Studying overseas has become more common these days as
opposed to years ago. Not only can international students learn how to
communicate with the languages used in the destination country, but they also gain
experience living independently without parents and family. The number of
students from Indonesia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and many other
countries who study overseas continues to increase. As an international student
from Indonesia, I can see that there is a huge increase in the number of
Indonesians who decide to pursue their degrees in other countries. In 2013,
there were only about 4,000 Indonesians who came to the United States to study.
The number has been increasing and now there are more than 6,000 Indonesian
students in the United States.
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| An Advertisement by the Global Tree Overseas Education Consultants |
Based on the interviews with fellow international students,
the reason Indonesians decided to pursue their degree in the United States is
because the universities in the United States are believed to have higher
standards. Moreover, many of the advertising campaigns for these universities are
very attractive to Indonesians as they offer scholarships and guaranteed job
offers after graduation. In other words, it is significant to maintain the
standard of education as more and more people depending on these universities
to pursue their dreams.
Western Kentucky University, a leading American University
with international reach, failed to maintain these high standards. Western
Kentucky University made a deal with an international student recruiting
company called Global Tree Overseas Education Consultants to fill seats. By
luring international students, Global Tree gets a commission that amounts to
15% of the enrolled students' first year’s tuition, which is not a small amount
of money. Now, as the university has become dependent on these international
recruiters, educators fear that these international students will become
victims.
Western Kentucky University neglected the standard of
education with 106 of 132 students (80% of students) who were admitted scoring
below the university requirement on English skills. Many people are concerned
and worried that these would become worse in the following year, if this
neglect continues. Years ago, the Western Kentucky University had decided to
recruit international students in order to introduce global cultures to its
domestic students. As time passed by, the school’s motives completely changed
and now exhibit tendencies toward economic self-benefit due to cuts in state
funding.
In my opinion, if this problem continues to grow, many
people including international students, their families, local students, and
the reputation of many universities, will be damaged. In the long run, this
problem could undermine the perceived value of being educated in the United
States. Moreover, by recruiting way too many international students, their
local students will suffer too because they won’t get the same treatment as international
students do as they pay less for tuition. But, is this the main purpose of
universities? Does Western Kentucky University want to keep doing this and harm
the reputation of United States universities?
About the Author:
Debbie Boedijono is a senior student at The Collins Collage
of Hospitality Management in Cal Poly Pomona. She is originally from Surabaya,
Indonesia, but she moved to California in 2013 and studied in Pasadena City
College for two years. Even though her area of study has an emphasis in restaurant
management, she is also interested in hotel management. Moreover, she plans to
graduate in the Spring of 2017. Currently, she is still deciding which clubs to
join and also looking for internships this following summer. After pursuing her
Bachelor’s degree, she plans to gain some experience in the United States
before going back to her home country.
References:
Saul, S. (2016, April 19). Recruiting
Students Overseas to Fill Seats, Not to Meet Standards. Retrieved April 24,
2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/us/recruiting-students-overseas-to-fill-seats-not-to-meet-standards.html?_r=0
Witherell, S. (2015, November 16). IIE
Releases Open Doors 2015 Data. Retrieved April 24, 2016, from http://www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2015/2015-11-16-Open-Doors-Data#.VxvvcTArLDc
I am so impressed and challenged by the information shared here and in the comments of your readers. I am working on a post for Education, as well, so it’s a timely visit. It is an important post, and I’ve not taken enough time to write it yet just thinking and researching so far. Markcon
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed and challenged by the information shared here and in the comments of your readers. I am working on a post for Education, as well, so it’s a timely visit. It is an important post, and I’ve not taken enough time to write it yet just thinking and researching so far. Markcon
ReplyDeleteNice educational blog for students. Thanks for sharing and keep it up. Markcon
ReplyDelete