Purdue News

September 24, 1999 Purdue leads nation in international students WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the first time, Purdue University has more international students than any other public research institution in the country and is fifth among all colleges and universities in the United States, according to a report issued today (Friday, 9/24). There are 4,133 students from 127 different countries enrolled at the West Lafayette campus this fall, said Michael Brzezinski, director of International Students and Scholars. Purdue's international enrollment passed the University of Texas at Austin and Ohio State University, which were the top two public schools last year. Purdue President Steven C. Beering, who a decade ago made internationalization of the university one of his administration's goals, said that as more students look to Purdue for undergraduate and graduate education, the university and its U.S. students benefit. "A quality education in our global society must include an international component," Beering said. "Because of the presence of many cultures on campus, Purdue students will graduate with an appreciation for, as well as an understanding of, the world in which they will live and work. Nothing less should be expected from a truly great university." Brzezinski said undergraduate international student enrollment has grown more than 200 percent during the decade. Most of the growth has occurred during the past five years as Purdue initiated changes that streamlined the admissions and transfer processes. These include use of electronic mail, online admissions applications and a prospective student database. The changes have decreased the time between application and admission from several weeks to a couple days. Purdue also has been actively recruiting international students. Staff from International Students and Scholars and the Office of Admissions have met with students and high school guidance counselors in Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. The recruitment effort is part of campuswide internationalization plan. "We have a responsibility to help our students gain a wide variety of experiences," said Michael Stohl, dean of international programs. "When students from other countries come to Purdue, they bring their experiences and culture here where students from the United States can learn about life in other parts of the world. The experiences gained from interacting with peoples from different cultures is invaluable. The in-class and out-of-class contact enables students and staff alike to think globally and understand the variety of approaches to knowledge that may exist." There are 1,817 international students enrolled in undergraduate programs, while 2,316 are enrolled in graduate and professional programs. Brzezinski said both are Purdue records. Asian students account for more than half the international student enrollment, with nine of the top 10 countries from Asia. India has the greatest number of students, 710. The Peoples Republic of China has 628 students and finished out of the top spot for the first time since 1986. The other top 10 countries are South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia, Turkey, Pakistan, Japan and Singapore. Thirty-one countries are represented by 20 or more students. While increasing the number of international students, the admissions standards have remained high, and students are well-prepared to learn in an English-speaking classroom, Brzezinski said. More than half of the international freshmen graduated from schools where classes are taught in English. First-year international students scored well above average on the Test of English as a Foreign Language. Average scores were higher than what Purdue requires for international teaching assistants. International students also tend to stay in college and complete their degrees, Brzezinski said. Of the undergraduate students who started at Purdue in 1997, 95 percent were still on campus a year later. Among the international students who started undergraduate programs in 1993, 74.5 percent had completed their degrees within five years, a higher percentage than domestic students. Sources: Michael Stohl, (765) 494-0614 Michael Brzezinski, (765) 494-7084 Writer: J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; jwillis1@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page