Colleges and universities across America are increasing their efforts to ensure that overseas students feel welcome to study in the country.
Concerned by some of President Donald Trump’s perceived anti-immigration rhetoric, education institutions across the country have produced new online videos as part of a national campaign called ‘You Are Welcome Here’.
What’s more, many universities are taking extra steps to encourage overseas students not to turn their back on the US. For example, Purdue University sent its international applicants an email from two mayors touting Indiana’s hospitality, while the president of Portland State University in Oregon visited students in India to ease concerns.
“Students are telling us that they don’t feel safe here in the United States. That they’re concerned about discrimination, racism,” said Katharine Johnson Suski, admissions director at Iowa State University. “This year it was a little more important to make sure that they felt comfortable with their decision.”
Associated Press data already shows that there has been a fall in overseas student numbers in recent months. Nearly half of the nation’s 25 largest public universities have seen undergraduate applications from abroad fall or stagnate since last year.
Article published 8th May 2017