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LAWRENCE -- The University of Kansas ranks third in the nation among public research universities nationwide in the percentage of students participating in study abroad programs, according to a recent survey compiled by the Institute of International Education.
The 1,141 KU students who participated in study abroad programs during the 2000-01 school year represented almost 23 percent of graduating students in 2001. KU ranks ninth among all public and private research universities in the IIE's report, Open Doors 2002.
The University of Notre Dame topped the list, followed by two New York schools, Yeshiva University in New York City and Cornell University in Ithaca, the top public university. The only other public university in the top 10 besides KU is the University of Delaware in Newark, which ranked sixth.
A separate listing in the report also ranked KU 17th among research institutions in the total number of study abroad students. Michigan State University in East Lansing was at the top of that list, followed by the University of Texas at Austin and New York University.
Susan Gronbeck-Tedesco, director of study abroad, said KU's success was due in large part to a concerted effort across campus to encourage students to seek learning opportunities overseas.
"Our faculty have been exceptional both in designing programs and encouraging students," she said. "They essentially make studying abroad a priority for students. If they didn't, we wouldn't have the numbers we do."
She also credited the administration for encouraging such learning experiences.
"The chancellor and the provost made international study one of KU's top 10 goals some eight years ago," she said. "I think it means that KU is taking a leadership role in preparing its students for the global community."
KU's Study Abroad program also helps students at other schools where such programs are not available, she said. In fact, about one-third of the students who participate in KU's program attend other schools. Those students, however, are not included in the IIE totals, she said.
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