The extent to which a decline in international students would adversely affect certain industries in the State [of Illinois]...

Last week I was asked to answer several questions pertaining to international students studying at Columbia College Chicago as part of my day job as Assistant Provost for Global Education. Compiling this data was for a collaborative effort of Chicagoland institutions of higher education and the Illinois state government in response to the DHS proposed rule on D/S.

The final question was "the extent to which a decline in international students would adversely affect certain industries in the State?" There was a quick turn around required for providing the requested data and information but I was able to do some research and prepared the following:

Key Points from Resources:

1. The Illinois Innovation Index - 2020 University Entrepreneurship Index: Startup Creation Reaches Record Heights by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition noted that “the strength of Illinois’ universities, especially in STEM fields, attracts students and faculty from around the world. This influx of talent is vital to both Illinois’ workforce, and the creation of new businesses. Among university-supported startups founded over the past five years, an estimated 39 percent were founded or co-founded by foreign-born students or faculty.^[1]

2. A May 2018 Pew Research Center report found that of the 54,300 foreign graduates who studied in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area between 2004 and 2016, 68% (37,200) stayed in the Chicagoland area and additional 21,800 foreign graduates arrived from other metro areas to work on OPT. Of these 59,000 foreign graduates on OPT in the Chicagoland area, 53% held STEM degrees. Top areas of study for foreign graduates in the Chicagoland area held degrees in Business, Management, Marketing and Related Support Services (24%); Engineering (20%); Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (19%); Visual and Performing Arts (4%); and, Mathematics and Statistics (4%).^[2]

3. The STEM Talent: 2018 Talent Index: Computer and Data Science Lead the Way by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition stated about the critical role of international students that “Compared with the national average, international students make up a significantly larger share of STEM graduates in Illinois. In 2017, international students were awarded 29.2 percent of STEM degrees in the state, compared with 20.5 percent nationally. Illinois ranks fourth nationally for the number of international students earning STEM degrees. Since 2013, the number of international students earning STEM degrees from Illinois universities has nearly doubled—from 3,727 in 2013 to 7,137 in 2017. Computer science degrees awarded in Illinois are especially weighted toward international students. In 2017, 55 percent of degrees in the field were awarded to international students, compared with 37.3 percent nationally. The number of international students receiving computer science degrees in Illinois has more than tripled over the past five years—from 638 in 2013 to 2,052 in 2017.”^[3]

4. A March 2019 Foundation for American Policy Brief study by Madeline Zavodny found that there is “no evidence that foreign students participating in the OPT program reduce job opportunities for U.S. workers. Instead, the evidence suggests that U.S. employers are more likely to turn to foreign student workers when U.S. workers are scarcer.” and that “the relative number of foreign students approved for OPT is negatively related to various measures of the unemployment rate among U.S. STEM workers. A larger number of foreign students approved for OPT, relative to the number of U.S. workers, is associated with a lower unemployment rate among those U.S. workers.”^[4]

Additional Resources

Number of Foreign College Students Staying and Working in U.S. After Graduation Surges by  Neil G. Ruiz & Abby Budiman for Pew Research Center, May 10, 2018 at https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2018/05/10/number-of-foreign-college-students-staying-and-working-in-u-s-after-graduation-surges/

Opportunity Lost: The Economic Benefit of Retaining Foreign-Born Students in Local Economies by Giovanni Peri & Sara McElmurry for The Chicago Council on Global Affairs, April 2016 at  http://giovanniperi.ucdavis.edu/uploads/5/6/8/2/56826033/report_economic_benefit_retaining_foreign-born_students.pdf

-       Recording of the panel discussion of the report release at https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/publication/opportunity-lost-economic-benefit-retaining-foreign-born-students-local-economies

Optional Practical Training (OPT) and International Students After Graduation: Human Capital, Innovation, and the Labor Market by Niskanen Center Research Paper by Jeremy L. Neufeld Niskanen Center by Neufeld, March 2019 at https://www.niskanencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/old_uploads/2019/03/OPT.pdf

The Facts about Optional Practical Training (OPT) for Foreign Students for CATO Institute, Cato at Liberty Blog post  by David J. Bier, May 20, 2020 at https://www.cato.org/blog/facts-about-optional-practical-training-opt-foreign-students

^[1] Illinois Innovation Index - 2020 University Entrepreneurship Index: Startup Creation Reaches Record Heights by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition at https://www.istcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/UE_Index_20_FINAL_5.18.pdf

