Chair Joseph asks if CUNY study abroad participation will increase in 2026-2027
Chair Joseph cites a report that 87% of U.S. higher education institutions expect study abroad participation to increase or hold steady in 2026-2027. Kim Holland says CUNY sees upward trends despite geopolitical factors, and Stephen Ferst says applications are up across several campuses.
So according to the report, 87% of higher education institutions in the U.S.
Say that their anticipated study abroad participation will increase or hold steady in 2026, 2027 academic years.
Is that true?
For CUNY as well.
Sorry, can you please repeat the numbers?
Thank you.
According to a recent report, 87% of higher education institutions in the U.S.
Say that they anticipate study abroad participation will increase or hold steady in the 2026-2027 academic year.
Is that true for CUNY as well?
I think that there are always various factors going in different directions.
And although we cannot predict all of the factors that are coming, I'd say that based on what we know now, in spite of geopolitical factors, which are very real, we do see the trend going.
At least study and I'd say upwards, particularly at our senior colleges.
I think Stephen can speak to this.
Sure.
We are just entering application season.
Applications around CUNY generally close between the 1st and the 15th of next month.
But I can tell you from my colleagues I've spoken to at several of the other campuses, as well as my own director of study abroad, that our applications are up.
That we are seeing more interest.
We are seeing more students interested in studying abroad.
I know that I've also spoken to some of my colleagues at our community colleges, and they are seeing increased interest.
Kim Holland mentioned in spite of, I would
say, because of geopolitical reasons.
Students tend to see international activity in the news.
They tend to see things happening around the world, and they become more curious.
So the base question of, are the numbers up?
The answer is yes.
The number, how do we continue to keep those numbers up?
We teach our students more about the world.
We get them interested in the world.
We show them more about the world.
We do, as Professor Rothman is doing here, showing that students can do this and using these examples of students.
This was a student just like you.
This was a first-generation student who went abroad.
She did it.
He did it.
You can do this too.
And I think that's our strongest way that CUNY can increase our numbers.