Guide for International Students

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 15, 2006 -- Kognito Solutions, LLC, an interactive learning company, announced today that academic institutions across the U.S. can now purchase modified versions of the online tutorial entitled "Guide for International Students." The interactive tutorial introduces students to immigration guidelines, U.S. academic customs, employment options, and school-specific services and activities, with which they will need to be familiar as they study in the U.S.

A demo of the "Interactive Guide for International Students" tutorial can be found online at www.kognito.net/international.

Consular official, education adviser discuss study in the U.S.

On Thursday, November 30, at 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), Charisse Phillips, U.S. consul general in Vienna, Austria, and Alexandra Enzi of the Austrian-American Education Commission will answer your questions about how to navigate visa and academic requirements and will present a range of educational options available to prospective foreign students. To learn more and sign up for the chat, please see the State Department's Office of International Information Programs (IIP) Webchat Station. Note that IIP regularly schedules chats concerning visa and study USA issues, and also welcomes requests for chats on specific topics/with specific interlocutors. Contact the Public Affairs office at your local U.S. embassy for more information.

U.S. entry process rated worst by travelers

The Discover America Partnership is an" effort led by some of America’s foremost business leaders to strengthen America’s image around the globe. These leaders recognize that public diplomacy is not the sole responsibility of government, but also of business and the American people." The group recently issued a report demonstrating that the U.S. entry process is considered the “world’s worst” by international travelers. The organization suggests that minor improvements in welcoming travelers could yield substantial diplomatic and economic gains. Read the 11/20 press release and summary of findings.

Compete America urges visa reform

In a letter sent to Members of Congress November 13, Compete America and more than 200 prominent companies, universities and trade associations, urged action on legislation to reform the outdated H-1B visa and EB green card programs before Congress adjourns for the year. Click here for the letter.

WP editorial on international students in the U.S., 11/16

"Open Campuses: The resurgence of enrollment by foreign students is welcome news." (WP editorial November 16, 2006)..."WHEN IT COMES to attracting the best minds to America's universities and colleges, geography should not matter. So it is welcome news that after two years of decline, students from foreign countries are steadily coming back to U.S. college campuses. It's a trend that should be encouraged even more. read more

Policy implications of international students in the U.S.

Policy Implications of International Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars in the United States. Although this book is not new (2005), it contains much information that is relevant to problems concerning international student mobility. It can be read online at the National Academies Press website.

Chapters:

• International Science and Engineering Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars in the United States
• Shaping the Flow of International Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars: Visa and Immigration Policy
• The Globalization of Science and Engineering
• Strategies for Improving Policy Decisions
• Findings and Recommendations
• Appendix A Committee and Staff Biographic Information
• Apppendix B Charge to the Committee
• Appendix C US Travel and Attitudes Toward the United States
• Appendix D Bibliography

IIE 2006 Open Doors report

The IIE's 2006 Open Doors report shows "total international student enrollments that are virtually flat compared to the previous year, along with a rise in new international enrollments for 2005/06, suggesting that international enrollments have stabilized and are poised to rebound. "
(released November 13, see fact sheet and press release)

Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Act

The cover story of International Educator November/December 2006 examines the possible impact of the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Act, recently introduced by Sens. Dick Durbin (D- IL) and Norm Coleman (R-MN). If it passes, it may be the biggest thing to hit international education in the United States since the Fulbright program, according to the IE article.

Senate hearing on visa policy, students, researchers

This is not completely fresh, but interesting: Testimony of
Mr. Bo Cooper Former General Counsel, Immigration and Naturalization Service
Global Personnel Alliance “U.S. Visa Policy: Competition for International Scholars, Scientists and Skilled Workers”

Making sense of Bologna degrees

The November 6 issue of Inside Higher Education has an article about a recent conference, organized the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, concerning the impact of Bologna and three-year degrees on international student mobility. See also "Strategies in Dealing With the Bologna Process", International Educator September/October 2006.

OECD Report Education at a Glance

OECD's Education at a Glance report (September, 2006) enables countries to see themselves in the light of other countries’ performance by providing a rich, comparable and up-to-date array of indicators on the performance of education systems. The full version of the report costs $87, but significant sections are available free of charge, including country summaries. (See for example the 12 page OECD briefing note for the United States.)

American Council on Education Report

The American Council on Education has released the issue brief "Students on the Move: the Future of International Students in the U.S." The paper "examines the current situation and recent trends in international student enrollment in the
United States, compares these trends with those in other countries, and looks at the efforts of other countries and regional groups to attract international students."

CRS Report on Foreign Students in the U.S.

The Congressional Research Service recently (October, 2006) updated the report "Foreign Students in the United States: Policies and Legislation" The report examines factors and obstacles that influence the influx of foreign students to the U.S., and summarizes current U.S. policy and legislation on the issue.