1. Colleges Are Wary of Global Economy's Effect on Foreign Enrollments
- Author
-
Fischer, Karin
- Abstract
Economists in both India and China see signs of slackening economic activity, from currency fluctuations in India to a falloff in imports, electricity consumption, and real-estate sales in China. A weakening of the economies in the two countries could be worrisome news for American colleges, for which an uptick in full-paying foreign students has been the one bright spot amid recent budgetary woes. China and India are by far the two largest sources of international students in the United States; together, they account for more than a third of all foreign students on American campuses. Mark W. Harris, president of ELS Educational Services, a language-instruction provider, remains bullish about the flow of international students. But he cautions that colleges need to be savvier about their overseas recruiting instead of relying so heavily on certain countries. Many educators, however, hesitate to draw a strong connection between the economy and international enrollments--and history is on their side.
- Published
- 2012