| International Students and
Faculty: Education and Security in a New Paradigm
"It is important that international students continue to come to
the U.S. to study and contribute to our science and technology enterprise.
They are a major factor in our nation's world scientific leadership. They
also learn to appreciate the advantages of our educational system and
acquire skills that will enable them to contribute quality of life in
their own countries." Enhancing Global Understanding The involvement of international students and scholars in American higher education enhances global understanding, promotes economic development around the world, and fosters the spread of democratic values. Efforts to continue these relationships are in America's long-term strategic and economic interests. The United States is the leading destination for international students. Since the United States is home to many of the leading universities in the world, we are able to attract some of the most outstanding scholars and students. Following their time here, many return to their home countries with strong personal connections and a greater understanding of American life and benefits of democracy. The 514,723 foreign students who studied in the United States during the 1999-2000 academic year brought almost $12.3 billion into the U.S. economy, making education the United States' fifth largest service sector export. Internationalization of University Research and Education The success of university research, in general, and of collaborative research programs in particular, owes much to unfettered participation by persons of all nationalities. The role students and faculty from around the world play in academic research enriches the quality and breadth of the endeavor. Current immigration policies reflect the basic idea that, once a student is admitted to a university, and issued a visa, he or she should have the freedom to get the full benefit of studying at one of the world's finest academic institutions. The same reasoning should apply to foreign-born faculty. U.S. policy (as well as the policies of other countries) should allow for the maximal degree of participation by international scholars that security concerns allow. Support of Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) The AAU is committed to helping strengthen our capacity to protect the United States from terrorism. As an alternative to significantly curtailing the issuance student and faculty visas, one preventative measure is the full implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) program by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) which the AAU supports. When in full use, SEVIS will assist in keeping track of our international guests and provide greater assurances that conditions placed on visa holders are upheld. Created by the Association of American Universities, March 2002
Association of American
Universities |