Latitudes: The U.S. is a global magnet for science and engineering talent. Will that continue?

The number of foreign STEM students exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Also, a poll reveals public skepticism of academic ties with China. ADVERTISEMENT [Latitudes Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. A surge in science students leads to optimism — and wariness The number of international science and engineering students in the United States has rebounded and now exceeds pre-pandemic levels, new data from the National Science Board shows. Nearly 465,000 student-visa holders were enrolled in STEM programs in 2022, according to a report, “[The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2024]( released last week. The largest, and fastest-growing, group of international students is at the master’s-degree level. The report reaffirms the United States’s role as a premier destination for students from around the world, particularly in high-demand science and technology fields. But it also underscores dual challenges for American colleges: how to ensure their continued global appeal while increasing the number of domestic students who pursue STEM degrees. “The U.S. has long been a global magnet for talent,” said Daniel Reed, chairman of the science board and a professor of computer science and electrical and computer engineering at the University of Utah. “That’s been one of our superpowers, that the best and the brightest on the planet want to study and work here. We have to preserve that. But it’s not a given.” The number of international science and engineering students has increased 37 percent since the first year of the pandemic, and the number of master’s students has more than doubled, driven by a [surge of students from India](. The quality of American education and the opportunity to do cutting-edge research has continued to make the United States one of the top producers of advanced STEM degrees — only China awards more doctorates in science and engineering. Particularly at the graduate level, the American advantage rests on attracting students from abroad. More than half of the doctoral degrees in fields linked to critical and emerging technologies, such as engineering and computer and information sciences, go to visa holders. By contrast, in 2021, several groups of Americans, including Black, American Indian, and Hispanic students, were underrepresented among science- and engineering-degree recipients at the bachelor’s level and above, the report said. The educational trends are reflected in the American work force. While one in five science and engineering workers is foreign born, the share rises to 37 percent in jobs requiring a master’s degree and 43 percent requiring a doctorate. It will take a two-pronged approach to maintain American technological innovation, Reed and other science leaders said at a White House briefing. The United States must get more American students — and a more diverse group of students — into science and engineering fields, in part, through partnerships with community colleges, historically Black and other minority-serving institutions, and non-flagship research universities. At the same time, the government must put in place policies that attract and retain talented international students, while balancing research-security risks. In particular, the science board highlighted the importance of welcoming students from low- and middle-income countries that are building their research capacity. Such “emerging science partner countries” in Africa and Asia could be important collaborators in future science and engineering research. ADVERTISEMENT NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. Two crystal balls, two forecasts of international-student mobility Key international-education groups in Britain and the United States have released their outlooks for 2030. While the Institute of International Education calls for strategies to meet an “anticipated” rise in overseas enrollments, the British Council warns of a “decades-low pace” in foreign-student growth. The differences in tenor of the competing projections is notable. The [British Council report]( prepared by Oxford Economics, a global forecasting and analysis company, suggests that smaller increases in gross domestic product, or GDP, around the world could lead to “modestly weaker growth” in international enrollments, especially when compared with the past two decades. The researchers found that when a country’s share of global GDP increases, so does its outbound student mobility. The council’s report warns of slowing growth from India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Vietnam, and, in particular, China. Only Brazil and Pakistan are expected to see an uptick in the pace of growth, it found. Meanwhile, the [Institute of International Education]( lists 10 emerging markets, including Bangladesh, Ghana, Nepal, and Nigeria, that could see sizable year-over-year increases in college-age students between now and 2030. The report lays out three potential scenarios for American colleges: slowed growth, with annual international-enrollment increases of 2 to 3 percent; steady growth, with increases of 5 to 7 percent; and robust growth, with increases of 8 to 10 percent. Enrollment growth in the 2022 academic year reflected the robust trend and is forecast to continue at a similar pace in the current year, the report notes. At that rate, American colleges could enroll about two million international students by 2030. (There were about 1.057 million [last year]( One key factor in future global mobility is the capacity of American colleges, the institute said. International students account for just 6 percent of all U.S. higher-education enrollments, and the number of domestic students is [projected to decline]( over the next decade. By contrast, international students make up more than 20 percent of all college students in Australia and Britain and 30 percent in Canada, which has led to efforts in those countries to [limit student visas](. