‘Simon Bill’ Followed by NAFSA Success
For those looking to develop educational exchange across the Atlantic, the dwindling number of Norwegian students going to the U. S. is an already well-known issue. The reluctance of American students to study in Norway has also been noted. However, while these are important areas of focus, it is not to be forgotten that compared to other countries, the total number of Americans studying abroad is low. This is what motivated the recent passing of the ‘Simon Bill’. Fortunately, it recently became apparent that there is no shortage of Norwegian options for American students now more eager and enabled to study abroad.
Shortly after the passing of the Simon Bill, the biggest educational conference in the U. S., NAFSA, was held in Minneapolis. As has been the norm during recent years, the Nordic region was represented by one stand. This year, the stand was SiU’s responsibility, and 18 Norwegian institutions took this opportunity to market themselves. Compared to previous years this number is high, which indicates an interest for increased cooperation with the US. The fact that the conference took place in Minnesota may also explain the high number of Norwegian institutions participating.
Balanced Mobility
According the Open Doors report, published by the Institute of International Education, 200 000 plus American students traveled abroad in 2004. The passing of the Simon Bill will enable far more American students to study abroad, as well as opening the door to so-called ‘non-traditional’ study destinations.
This will help institutions to overcome an already mentioned hurdle for bilateral academic collaboration: the imbalance in the exchange check-book. Norway sends ten students to the US for every American student they receive. With the passing of the Simon Bill, all participants at NAFSA were hopeful. SiU, one of several institutions committed to increasing the numbers of foreign students coming to Norway, were one such participant. According to Director Gunn Mangerud, who had meetings with representatives from different levels in the Amercian educational sector, ’the interest from the US is growing’. Read more.
For those looking to develop educational exchange across the Atlantic, the dwindling number of Norwegian students going to the U. S. is an already well-known issue. The reluctance of American students to study in Norway has also been noted. However, while these are important areas of focus, it is not to be forgotten that compared to other countries, the total number of Americans studying abroad is low. This is what motivated the recent passing of the ‘Simon Bill’. Fortunately, it recently became apparent that there is no shortage of Norwegian options for American students now more eager and enabled to study abroad.
Shortly after the passing of the Simon Bill, the biggest educational conference in the U. S., NAFSA, was held in Minneapolis. As has been the norm during recent years, the Nordic region was represented by one stand. This year, the stand was SiU’s responsibility, and 18 Norwegian institutions took this opportunity to market themselves. Compared to previous years this number is high, which indicates an interest for increased cooperation with the US. The fact that the conference took place in Minnesota may also explain the high number of Norwegian institutions participating.
Balanced Mobility
According the Open Doors report, published by the Institute of International Education, 200 000 plus American students traveled abroad in 2004. The passing of the Simon Bill will enable far more American students to study abroad, as well as opening the door to so-called ‘non-traditional’ study destinations.
This will help institutions to overcome an already mentioned hurdle for bilateral academic collaboration: the imbalance in the exchange check-book. Norway sends ten students to the US for every American student they receive. With the passing of the Simon Bill, all participants at NAFSA were hopeful. SiU, one of several institutions committed to increasing the numbers of foreign students coming to Norway, were one such participant. According to Director Gunn Mangerud, who had meetings with representatives from different levels in the Amercian educational sector, ’the interest from the US is growing’. Read more.
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