Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-22
SCHOLARS AT HOME ABROAD
Foreign Education Big Business to u. S.
BY GEORGE w. CAKES
Contributing Writer

international education has be-
come such an extensive activity
in Government that the need has
arisen for It's operations to be
concentrated in one spot. The
State Department has accepted
the responsibility for dovetailing
all the programs involving scores
of governmental agencies, thou
sands Of American and foreign ex-
change students. In money about
$3.50 million a year is involved.
The State Department last De-
cember appointed a special assist
ant to the Secretary to fit to-
gether the many and varied pro-
grams now in operation and to
devise ways of making them more
effective.
Congress is interested too.
During this session. under the
leadership Of Senators Fulbright
and Humphrey and Representa-
tiyes Frank Thompson. jr, and
Wainwright, legislation is expect
ed that will give the State Depart
ment statutory authority over
other departments. to try to assure
Joint policy and planning Of these
multifarious international educa-
ton activities.
The United States interest in
international education dates from
1888 when the State Department
formed a Division of Cultural At
fairs. During the early war years
Nelson A. Rockefeller put great
stress on cultural and scientific
exchanges with Latin America and
thus laid the foundation for the
present activity.
In 1916 Senator Fulbright estab-
hshed an extensive academic pro-
gram outside Latin America by
using funds obtained from the sale
of surplus war property. Two years
later Congress authorized a per-
manent global education exchange
program.
In January Representative Por-
ter Hardy, jr.. Of Virginia. chair
man Of the International Opera
tons Subcommittee Of the House,
published a voluminous report de-
scribing in detail present Govern
ment programs. It suggested that
Government policy in interna-
tional education be more clearly
defined and directed by one
department.
Now the State Department is
collecting data from all agencies
concerned and also is informing
itself on the many private opera
tons carried out for many years
by foundations like Ford, Carne-
gle and Rockefeller.
The Largest Projects
The Governments two largest
programs are conducted by the
State Departments International
Educational Exchange Service and
the International Cooperation
Administration.
In the State Department the
Fulbright and leader-grant pro-
grams, in operation for a decade.
bring annually to the United
States about 1000 foreign stu
dents, teachers, lecturers and spe-
cialists from 80 countries and
send about 1000 Americans over
seas.
The ICA technical assistance
program arranged last year for
some $500 foreigners from about
so countries to receive special
training in the United States and
sent 500 nom Government special
lists abroad.
Yet these Government pro-
grams, plus those conducted by
such diverse organizations as the
Defense Department. Public
Health Service, Atomic Energy
Commission, National Science
Foundation, and Library of Con-
gress, are responsible for only q
small proportion of the 1900 stu
dents, $500 doctors and 400 fac
ulty members who will be study
ing in the United States this
year.
Nearly 10 per cent of these visi-
tors will be supported by their
own funds or by private organi-
cations, according to the Institute
of International Education, the
chief organization in this country
concerned with both Government
and private programs.
Although the present number
of foreign students in the United
States is almost twice as many as
10 years ago, it still is only is
per cent of our total higher edu-
cation student population. In
Britain. for example, IL per cent
of the students are from foreign
countries. To have the same pro-
portion of foreign students en-
rolled here as in England OF
France would mean a foreign stu
dent population of 100000.
A third of all foreign students
in the United States come from
the Far East. Twenty-one per cent
come from Latin America. As
might be expected, Canada with
over 5000 sends more than any
other country.
Exchanges With Russio
The State Departments most
significant exchange activity this
past year has been the new pro-
gram with Russia.
Here is the way it has developed;
January %, 1858, to January 26
1859
Americans Soviet
to USS.R. to Us
Scientific and tech
nical ----- 1872 261
Cultural, including
sports and enter
tainment -------- 355 254
Academic ------- 205 A
TakaI nE0 EPE