Exploring Host Country Capacity for Increasing U.S. Study Abroad

This second White Paper in IIE’s study abroad capacity research series, published in May 2008, focuses on: the efforts by higher education institutions in host countries abroad to receive and absorb a significantly larger number of U.S. students, the challenges they face, and their motivations and strategic plans to undertake this effort.

With the goal of examining capacity at the host country level, IIE developed and administered a snapshot survey to explore key issues for non-U.S. institutions in expanding their host opportunities for international students in general and U.S. students in particular. This survey of over 500 institutions located in different world regions produced the key findings contained in this report.

About IIE’s Meeting America’s Global Education Challenge White Paper Series

Through a series of surveys and dialogs, the Institute of International Education in 2007 launched a new policy research initiative to address the issue of capacity abroad (especially in non-traditional destinations) to host a greatly increased number of U.S. students, and to assure that U.S. campuses have the resources and structures available to prepare and send them.

This IIE initiative, Meeting America’s Global Education Challenge, offers educators and policymakers focused data and information on current capabilities and future capacity, as well as recommendations for action to maximize resources and pave the way for substantial study abroad growth.