Fall 2010 EducationUSA Reconnect-Plus Delegations Reach Out to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Andes and Eastern Mediterranean

Feb. 2011

International

Nigeria Reconnect‐Plus delegation members confer with the EducationUSA advisers at the U.S. Consulate who coordinated their visit in Lagos: (from left) Jeffrey Johnson, Tulane University; Sandra Lemons, IUPUI; Margaret Anyigbo, EducationUSA; Daphne Johnston, University of Kansas; Ifeanyi Olagbaju, EducationUSA; Scott Johnson, North Hennepin Community College.

The College Board organized three U.S. higher education delegations in September and October to visit key countries selected for admissions outreach to prospective students. Each delegation traveled to either Ecuador and Peru, Cyprus and Turkey, or South Africa and Nigeria with funding from the U.S. Department of State and cooperation with the local Fulbright Commissions, binational centers and U.S. embassies and consulates.

The program also aims to promote linkages and partnerships for exchange and research between U.S. and local universities, with a focus on countries not normally on the recruitment circuit for admission representatives. All three groups visited secondary schools and universities and delivered workshops in regional cities as well as the capitals, seeking out talented but underrepresented students outside the traditional scholarship elites. Chosen competitively from a roster of national applicants, the group that traveled to Ecuador and Peru included representatives from Kenyon College, San Jose State University, the University of Kentucky and the University of North Texas. Brown, Southern Methodist University, Penn State and Flagler College made up the Cyprus/Turkey delegation, and the Africa contingent featured representatives from the University of Kansas, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, Tulane, Wesleyan and North Hennepin Community College in Minnesota. Two new delegations to North Africa and South Asia in spring 2011 will be announced soon. For more information, send an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Admission trends highlights:

Ecuador — Planned reforms to the Higher Education Act, requiring English proficiency and doctoral degrees for university instructors, may lead to increased demand for ESL programs and graduate training, and short-term programs at U.S. institutions for faculty and staff. At the undergraduate level, financial need is a continuing issue but U.S. colleges should promote the concept of education as an investment along with lower-cost options such as community college programs. Local NGOs and loan agencies, along with the Fulbright Commission, offer limited support to Ecuadoran students and scholars. The fields of science and technology are a high priority for the government, which offers training grants through SENACYT, Ecuador's science, technology and innovation ministry. Ecuadoran students may lack a full understanding of the diverse array of majors and programs offered at U.S. institutions, and need to be encouraged to look beyond the traditional law, medicine and business careers familiar to them. This is particularly true in the smaller cities of Loja, Guayaquil and Cuenca visited by the delegation. They also toured an interesting Ecuadoran model of an American-style campus with a liberal arts focus at Universidad San Francisco de Quito, a new member of the College Board, which could be an easily accessible study-abroad partner for U.S. colleges seeking to enter the field.

Peru — Arequipa, Cusco and Trujillo are regional centers with significant numbers of highly talented students seeking U.S. educational opportunities. Training in STEM fields is important for Peru’s industrial base, but unlike in Ecuador, the Peruvian government has not committed funding or scholarships. Peru is also interested in developing tourism through training in archaeology and hospitality management. Peruvian universities, both public and private, are becoming more active in exchange and partnerships, with directors of international relations reaching out to their colleagues worldwide. For both Andes countries, some funds are available to students through the U.S. Department of State’s Opportunity program to cover admission and visa- and travel-related expenses.

Turkey — Currently more of a graduate admission market, Turkey features growing numbers of high-quality prospective students interested in U.S. undergraduate study — particularly in private secondary schools in Ankara and the underserved southern cities of Adana, Gaziantep and Tarsus. Only 30 percent of Turkish students who take the national university entrance exam get places in local institutions, many of which now offer some or all of their degree programs in an English language medium, which is good preparation for prospective graduate applicants.

Cyprus — Cypriot students have turned their attention toward the U.K. and European Union in recent years, but with likely student fee increases and service cuts at English universities, the U.S. may soon become a more attractive option despite higher costs and greater distance. Students are interested in both undergraduate and graduate programs, and English language proficiency tends to be very high. STEM fields, particularly engineering programs, are in high demand. Admission officers who would like to increase Cypriot enrollments should plan for extensive parent outreach and highlight the support services available to students on campus.

Terri Overton, Associate Dean of Admission at Wesleyan University, advises prospective Nigerian students about liberal arts colleges during a workshop at Trinity College, Ofada.

Nigeria — The tide seems to be turning in this resource-rich country of 150 million, with recent political developments and recognition of the need for transparent, corruption-free government policies and commercial undertakings. With a majority youth population and neglected educational infrastructure, Nigeria is looking for partners for student and staff training, facilities development, and joint research and exchange initiatives, particularly in the areas of health sciences, STEM, business and environmental studies.

The delegation reconnected with students and staff from more than 60 secondary schools and 10 universities in the cities of Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Ofada, Zaria, Kaduna, Keffi, and Minna as well as visitors from other parts of the country who attended the EducationUSA fairs in Lagos and Abuja that drew thousands of participants. The U.S. is the first-choice destination for most Nigerian students, although funding and visa issues must be overcome by many. The Opportunity program is also available here, and the high growth rate means that increasing numbers of middle-class families can now afford international education options. Myriad new private schools, especially boarding schools, are opening throughout the country to meet the rising demand for quality K–12 education. This is also the case in South Africa, where the delegation gave presentations at the triennial Africa EducationUSA advising conference and a college fair sponsored by the U.S. Consulate.