Now for the paradox. While the reality of internationalization on college campuses is dismal, there is evidence that students enter college with a strong interest in international learning and experience. A student poll, conducted under the auspices of the American Council on Education and published by the Art and Science Group in a recent edition of studentPOLL , calls this contrast between students interests and their actual college experiences a frustrated ideal. A majority of students plan to pursue international experiences in college, with nearly half wanting to study abroad. An extraordinarily high percentage of students already have been exposed to international experiences before college.
Students expect the college they choose to offer international experiences and opportunities.
The message of the paradox in international education is clear. The gap between students ideals and the reality of what they do on college campuses needs to be taken more seriously. The challenge to higher education institutions is surely driven by the context of the times in which we live. One of the advantages of giving a keynote address is that you don t have to have the answers. Your task is to put forth the questions and perhaps inspire the search for solutions.