^[2] Where do foreign student graduates work in the United States? By Neil G. Ruiz, Abby Budiman, Chris Baronavski & Ariana Rodriguez-Gitler for Pew Research Center, May 10, 2018 at https://www.pewresearch.org/global/interactives/where-do-foreign-student-graduates-work-in-the-united-states/?msa=chicago

^[3] STEM Talent: 2018 Talent Index: Computer and Data Science Lead the Way by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition at https://www.istcoalition.org/data/index/2018-talent-index/

^[4] International Students, STEM OPT and the U.S. STEM Workforce a Foundation for American Policy Brief by Madeline Zavodny, March 2019 at https://nfap.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/International-Students-STEM-OPT-And-The-US-STEM-Workforce.NFAP-Policy-Brief.March-2019.pdf

Two Tweets Today by Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) on Importance of International Students to the U.S. and his District #YouAreWelcomeHere

In my district alone, nearly 5000 #Intlstudents contribute $137.3 million, supporting 1,725 jobs each year. #YouAreWelcomeHere pic.twitter.com/TxPx5DofXk

— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 23, 2017

#Intlstudents make a vital contribution to our country's security & economic wellbeing. We must remain open and welcoming #YouAreWelcomeHere

— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 23, 2017

International Students Contribute More than $21.8 Billion to the U.S. Economy

WASHINGTON, November 12, 2012 – International students and their families contributed more than $21.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2011–2012 academic year, according to a new NAFSA report released today. California, New York, and Texas welcomed the largest numbers of international students, and those and other states across the country saw substantial benefits from spending by these students and their families on living expenses, tuition, and fees.

 “International students bring important economic benefits to the United States. They bring incalculable academic value to U.S. colleges and universities and cultural value to local communities as international enrollments grow,” said NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Marlene M. Johnson. “However, there is much more we can do as a nation to promote student exchange and study abroad and this data clearly points to the potential future benefit of a cohesive and proactive international education strategy for our nation.”

·        See NAFSA’s new international student spending data by state, congressional district, and top receiving institutions of higher education.

·        View results of a snapshot survey of international student enrollments conducted by NAFSA and seven other higher-education and international-education organizations.

The economic impact analysis was conducted for NAFSA by Jason Baumgartner, director of information services, Indiana University-Bloomington’s Office of International Services, using tuition and living expense data provided by Wintergreen Orchard House, a leading college data provider, and foreign student enrollment data provided by the Institute of International Education’s annual “Open Doors” report.

Study Abroad Numbers Released

The numbers of American students studying abroad increased to 273,996 during the 2010-11 academic year, up by 1.25 percent from 270,604 in 2009-10, according to figures released today by the Institute of International Education. Fewer than 2 percent of all American college students study abroad.

·        NAFSA's new report provides a breakdown of the percentage of college students in each state who studied abroad in 2010–2011, allowing institutions and state leaders to gauge how they compare with national trends.

·        NAFSA’s new study abroad demographics chart offers further data on participation trends.

 Note:  Taken from a NAFSA press release

International Students Contribute $18.8 billion to U.S. Communities

Today, on the first day of International Education Week, NAFSA released its annual economic impact statements that calculate the financial contribution international students and their families make to local communities and states through tuition, fees, and living expenses. International students contributed an incredible $18.8 billion to the United States economy in the 2009-2010 academic year, which is a $1 billion increase from the previous year.

At http://www.nafsa.org/eis, you can find the statements, which contain the following information organized by state, institution, and congressional district:

·  Number of foreign students enrolled

·  Cost of tuition and fees

·  Cost of living expenses (including those of dependents)

·  U.S. financial support

·  Total financial contributions of foreign students and their dependents

On the NAFSA blog, Katie O’Connell go into a little more detail as to why these statements and other contributions of international students important are for advocacy: Foreign Students Bring $18.8 Billion to U.S. Communities – and Much More.

Photo credit:  Public Domain Photos

What Would be the Economic Impact on the United States if we Send 1,000,000 U.S. Students to Study Abroad?

There has been much written in the media and blogosphere over the last year or so about the economic impact that international students have on various nations, provinces/states and even cities across the globe. Most recently, NAFSA: Association of International Educators released their annual Economic Impact Statements for 2008-2009 which you can access here.

Here are some questions I have on this topic but don’t currently have answers for:

What was the economic impact on the United States of sending 262,416 U.S. students to study abroad during the 2007/08 academic year?

What would be the economic impact on the United States if we send an additional 86,835 U.S. students to study in China (thus meeting President Obama’s stated goal of sending 100,000 U.S. students to China)?

What would be the economic impact on the United States if we send 1,000,000 U.S. students to study abroad annually?

