According to the 2010 IES Abroad Membership Survey Report, study abroad enrollment for students at U.S. colleges and universities is projected to increase six percent in 2010-2011 over 2009-2010 numbers. That is just one of the many findings resulting from IES Abroad’s annual survey of the 185 top-tier public and private American colleges and universities that comprise the IES Abroad Academic Consortium.
“The optimistic outlook for 2010-2011 study abroad enrollments from our member colleges and universities, despite the current economic conditions, and our member schools’ increases in financial aid point to the continuing value of international education for American students in today’s global environment,” said Dr. Mary Dwyer, president and CEO of IES Abroad.
“From increasing financial aid by $150,000 to a total of $2.15 million, to expanding our short-term, faculty-led and customized programs, IES Abroad has also taken a number of significant steps to ensure that studying abroad remains accessible to as many students as possible,” Dr. Dwyer said.
Other data reported in the annual survey include the impact of the economy on study abroad trends, a ranking of criteria for evaluating study abroad providers, the most popular terms for study abroad, and the top locations selected by students. European cities remain the most popular destinations for students seeking study abroad programs, with London attracting more than twice the number of students than any other city. Among non-European sites for study abroad programs, the top three choices are Buenos Aires, Sydney, and Beijing.
For more information on the IES Abroad Academic Consortium, visit the IES Abroad website or contact Carol Jambor-Smith at cjambors@IESabroad.org.
