Although its domination is decreasing, the U.S. remains by far the largest producer of basic research. This situation means that the American academic system attracts an international clientele, but not necessarily that it is itself international in its focus or perspectives. Indeed, the Carnegie data tell us that American academics may be less open to international trends than are scholars in other countries. With the exception of the United States, international-mindedness in the surveyed countries is quite high. However, international involvement lags somewhat behind sentiments, even among those most heavily involved in research.
American academics have an ambivalent relationship with the rest of the academic world.
In spite of welcoming scholars from abroad as visitors or as permanent colleagues, and a willingness to accept students from abroad in their classes and seminars, they pay little attention to the knowledge that the rest of the world produces. They are unenthusiastic about internationalizing the curriculum. Americans want to share but on their terms. Yet the American academics, it is believed, have little to gain from intellectual exchanges. Only a minority belong to an international disciplinary or scientific society.