Another important theme discussed is the role that different governments are playing in engaging in or inhibiting the internationalization of education. For example, it is each nations government, and not each university, that decides what students can enter a country. Also governments are the ones that decide which students get the scholarships to study overseas as well. For the most part having international students is beneficial for most countries.
In 2010 alone the US generated more than $20-billion mostly from foreign student studying in the US. As can be seen, for developed countries such as the US and most European countries internationalization of education is highly beneficial. Developing countries are most likely to send their students to those nations. But, we are forgetting about the young people that are left behind. What happens to the student who are not lucky enough to win a scholarship to study overseas? And, should countries be sending their students to other countries rather than fixing their own educational systems first?
I find the question you pose very interesting. Should countries fix their own educational systems first before sending their students across seas? Since I am applying to Physicians Assistant school, I can definitely relate. It is definitely common for medical students and health-related students in top schools to be from over seas. Is this fair to our own country? I personally do not agree. I believe that we have enough intelligence in this country, to accept our own students.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important for students to be studying overseas. Many of the graduate students and post-docs in the graduate programs I applied to were international. There are many benefits. For instance, one of the new professors in the biology department here studied for a long time overseas. Europe tends to be a little more advanced than us when it comes to "going green" and environmental management and he hopes to bring a lot of that back here. Still, it does make programs here programs all the more competitive.
ReplyDeleteI understand Vinny's point, but I also read news stories from time to time that the U.S. ought to keep more of the bright minds that we educated in this country through more generous immigration--that it is a sort of brain-drain if we do not. What do others of you think? At any rate, we definitely need to do be best job possible to educate more American students for the jobs of the future. I think we need more government investment in community colleges, etc., like Obama was taking about in the SOTU. (Gosh, remember that way back when?)
ReplyDeleteI should have noted that I like the substantive issues you're raising, Jocelyn, and how you are writing clearly about the trends.
DeleteI think this is really well-written and is able to explain well a difficult issue. For anyone in higher education, traveling for at least a brief time is often required, and like Sam said, most professors that I've talked to find it really beneficial. I think this part of the issue contrasts with the ideas brought up during the GOP primaries that associated higher education in general with "snobbiness" or superiority. But in my opinion, I really think traveling gives a depth to experiences and opinions that cannot really be learned otherwise.
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