International enrollment up 12 percent
State News
Nov. 19, 2007

Global marketing, new programs attracting students

 by Kendall Wright published http://www.statepress.com/issues/2007/11/19/news/702812

ASU is becoming more popular across borders, ranking 14th nationally among colleges with the most international students, according to a recent report.

This fall, ASU's foreign enrollment reached about 3,481 students — a 12 percent increase from last year, according to the University's Institutional analysis.

Last year's numbers alone were enough to rank the Tempe campus 14th in a report by the Institute of International Education.

In October, the Institute did a preliminary report and revealed international student enrollment at ASU would continue to increase.
"Our goal at ASU is to attract the most qualified and the brightest international students to continue their education while they are in the United States," said Zohreh Sotoodeh, director of Undergraduate International Admissions at ASU.

Global marketing has also been one of the key factors in attracting more international students to ASU, she said.

The University works closely with foreign embassies located in the U.S. to promote university services and programs, as well as Education USA and Overseas Educational Advisor to give presentations at overseas educational fairs, Sotoodeh said.

"International marketing is getting pretty global and very competitive around the world as there is an increased competition from other U.S. institutions for international students," she said.

ASU has also implemented other programs at the University to make it more appealing to international students, said Carol Takao, director of educational development at the International Student office.

"Arizona State University's position in the global market will leverage its position with students across the world," Takao said in an e-mail.

Takao said the University has several academic programs in partnership with China, Latin America and Canada.

Programs the University has already implemented include Confucius Institute, The North American Center for Trans-border Studies and a partnership with Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, she said.

"These programs and people create an academic environment of 'global literacy and engagement' that will help build bridges of understanding among people of different cultures," Takao said. "We feel it will also help to give all of our students the essential skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace and to contribute as responsible global citizens."

Alicia Chen, a supply chain management senior, said she came from Beijing, China, to ASU for an opportunity to study at the W.P. Carey School of Business.

"I knew I wanted to study business, and I had heard from my uncle about ASU," Chen said. "I guess I just thought that if you want to learn the best, you have to study at the best.

"For me, that meant coming here."

After attending her first year of college in China, Chen said she felt compelled to find a place that would be able to offer her a better education.

"China was a great place to study, but I feel like the knowledge from what I have learned here is so much more valuable and up-to-date," she said. "The experience has also been fun because I feel like I have had more freedoms to do what I want — especially since this is the first time I have lived away from my parents."

Reach the reporter at: kendall.wright@asu.edu.