To be sure, there are many, many more variables that would need to be considered and calculated into this economic impact equation compared to what I imagine is a bit simpler equation for calculating the economic impact of international students in the United States. Any mathematically/economically inclined people out there have ideas on how to calculate this?

I just think it is important to present data on both sides of this economic trade coin…I think a future IHEC Blog post on GATS should be in the works!

If you are interested in the economic impact of international students you might find the following resources to be of interest:

Related IHEC Blog posts on the economic impact of international education (worldwide focus and not specific to the United States):

- The Economic Impact of International Students – New Paper Released Today
- The Economic Contribution of International Students in Australia
- Dublin Enters the International Student Recruiting Market with The Lord Mayor of Dublin International Scholarships

- International Students Contribute $15.54 Billion to U.S. Economy
- Aberdeen City Council Investigates Economic Impact of International Students

- Manitoba’s International Education Strategy


Stuart Hughes who maintains the IDP Database of Research on International Education commented on my Aberdeen City Council blog post listing the following state level reports:
- Brisbane - city of education : the economic impact of international students. (2004 and 2007)
- The economic impact of London's international students. (2007)
- Report : international student spending. Dunedin: Dunedin City Council. (2004)
- International students : economic benefits for Auckland city. (2003)
- International students : their impact on Auckland city. (2003)
- Vancouver's English language school sector. (2003)
- A report on the demographic, social and economic impact of international students on North Shore City [Auckland]. (2002)
- The economic impact of the overseas student industry: special reference to the Wollongong economy. (1998)
- Domestic economic impact of exporting education: a case study of the University of Wollongong. (1995)

Those of you on Twitter might want to follow the IDP Database of Research on International Education at: http://twitter.com/IDPDRIE

Photo by SqueakyMarmot

International Education Week, Economic Impact Statements & Open Doors 2009

If you are following international education offices, organizations or people in the field on Twitter or reading/receiving/google alerts feeds from any higher education publication it is hard to miss the fact today marks the start of International Education Week in the U.S. (thanks President Clinton!), that the Institute of International Education (IIE) released their annual 2009 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange and that NAFSA: Association of International Educators released their 2008-2009 Economic Impact Statements.

There is a lot of information to read, analyze and synthesize and I admit I haven’t had much time to do this yet. I do plan to post to IHEC Blog, to the IHEC Blog Facebook page, and to Twitter about these topics all this week.

Following are a few links to whet your appetite[i]. These are the main sites I will be visiting/using in my analysis of this data and to see what, if any, trouble I can stir up in an attempt to start discussions on how we perceive and/or report on the state of the field of international education.[ii]

International Education Week by U.S. Departments of State & Education

See which governors have issued International Education Week Proclamations

2008-2009 Economic Impact Statements by NAFSA (for the first time also broken down by Congressional District)

Open Doors 2009 by IIE

Fall 2009 International Student Enrollment Survey by AACC, AASCU, ACE, AAU, APLU, CGS, IIE & NAFSA

[i] Many thanks to Andy Amsler over at NAFSA his message this morning.
[ii] Please see this IHEC Blog post from March 20, 2007 to see an example of the type of discussion I like to see us international educators, as well as outsiders, participate in.

The Economic Impact of International Students – New Paper Released Today

Today a new paper released today entitled Exports of Educational Services Attributable to the Overseas Industry in Australia by Bob Birrell, Co-Director of the Centre for Population and Urban Research at Monash University, calls into question the methodology used to calculate the economic impact of international students. I won’t summarize in this post as Geoff Maslen at University World News, exclusive publisher of this report, wrote a great article about this. You can read the University World News article which links to Birrell’s paper here.

For those IHEC Blog readers looking for a solid and informative news source on higher education matters across the globe should subscribe to University World News (free subscription). Visit the University World News home page here to see the value in their work and you can subscribe here.

Photo by williamnyk

Has the Recent Violence Against Indian Students in Australia had an Effect on Indian American Students’ Decision to Study Abroad in Australia?

There has been a flurry of news over the past few months about several incidence of violence against Indian students studying in Australia and the effect this has on higher education and the economy in Australia. Specifically, over 70 attacks on Indian students have occurred in Australia over the past year or so and this has sparked outrage in India as well as a swift “zero tolerance” response in Australia. Last week a nine-member delegation from Australia began a nine-day itinerary of India in an effort to mend relations and improve the image of Australia and its higher education system. I have copied and pasted the following from the July 7th Wall Street Journal article “Australians Travel to India to Talk About Student Safety” to highlight the impact these attacks can have on Australia:

“The issue is important for Australia's economy because the education of foreign students has become big business, generating 15.5 billion Australian dollars (US$12.54 billion) in 2008, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in May.

