KU News Release

KU ranks eighth in nation as study abroad enrollment rises 10 percent

A camel ride in Tanzania.

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas is finding new ways to ensure that its graduates have what it takes to compete in this increasingly global economy.

KU ranks eighth in the nation among public research universities in the percentage of students who study abroad, according to the 2006 Open Doors Report, a national survey of international education produced by the Institute of International Education.

According to the report, international study is up 9.6 percent among public universities in the United States. KU has once again outpaced the national average with a 10.1 percent increase over the past year. More than 1,200 KU students studied abroad in 2005, compared to 1,088 in 2004. Further, more than a quarter of all KU students will have completed international study by the time they graduate.

KU officials would like to improve that already impressive number.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere said the university has established a five- to 10-year goal to increase the number of KU students who have studied abroad by the time they graduate from 26.2 percent to 50 percent.

Statistics from the past decade show that KU students who have at least one study-abroad experience are more likely to complete their education. In fact, 91 percent of them go on to graduate, and 45 percent do it within four years.

The Office of Study Abroad offers 100 programs in more than 50 countries. Such opportunities are among the hallmarks of a KU education, said Diana Carlin, dean of the Graduate School and International Programs.

“Study abroad is an important element in providing students with a level of understanding that will help them learn, live and lead in a global society,” Carlin said. “We are fortunate to have excellent programs to prepare our students for the global economic and political environment they will navigate and that lead to participation rates consistently above the national average.”

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.