WORLD
Bush’s close aide Karen Hughes leads six-member team to India to woo students with education and promises of a transparent visa process.
NEW YORK: The US is waking up to the reality that it is losing its advantage in drawing top-grade students from countries like India because of visa hurdles.
Now, President Bush is sending his close aide US Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Karen Hughes to Mumbai and New Delhi to woo India with education.
Student enrollment numbers dropped dramatically after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks because security concerns created a convoluted visa process to enter the US. Visa delays, poor perceptions of having to deal with often stern immigration officials on arrival and competition from universities in Europe are still keeping thousands of foreign students from studying in America. “This is changing,” Hughes told USINFO ahead of her March 26-29 trip to India.
“I am pleased to report that the total number of student and exchange visas issued by the Department of State reached an all-time high of 5,91,050 during fiscal year 2006. Student visa issuance in India was up by 32 per cent over last year. Secretary Rice is committed to a transparent and efficient visa process,” she added.
According to an estimate put out by the United Press International, over 50,000 Indians who secured admission to US universities were unable to get visas last year. However, Hughes stressed that the US wanted to open “its doors even wider” to Indian students.
“America wants to open its doors even wider to students from India, and we want more American young people to travel to India to study and learn. India is already Number 1 in the world in sending students to the United States for higher education and we want to build on this strength for the benefit of the next generation of Indians and Americans,” said Hughes.
Hughes’ delegation to India includes Thomas A Farrell, deputy assistant secretary of state for academic programmes, and six university presidents from across the US. Mark A Emmert from the University of Washington, John M Lilley from Baylor University and James L Oblinger from North Carolina State University are part of the group travelling out to the Indian capital and Mumbai. Hughes said bright Indian students wanted access to US universities which remained the gold standard for higher education.
“They want global skills from these institutions, and look for freedom of mobility to enable them to move from one institution to another, and one nation to another, collaborating across disciplines, faculties and borders.”
India continues to send the largest number of students to the US with 76,503 currently enrolled at colleges and universities, according to the Institute of International Education Open Doors 2006 annual report.
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