UNC Ranks in Top 25 US Universities for Study Abroad in 2014-15
November 15, 2016
UNC Global Affairs
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 19th among all U.S. higher education institutions for the number of students earning credit for study abroad, according to the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) 2016 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange.
This is UNC-Chapel Hill’s second ranking on the Open Doors’ top 25 list, which is based on the total number of a higher education institution’s students who study abroad. Open Doors found that the overall number of U.S. students studying abroad increased by 2.9 percent to 313,415 over the previous year. 2,068 UNC undergraduate, graduate and professional students studied abroad in 2014-15.
“Rankings such as this are a reflection of the high interest in global education among UNC-Chapel Hill students and of the University’s efforts to expand the opportunities and range of students who participate in academic study abroad. We especially appreciate the generosity of donors who fund scholarships for students to study abroad as part of our Opening Access initiative,” said Ronald Strauss, executive vice provost and chief international officer.
UNC has a long tradition of high rates of participation in study abroad programs. In recent years, nearly a third of UNC undergraduates have studied abroad before graduation, one of the highest rates for a public university in the U.S. IIE reports that nationally only about 15 percent of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree study abroad before graduating.
Open Doors is published annually by IIE in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Founded in 1919, the IIE is a private not-for-profit leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. In collaboration with governments, foundations and other sponsors, IIE creates programs of study and training for students, educators and professionals from all sectors. These programs include the flagship Fulbright Program and Gilman Scholarships administered for the U.S. Department of State. IIE also conducts policy research, provides resources on international exchange opportunities and offers support to scholars in danger.
UNC Global contact: Shannon Harvey, 919.962.0318, shannon.harvey@unc.edu