Illinois: First Among Equals
by Joel Super, Communications Officer
International Engagement, Communications and Protocol
Statistics compiled recently by the office of the Associate Provost for International Affairs at University of Illinois demonstrate that Illinois is the only U.S. institution of higher education ranking in the top ten in the three key metrics of international education: international student enrollment, total number of study abroad students, and the number of federally-funded Title VI National Resource Centers for international and area studies. The statistics were compiled from the U.S. Department of Education and from Open Doors, the annual report on international educational exchange published by the Institute of International Education.
Illinois has long had a strong reputation among major research universities for its overall academic excellence. Its strength in international education is less well known outside academic circles. But students from over 121 countries currently study on the Urbana-Champaign campus; students from Illinois study in some 57 countries worldwide; and 7 National Resource Centers representing every continent operate here, in addition to one focusing on international business education and research. NRCs support international curriculum development and foreign language programs, foster faculty research, develop international outreach programs, and encourage institutional commitment to international education and research initiatives overall.
Commenting on the statistics, William Brustein, Associate Provost for International Affairs at Illinois, notes that “global competence is a crucial component of a contemporary higher education, and we at Illinois are committed to assuring that all our graduates will be prepared to function as global leaders and citizens.” Taken together, the numbers make clear that Illinois is a leader in the international education arena.
For more information, please visit the Office of the Associate Provost for International Affairs Web site.
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