generally denied:

• The data will be used for marketing or commercial purposes
• The data will be sold to third parties
• The data will be used for benchmarking purposes so that the requesting institution can compare itself to competitor institutions.

IIE reserves the right to withhold data when the request is not deemed to be for appropriate scholarly research, public information, or to facilitate home-country employment of U.S.-trained students.

How to request a custom analysis:

Please use the online form to submit your request. Please note that we will take at least two business days to respond to your request. We will also provide you with a detailed quote when we respond to your request. IIENetwork members will receive a 10% discount. Please note that if you are part of a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas, it may be easier and faster for you to request data from your Regional Educational Advising Coordinator (REAC). Please click here for a list of REAC regions.

Online Custom Analysis Request Form

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