NPR reports decline in USA's higher education attendance by foreign students

NPR had an interesting interview with Beth McMurtrie, international editor of the Chronicle of Higher Education. Foreign students add $14 billion dollars to the USA economy each year. India and China makes up the majority of foreign students attending US university. For the first time in the last few decades, the attendance rate is slowing.

McMurtrie cited that China is doubling its spending on higher education and India is also making massive investments in building its higher education system. That coupled with the economic development in those countries, many students are opting to stay local.

Deans and department heads at US universities generally believes there are just not enough Americans interested in science and engineering degrees, says McMurtrie.

Foreign students bring fresh idea. If this rate continues to decline, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact this will have on the US. This will be an interesting theme to keep an eye out for in the coming decade.

Conversely, it also means fewer students taking ideas from the US back to India or China will have a material impact for sure.