The Peru Gazette

Open Doors 2011 Report ranks New York State second in the nation for hosting international students; Study New York promotes the State’s excellence. 

Empire State Development (ESD), the US Department of Commerce, and the Study New York consortium today announced that New York State ranks second in the nation in attracting international students to our colleges and universities, according to the Open Doors Report for 2011, which is published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.  According to the report, New York State welcomed 78,888 international students in 2010-11, an increase of 3.6 percent from the previous year and outpacing the growth rate of first ranked California.  International students contributed a significant $2.4 billion to New York State’s economy, an increase of 4 percent from the prior academic year 2009-10.

Further details from the Open Doors report may be found on the IIE website: http://www.iie.org/en/Research-and-Publications/Open-Doors

“Spending by international students and their families advances New York State services export success, and directly benefits our economy,” said Empire State Development Corporation President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “International students studying in our great State broaden awareness and appreciation of other cultures at the campus, community and regional levels. New York’s success in attracting international students is a testament to our well deserved reputation for educational excellence, and bolsters our global competitiveness. It is important that we continue to work together with our partners in key initiatives such as Study New York to support and promote education opportunities overseas.”

Colleges and universities are key drivers of economic growth and opportunity in many communities within New York State, with more than 160 institutions, public and private, from every region of New York, benefiting from international student enrollment.

Surpassing all other US states, six New York State universities—New York University, Columbia University, University at Buffalo-SUNY, Cornell University, Stony Brook University-SUNY and Syracuse University—consistently rank in the top 40 for US institutions hosting international students.  The leading five countries sending the most students to New York State include China, India, South Korea, Canada and Taiwan.

“New York State has always been the destination of choice for brilliant students, researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world,” said James M. Cox, Director of the Northeast Region for the US Department of Commerce. “These international student recruitment results and services exports are impressive, and indicate the vast array of options that New York offers students—from the hundreds of world-renowned research universities and small, single focus institutions to the superior quality of life and wealth of cultural and recreational opportunities.  The Study New York consortium has intensified collaborative efforts to promote the State’s unique educational assets to global markets and contributes to international student recruitment success.  The growth of services exports in the higher education sector is helping to achieve the President’s National Export Initiative goals to double overall US exports by 2015.”

“Since 2009, Study New York has been finding innovative and effective ways to promote New York State as the destination of choice for students from around the world,” said Board Chair Salvatore Longarino of Fordham University.  “The consortium benefits from the collective efforts of New York State, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, State University of New York, City University of New York, and the US Department of Commerce.”

Study New York launched its website, www.studynewyork.us, in May 2011, and has already generated over four thousand new visits from prospective international students and families.  By offering essential information about member colleges and universities, Study New York’s website generates increasing market interest from such countries as India, Iraq, the UK, Canada, Germany, China, Russia and Taiwan. By working together at virtual and actual trade missions, the initiative will reach many more markets, education events and students than each member institution could individually. More than 70 New York State colleges and universities are members of Study New York, making it the largest higher education consortium of its kind in the nation. All public and private, not-for-profit colleges and universities in New York are eligible to join.

The US Commercial Service is the trade promotion arm of the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.  US Commercial Service trade professionals in more than 100 US cities and in nearly 80 countries help US companies start exporting or increase sales to new global markets. US Commercial Service services include: Market Intelligence to help US exporters target the right market (s) for their products and services; Trade Counseling to provide them with the information they need to navigate the export process from beginning to end; Business Matchmaking services to connect them with the right partners and prospects; and Trade Advocacy for US companies to level the international playing field for international procurement.  For more information, visit www.export.gov.

Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency and administrator of the statewide business resource portal Business First (www.NYfirst.NY.gov).  The mission of Empire State Development is to promote business investment and growth that leads to job creation and prosperous communities across New York State.  ESD also oversees the marketing of “I LOVE NY,” the State’s iconic tourism brand.  For more information on Empire State Development, visit www.esd.ny.gov.