New school of thought | Welcoming foreign students is an investment in Maine's future
If you visit Maine’s college and academy campuses lately, you may notice some exciting changes in student populations. Maine educational institutions are going global in their student recruitment, and this development is an encouraging sign. According to the New England Board of Higher Education, 1,233 international students are studying at Maine’s colleges, and although there is no official data on the secondary schools, it’s estimated that there are approximately 800 foreign students studying at Maine’s high schools and academies.
The cultural diversity and richness these students bring to what has traditionally been one of the more homogenous states in the nation is obviously very important. Maine high school and college students get the opportunity to meet students from different cultures, learn about overseas locations and often develop friendships that span across continents. Having global perspectives introduced into the Maine classroom only enriches our children’s academic experiences and opens their eyes to an increasingly interconnected world.
The economics of enrollment
Various economic development opportunities are also emerging as a result of these international programs. On a national basis, approximately 690,000 international students are studying at U.S. colleges and universities, representing approximately $18.8 billion in tuition fees and living expenses. The average international student brings $20,000 to $25,000 to the communities where educational institutions are located. New England, well recognized as a hub of quality education, hosts 53,281 college students (three times as much as in 1980), with over a quarter coming from India and China.
Within the New England states, Massachusetts and Connecticut top the list in attracting international students. New Hampshire, with 2,332 foreign college students, and Rhode Island, with 4,318 international students, bring $80 million to $150 million into their states, respectively. Maine has considerable development potential in this arena.
Many of Maine’s academies and boarding schools have seized international student recruitment as a way to bolster dwindling student enrollments in the post-baby boom environment. Thornton Academy, which services local students from Saco, Dayton and Arundel, started looking at international student recruitment six years ago and has built a robust boarding program that currently houses 114 students from 16 different countries. John Bapst, a college preparatory school in Bangor, just began its international program and has started attracting students from countries as diverse as China, England and South Korea through participation in overseas trade shows, an education mission with the Maine International Trade Center, and liaising with international agents.
Even public high schools such as Stearns High School in Millinocket have started recruitment programs with China in an effort to increase student enrollment and offer their excellent performing arts and music programs to Asian student groups.
Where there appears to be real economic development opportunity is in Maine’s state university system. Enrollment at the University of Maine and University of Southern Maine is down 2.5% and 7.9%, respectively, from 2005, while 2010 enrollment at the Fort Kent and Machias universities is down 19% and 24.5% from five years ago. USM, which has one of the best English as a Second Language programs in the state, has commenced aggressively recruiting beyond the borders of Maine and is enrolling more international students yearly. They have an excellent joint ESL program that is highly respected in Japan with business executives and have focused on increasing their Asian and international presence at undergraduate and graduate levels.
When you see international student populations as high as 1,993 at the University of Connecticut and 1,718 at the University of Massachusetts/Amherst, you realize that public education is highly valued outside the United States, and New England continues to be a preferred location for higher education.
Opening our doors
There are many new Internet tools to attract overseas student populations, including distance learning programs that can provide virtual melting pots for students. Maine’s StudyMaine.net website offers Maine schools an international portal for promoting their academic programs abroad, and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s StudyUSA program can connect U.S. schools with international markets through their Gold Key matchmaking services.
In addition to the educational benefits of attracting international students, we also benefit from the influx of international tourists visiting our schools, towns and parks. Ultimately, with some creative looping and internship programs, we have the opportunity to keep many of these talented young students in our work force and develop more trade and investment with their native countries. This is a wonderful avenue for getting Maine recognized as an education hub in the international marketplace.
Janine Bisaillon-Cary, president of the Maine International Trade Center, can be reached at info@mitc.com. Read more Beyond our Borders here.
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