Foreigners now make up 25% of students, up from just under 10% in 1997. Indian students represent about 18% of the 542,000 foreigners studying in Australia, second only to those from China, according to data from the Australian Council for Private Education and Training. The higher-education sector is now Australia's third-largest export earner behind coal and iron ore.

In the state of Victoria, education is the biggest export earner and many of the attacks have occurred in Melbourne, Victoria's capital.”

Those of you who have not been following these developments in Australia may want to do a simple internet search or link to a few articles I have highlighted below:

“Australians Travel to India to Talk About Student Safety” from the July 7th The Wall Street Journal

“Punjab government seeks data of students studying in Australia” from June 10th The Times of India

“Indian Students Claim Epidemic of Racist Violence in Australia” from June 4th VOANews.com

“Indian students describe Sydney attacks” from June 3rd issue of ABC News

“Indian students unsure about studying in Australia” from May 29th ABC Radio Australia

It should be noted that Australia is not the only country where Indian students as well as others have been attacked or have experienced racism.

In answer to the question “has the recent violence against Indian students in Australia had an effect on Indian American students’ decision to study abroad in Australia?”…I don’t have an answer and I think it would be a bit challenging (but not impossible) to measure. Some immediate thoughts are that most U.S. students are not aware these attacks on Indian students even occurred. Indian American students may be more informed on the situation in India than their peers as it has received significant media attention in India and I’m guessing in Indian media outlets (as well as in the WSJ) here in the United States. As many IHEC Blog readers know, I have a strong research interest in diversifying the U.S. study abroad student profile and I’ve written about and compiled an annotated bibliography on heritage seeking in a study abroad context. What I don’t know and I need to investigate is “to what level do college and university level students in the U.S. keep up to date on news in countries of their heritage?” I will certainly try to seek answers to this question but if anyone has any leads for me please leave a comment.

Anyway…this question has been floating around in my head the last month or so as I’ve been reading about this situation and I thought I post to IHEC Blog about it.

Dublin Enters the International Student Recruiting Market with The Lord Mayor of Dublin International Scholarships

The Irish Times and the Irish Independent reported that on Tuesday, June 2nd the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Eibhlin Bryne and the Dublin City Council came to an agreement to allow Dublin universities and Institutes of Technology to change the name of their international scholarships to “The Lord Mayor of Dublin International Scholarships.” In an effort to grab Dublin’s share of the international student market, Lord Mayor Eibhlin Bryne states that “International students from countries outside of the EU contribute over €500 million annually to the Irish economy.” Additional quotes of interest in the articles from Bryne include:

“It’s a growing and important market and Dublin needs to get its share. Melbourne, a similar sized city to Dublin, earns over €2 billion annually from the same market. It’s all about branding. It makes sense for the city to promote Dublin and support the marketing initiatives of the third level colleges.”

“The decline in student visa applications for Ireland reflects the reality that the Irish Visa system is not perceived to be efficient and transparent...If one compares the 2007 success rates for study visa applicants to the UK and Ireland one finds that Ireland refused almost 4 in 10 applicants from China while the UK refused only 1 in 20."

"Ireland is one of only two native English speaking countries in the EU yet France, Germany and Holland are all attracting more students to programmes taught through English. The action taken today by the city and its Universities must be matched by Government aligning better national policies around visas and entry.”

Peter Finnegan, Director of International Relations & Research with Dublin City Council, provides additional insight into Dublin’s recent decision and states:

“While Dublin’s third-level institutions have excellent teaching and research reputations, we must market ourselves better internationally. Research shows that students often pick the country and city of destination before deciding on the institution or programme of study or research they wish to undertake. The Lord Mayor of Dublin International Scholarships will provide the branding identification of international education with the city of Dublin and we are confident it will have a positive effect on our marketing efforts” and that Dublin is aiming for a “realistic target of gaining 3%, as New Zealand has, of the global market which could bring €1.5 billion annually into our economy. Such a target for Dublin is achievable if the international branding is clear, the national entry policies transparent, and the population sentiment among Dubliners remains open and welcoming.”

You can read the Irish Times article here and the Irish Independent article here.
Related IHEC Blog posts include:

Aberdeen City Council Investigates Economic Impact of International Students

Manitoba’s International Education Strategy
The Economic Contribution of International Students in Australia
Increase in English Instruction Decreases the Quality of Dutch Higher Education
Denmark as a Destination for Elite International Students