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [The Athletics Advantage - The Chronicle Store]( [The Athletics Advantage]( For tuition-driven institutions, sports are often a key recruiting tool. [Order this report]( for insights on how small colleges are using athletics to drive student enrollment, engagement, and retention. Americans support limiting academic ties with China Nearly seven in 10 Americans would support or strongly support legislation that would prevent colleges from accepting gifts or contracts from, or maintaining academic partnerships with, countries of concern such as China. A similar share would back efforts to block university endowments and other public funds from investing in the assets of foreign countries considered to be adversaries of the United States, according to a national [Marist Poll](. Republicans were more likely to approve of such measures than Democrats or independents, the February survey of 1,455 adults found. Men were more strongly supportive than women. The poll was conducted by Marist College and sponsored by [State Armor]( a nonprofit group that is working to combat Chinese influence in the United States. There have been efforts at both the national and state levels to pass legislation that would restrict or increase oversight of colleges’ ties with countries thought to pose a national-security threat. Most notably, Florida last year approved a law that limits academic and research partnerships with, and prevents public colleges from accepting grants from, seven countries that include China, Iran, and Russia. It could also hamstring state colleges in [recruiting graduate students]( and visiting researchers from the named countries. U.S.-Ireland scholarship is paused The George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program [will not select]( a class of 2026, with organizers saying it needs to build an endowment of at least $40 million to operate sustainably. Founded 25 years ago and named for the U.S. senator who helped to craft the Good Friday Agreement, the scholarship annually sends a dozen American postgrads to study at universities in Ireland and Northern Ireland. While not in immediate financial difficulty, the program lacks a source of stable, long-term funding, said Trina Y. Vargo, president and founder of the U.S.-Ireland Alliance, which administers the scholarship. The class of 2025 has already been announced, and recipients will begin their studies this fall. The pause in selecting future classes will allow organizers to conduct a long-term assessment, without juggling day-to-day operations of the scholarship program, Vargo said. While the Irish government provides the Mitchell scholarship with some funding, it is appropriated annually and the amount has not kept up with inflation. Vargo called the contribution “necessary but not sufficient.” The Irish government is required by legislation to match donations raised from outside sources, but it has not committed to funding the Mitchell’s endowment. The program has not been successful in getting financial support from the U.S. government, despite efforts to appeal to the Biden administration. By contrast, other prestigious international scholarship programs have large endowments, often more than $500 million, Vargo said. Over the program’s lifetime, some 300 scholars have spent a year studying in Ireland and Northern Ireland. In addition to the academic, cultural, and leadership benefits to individual scholars, the Mitchell has also helped raise the profile of Irish universities and further ties between Ireland and the United States. For now, the pause is for one year only, Vargo said. “We’ll be reaching out to people who have shown some interest and to others who may not know about the Mitchell or didn’t realize we’ve been doing it on such a shoestring.” ADVERTISEMENT Around the globe Eight in 10 companies that sponsor foreign workers said that an increase in visa fees charged by the U.S. government would not affect their willingness to [recruit international students](. The University of California has decreased the number of [international and out-of-state students]( at many of its campuses. But lawmakers want more spots to go to [California students](. The U.S. Department of State has named four scientists and engineers as international [science envoys]( the first all-female group selected. The United States and Vietnam pledged to increase cooperation on [educational and cultural exchanges]( including expanding partnerships between colleges in both countries. A top Chinese higher-education official called for [greater collaboration]( with the United States in scientific research and academic exchange. A Palestinian plan would allow students in Gaza whose studies have been interrupted by the Israel-Hamas war to take [online courses]( from colleges in the West Bank. An Israeli army officer has been censured for the [unauthorized destruction]( of a college campus in Gaza. The president of Tehran University has denied expelling [dissident professors and students](. Lawmakers in Greece have approved [sweeping reforms]( to the country’s higher-education system, permitting private colleges despite student protests. The leader of one of France’s most elite universities, Sciences Po, has [stepped down]( the latest scandal to tarnish its international reputation. The director, Mathias Vicherat, and his former partner both face court cases over accusations of domestic violence. International students who use college courses as a workaround to secure work visas in Britain may be “[undermining the integrity and quality]( of its higher-education system, the country’s home secretary, James Cleverly, said. Thanks for reading. I always welcome your feedback and ideas for future reporting, so drop me a line at karin.fischer@chronicle.com. You can also connect with me on [X]( or [LinkedIn](. If you like this newsletter, please share it with colleagues and friends. They can [sign up here.]( CAREER RESOURCES [Career Resources]( [Read the March collection]( for insights on navigating the anticipation of job offers. Explore our topics on how hiring decisions transpire, managing anxiety, and what to do if you receive an offer! JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Search jobs on The Chronicle job board]( [Find Your Next Role Today]( Whether you are actively or passively searching for your next career opportunity, The Chronicle is here to support you throughout your job search. Get started now by [exploring 30,000+ openings]( or [signing up for job alerts](. NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2024 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037