Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute joins consortium of upstate colleges, universities, government, and educational institutions focused on recruiting international students to attend New York state institutions

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is among several colleges universities, state and federal government, and educational institution leading the effort to promote New York state as a study destination of choice for international students. Through the formation of Study New York Inc. — a nonprofit consortium of colleges, universities, and other accredited educational institutions in New York state — members will focus on increasing the visibility and global competitiveness of New York state and its institutions of higher education.

Last month, the consortium held a founders meeting on the Rensselaer campus. Key members involved in developing the consortium include: New York State Executive Chamber, New York State Department of Economic Development, U.S. Department of Commerce, Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, State University of New York System Administration, and the City University of New York, among others.

Rensselaer Provost Robert E. Palazzo delivered the keynote address. In remarks to the audience, he stated that the “mission of the Study New York consortium echoes a sentiment that Rensselaer shares with your institution — to position New York state as the destination of choice for students from around the world. Colleges and universities are a key driver of economic growth and opportunity in many communities within New York state.  More than 160 institutions, public and private, from every region of New York benefit from international student enrollment.”

The potential positive economic impact of Study New York is evident based on projections from current statistics. For example, during the 2007-2008 academic year, New York welcomed nearly 70,000 international students, whom with their dependents contributed nearly $2 billion to the state’s economy, according to the Institute for International Education. Importantly, that figure includes only tuition and living expenses, and does not account for the impact of students’ families visiting, travel and tourism, or the impact of international students who elect to remain in the country for employment after graduation.

“Study New York provides incredible opportunities not only for Rensselaer and other institutions, it also benefits the state itself as well,” Palazzo added.  “For New York, the most obvious benefit today would be the economic impact. The recession we currently find ourselves recovering from has exposed many economic fallacies, including the idea that consumer spending, finance, and service industries, alone, will guarantee the economic vitality of the United States.  Clearly, we must focus on more substantial sources of prosperity, including our capacity to translate innovations and education toward commercial and social uses, domestically, and to export them around the world.”

Palazzo also noted that more than 65 countries are represented in Rensselaer’s student body.  “Most importantly, international students choose to study at Rensselaer and across New York state because of the region’s expert faculty, the rigor and reputation of academic programs, state-of-the-art facilities, and the extraordinary caliber of current students. Most of our institutions are only a short distance away from major urban centers like New York City, Boston, Montreal, and Toronto, adding further incentive for international students to ‘study New York.’  The reasons for international students to be drawn to New York state are numerous, and Study New York will underscore these highlights for our mutual recruitment success.”

“International students add immeasurably to the Rensselaer community, bringing perspectives and experiences that broaden cultural awareness for everyone on campus,” said Paul Marthers, vice president for enrollment and dean of undergraduate and graduate admissions.  “We expect to expand international recruitment efforts over the next few years.”

Recently, the Institute of International Education (IIE) released its annual Open Door 2009 data, which notes that the number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 8 percent to an all-time high of more than 670,000 in the 2008-2009 academic year.  

“With the founding of Study New York, our state joins many other states including California, Oregon, New Jersey, and Washington, which have formed statewide consortia focused on international student recruitment,” said Raymond A. Lutzky ’02, director of outreach and associate director of enrollment, who serves as the acting chair of the consortium. “As a hub of academic, cultural, and economic development in the United States, it is fitting that New York state has taken its own leadership position as a center of international student education.”  

According to the consortium, recent studies in international education have shown that while the United States still attracts the highest number of international students globally, the gap between the United States and competitor nations is narrowing.  Countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada have achieved high levels of success with international student recruitment efforts, and an increasing number of U.S. states have created consortia to assist with their own recruitment activities.  Lutzky noted that consortia similar to Study New York exist in the following states: Alabama, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. Consortia with similar purposes also exist in the City of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania and in Westchester County in New York.

Future plans for the consortium include engaging with international partner organizations to coordinate outreach to students living in countries outside of the United States. The organization also will work to have its members participate in conferences and seminars focused on highlighting educational diversity and upstate New York colleges and universities. In addition, an annual educational seminar will be held in conjunction with the consortium’s annual meeting. The seminar will provide an opportunity for Study New York member institutions and key partners to exchange information on international students related to recruitment issues, student service trends, research, and best practices, among other things.

Contact: Jessica Otitigbe
Phone: (518) 276-6050
E-mail: otitij@rpi.edu