Recently, the United States Department of Commerce, through the International Trade Administration (ITA), released their annual National Export Strategy (NES). The NES is an important (and telling) document from one of the world’s superpowers, as it reveals the latest American trade priorities and lists promotional efforts to support key sectors.
This year, for the first time ever, the NES includes an entire chapter on international education, and identifies new measures to promote the US as a top study destination.
Keep reading to learn why this is such an important development, and what strategies we can expect to see from the US over at least the next year.
In a hurry? Jump to the following sections:
- The United States Knows the Value of International Education
- Five New US International Education Strategies:
- 1. New Connections with Foreign Groups
- 2. Promoting the US as a Top Study Destination
- 3. International Education as a US Export
- 4. Identifying Global Opportunities
- 5. Leveling the Playing Field
The United States Knows the Value of International Education
Chapter six of the 2023 NES opens by discussing the many benefits (economic and otherwise) of attracting international students to the US. “When international students and exchange program participants study in the United States,” the report reads, “they make significant contributions to U.S. innovation through their academic work and subsequent professional collaboration across a broad range of fields.”
The report names increased competition for international students from countries including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom—a trend which ApplyBoard has been following and discussing for a long time.
That said, with 15% of the global market share, the US knows it has a few distinct advantages over its competitors, including:
- Its many highly rated academic institutions
- Unused enrollment capacity
- Community college affordability
- Optional Practical Training (OPT) and the STEM OPT Extension List, which allows eligible STEM graduates to get more American work experience
In order to leverage these advantages and keep ahead, the US is implementing five new strategies, each summarized below.
The STEM OPT Extension List was very recently expanded to include eight new fields of study. Read more on our blog.
Five New US International Education Strategies
1. New Connections with Foreign Groups
First, the US intends to help its many educational institutions connect more easily with foreign recruitment groups (i.e., agencies, foreign corporations, and other recruitment partners).
The US government will help with this by running “virtual trade promotion events,” which will enable American educators to reach new source markets, network, and build partnerships. In the future, the ITA also intends to move beyond virtual events by hosting in-person matchmaking services, trade missions, and more.
2. Promoting the US as a Top Study Destination
Next, multiple government departments are in alignment about running promotional campaigns, primarily through social media content and marketing videos. The key message of these campaigns will be that “international students from all regions and backgrounds are welcome in the United States.”
Departmental marketing will promote:
- Diverse programs across multiple levels of study
- Study opportunities in both urban and rural areas
- The unique cultural and social experience of studying in the US
Note: The US’ strong reputation as a study destination has been challenged by incidents of rising intolerance and violence, particularly towards racialized people, over the last decade. So, reinforcing positive global messaging that many international students thrive in the US seems like a particularly vital step toward attracting the next generation of leaders.
3. International Education as a US Export
The US also seeks to create a more unified understanding of the value of international education across various bodies within the country itself. They’ll do this by emphasizing its importance as both an American export and an economic driver, especially within certain cities or local communities.
As part of this goal, the government will hold “International Education Stakeholder Roundtables” within specific states and territories, with the aim of connecting institutions and Study State consortia with governors’ offices, trade agencies, travel and tourism professionals, and other relevant parties.
The annual SEVIS by the Numbers Report revealed that 2022 was a great year for US international education. Read more on our ApplyInsights blog.
4. Identifying Global Opportunities
With new training and recruitment opportunities in foreign markets, it can be easy to miss important opportunities. As a result, the US government intends to actively find and promote those opportunities to American educational institutions.
This makes great sense from a strategic standpoint; international education is international by definition, so it feels especially necessary to engage with foreign partners to achieve common goals in this sector.
5. Leveling the Playing Field
Finally, with thousands of unique colleges and universities in the United States, the US government hopes to increase the diversity of institutions engaging in export markets.
To achieve this growth, the government plans to:
- Promote grant programs to assist institutions with executing export strategies
- Plan US-specific event and trade show programming
- Unite foreign embassy representatives with ministries of education
- Run webinars promoting export resources for US educational institutions
Notably, the strategies noted above don’t include updating or expanding American work-while-studying and post-graduate work opportunities. Countries like Canada have made themselves very attractive to international students through offerings like the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. It’s as-yet unclear whether the US will follow suit by expanding its OPT and CPT offerings in the future.
Ultimately, the biggest takeaway from this year’s NES is that the US still seeks to be a major player in the evolving international education market.
This new national strategy is more deliberate and comprehensive than anything in recent memory—and indicates that the US doesn’t intend to let go of its position as the world’s most popular study destination anytime soon.
At ApplyBoard, we’ll continue to follow the US international education strategy as it develops. For the most up-to-date information, visit the ITA website to read the National Export Strategy 2023.
