The Gold Coast’s Bond University is actively seeking to increase the number of students it attracts from international markets, such as the United States of America and its efforts appear to be paying dividends.
Bond University has recently joined the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad initiative to help more Americans to gain international experience through study abroad programs in Australia.
There are currently 343 Study Abroad and Exchange Students from 24 different countries studying a one semester program at Bond University which represents a four percent increase on the same time last year.
Bond’s joining of the Generation Study Abroad initiative this month was one of 142 new commitments announced by IIE on November 17, bringing the total Generation Study Abroad coalition to 450 partners.
The announcement marked the start of the 15th annual celebration of International Education Week.
Director of International Marketing and Recruitment at Bond University, John McPartland, said while the current push to secure international students would be focused on the USA, as the program was USA driven, there were plans to market Bond further across Europe and Asia.
“Bond University offers international students a life changing experience and many who have studied here in the past and then returned to their home countries and found considerable success say that their time at Bond was invaluable,” he said.
He said the IIE’s Generation Study Abroad has a goal of doubling the number of U.S. students studying abroad by the end of the decade.
“Under the new initiative, Bond University will take concrete, action-oriented steps to expand opportunities for study abroad and aim to reach a goal of 350 USA students each January and September semester by 2020,” he said. “We currently have 207 students from the USA.”
He said the opportunity to study and live in Australia and enjoy the lifestyle the Gold Coast offers was very appealing for international students and the falling Australian dollar was an added bonus for USA students.
Generation Study Abroad partners to date include 298 colleges and universities of all sizes and types across the USA and around the world, as well as 13 governments, 16 education associations, 67 international partners, and 56 study abroad, K-12, and social network organisations who have committed to specific goals to increase the number of U.S. students studying abroad.
“Globalisation has changed the way the world works, and employers are increasingly looking for workers who have international skills and expertise,” says Dr. Allan Goodman, President of IIE.
“Studying abroad must be viewed as an essential component of a college degree and critical to preparing future leaders.”
ENDS