According to Open Doors, an annual report on international education published by the Institute of International Education, GVSU ranked 12th in the country among master's-degree granting institutions and sent 465 students abroad in 2004-05, the latest figures available nationally. Elon University in North Carolina led the list, with 915 students.
For academic year 2003-04, Grand Valley was ranked 16th and had 360 students study abroad. Mark Schaub, executive director of GVSU's Padnos International Center, said a number of reasons account for the increase.
"More students are getting the message from faculty members and advisers that study abroad is a unique and valuable educational opportunity," he said. "And more employers are identifying global competence and overseas experience as an important qualification for new jobs."
GVSU offers more than 50 formal study abroad programs but students can choose from more than 4,000 programs in nearly 100 countries. The most popular destinations are England, Italy, Australia and Spain.
According to Open Doors, more than 205,000 American college students studied abroad in 2004-05, an increase of 8 percent over the last reporting year.
Audio Clips:
- Mark Schaub talks about how GVSU has more
students studying abroad than the national average
- Schaub comments on how employers are looking
to hire people who have studied abroad
- Schaub describes how studying abroad changes students
