According to “Open Doors 2008,” the annual report on international academic mobility published by the Institute of International Education (IIE), the number of Serbian students enrolled in higher education institutions in the United States increased by 11 percent over the 2006/07 academic year to 1,193 students. Serbia now ranks 17th among the 53 countries and regions of origin surveyed in Europe.

In addition, the number of American students studying in Serbia reflects a small, but exponentially impressive increase from 25 to 46, an increase of 80 percent.

According to Allan E. Goodman, President and CEO of the New York-based Institute of International Education, in a statement published by the U.S. Embassy in Serbia, “The steady increase in the number of international students in the United States reflects actions taken by the U.S. government and many individual colleges and universities to ensure that international students know they are welcome in the United States, and that we appreciate how they contribute to the intellectual and cultural environment on campus and in the wider community. Furthering academic exchange – in both directions – is one of the best investments that we can make to strengthen higher education and research activities and foster cross-border collaboration on shared global problems such as fighting poverty, protecting the environment, and countering terrorism.”

For more information about the Institute of International Education, a not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization in the United States, visit www.iie.org. Further details on the “Open Doors 2008” surveys and findings can be accessed on www.opendoors.iienetwork.org.

SOURCES:
International Academic Center
Institute of International Education
U.S. Embassy in Serbia