Purdue ranks 3rd in international students

Purdue University has the third-largest number of international students among U.S. public institutions, according to a report released Monday by the Institute of International Education.

Michael Brzezinski, dean of International Programs, said the university has created a "study abroad" climate on campus in which domestic students are exposed to global populations.

"We believe that when students have an opportunity to interact with students from various cultures they learn to think of the world differently, view the world differently and begin to solve problems differently," he said. "It gives them a very good training ground for their future career."

International students also contribute to the state's economy. For instance, foreign students spent more than $919.2 million in Indiana during the 2014-15 academic year, according to a National Association of Foreign Student Advisers data analysis.

Overall, the university ranks seventh among the top 25 public and private U.S. colleges and universities hosting international students, according to the report.

The 2015 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange found that the number of international students at U.S. colleges and universities had the highest rate of growth in 35 years, increasing 10 percent from 886,052 in 2013-14 to a record high of 974,926 students in the 2014-15 academic year.

Purdue followed this trend of growth. During the 2014-15 academic school year, the university hosted 10,230 international students compared to 9,988 in 2013-14 — a 2.4 percent increase.

The data include the total number of international students enrolled and the number of recent graduates who are still affiliated with the university but have obtained employment eligibility in the United States.

This fall, 9,230 international students were enrolled at Purdue, according to the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment and Effectiveness.

Brzezinski said the challenge arises with integrating international students into campus.

"There can be the creation of national origin cliques," he said. "Everyone has to be intentional about making sure students don’t just interact solely with their fellow countryman."

He said his office launched the Purdue International Integration Initiative about a year ago. The initiative aims to help international students adjust and learn about American culture by offering opportunities to volunteer locally, develop friendships with community members or attend a Thanksgiving dinner with a family.

He said students need reminders to be intentional about interacting across cultural lines.

"People tend to gravitate toward those who are similar to them," he said. "If they are not challenged to understand the benefits of what awaits when they can step beyond their comfort zone, then they won’t do it."