Student Demand for Global Experiences Rebounds
Higher ed institutions identify successful measures to satisfy students’ interest and participation in study abroad programs.
Many higher education leaders believe that a notable two-year downturn in study abroad engagement was just a temporary consequence of the pandemic and not indicative of the future of these programs. With proper institutional engagement, universities can satisfy the rebounding student demand for global diversity experiences through short- and long-term options that accommodate nearly any major.
Despite the historical success and popularity of international study programs, an Open Doors Data study shows that, in 2019-20, the total number of U.S. students who studied abroad declined by 53% from the prior academic year. Leaders in higher ed agree that, had it not been for the pandemic, U.S. universities would have continued on the previous trend of increasing popularity, with more and more students studying internationally each year as the programs expanded.