The U.S. government seeks to improve global attitudes toward America  through diplomatic and development assistance efforts, which include  funding higher education for international students in the United States. For example, international students studying in  science and technology help advance German research and innovation  goals while also advancing public diplomacy goals by returning to their  home countries as unofficial ambassadors for Germany. Governments Employ a Number of Approaches to Attract International Students, Such as Marketing Their Higher Education Internationally

To advance public diplomacy, development, and other national goals, the  governments we reviewed use a number of approaches to introduce  international students to their higher education systems. These  marketing strategies include developing a national brand through the use  of logos and slogans to promote higher education systems among  international communities, much as a corporation would promote a  commercial brand, as shown in figure 3. For example, many of the higher education institutions in the United  Kingdom use the national brand “Education UK–Innovative.Individual. According to Australian officials, the “Study in  Australia” campaign is used to highlight the quality of Australia’s  education system, the country’s unique lifestyle, and the personal growth  that comes from an international education experience in Australia. Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States also  conduct outreach to international students through their overseas  information centers. Public Diplomacy and Development Assistance Programs We Studied Share Key Characteristics

		The Programs We Reviewed Generally Offer Merit-Based Scholarships Targeted to Graduate Students

The major scholarship programs we reviewed that support public  diplomacy and development assistance goals typically select recipients  using merit-based criteria, offer graduate-level study, and cover the cost of  tuition and some other expenses. However,  some public diplomacy programs have a more targeted reach. The U.S. Officials Highlighted Strategies They Say Are Key to the Successful Implementation of Scholarship Programs

Officials that administer both public diplomacy and development  assistance programs cite several strategies that they say facilitate program  implementation and contribute to successful program outcomes. Some  told us that offering preparatory courses or program orientation to all  scholarship recipients enhances the students’ chance of success at the  host university, and is particularly useful for students who require  additional language, cultural, or academic skills. Some development assistance officials also highlighted the importance of  aligning the courses of study offered by their programs with the human  resource and capacity building needs of the sending country. In Australia, officials work  with sending governments to identify the most acute development needs  and consider these with the applicant’s proposed field of study when  awarding scholarships. The goals of this study were to determine (1) the objectives the  United States and selected peer governments seek to advance through  higher education for international students and the approaches they  employ to attract international students, and (2) the characteristics of  major United States and peer government programs that fund higher  education for international students in support of public diplomacy and  development goals.
Why GAO Did This Study

Following September 11, 2001, the number of international students coming to the United States dropped for the first time in over 30 years. While enrollments have rebounded, the U.S. image has declined in the Muslim world and elsewhere. To improve global attitudes toward America, the U.S. government funds higher education for international students to facilitate exchanges, promote understanding among peoples in different countries, and build capacity in developing nations. To provide insight on how higher education is used to advance public diplomacy and development assistance goals, we examined (1) the objectives the United States and selected peer governments seek to advance through higher education for international students and the approaches they employ to attract international students, and (2) the characteristics of major U.S. and peer government programs that fund higher education for international students to support public diplomacy and development goals. GAO collected information from the United States, Australia, China, the European Commission, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

What GAO Found

The United States and peer governments we reviewed use higher education for international students to advance diplomatic, development assistance, economic, and other objectives, often concurrently. For example, German officials said that international students studying in science and technology help advance German research and innovation goals while also advancing public diplomacy goals by returning to their home countries as unofficial ambassadors for Germany. Germany as well as other governments we reviewed use a number of approaches to reach and attract overseas students, including marketing their higher education to the international community much as a business would promote a product. For example, many countries promote their higher education systems through national branding, using logos and slogans, such as Australia's "Study in Australia" and the United Kingdom's "Education UK" marketing campaigns. Several countries have also taken steps to improve the quality of the study abroad experience. China, for example, has invested significant resources to modernize its schools and added additional academic programs that are aligned with workforce needs. The scholarship programs we reviewed that support public diplomacy and development assistance goals typically select recipients using merit-based criteria, offer graduate-level study, and cover the cost of tuition and other expenses, such as travel and living expenses. However, programs vary widely in the countries and regions they target, funding levels, and number of scholarships awarded. For example, scholarships for public diplomacy programs tended to be dispersed to a wider area to maximize their geographic reach. In contrast, development assistance programs tend to be more targeted to particular developing countries and regions. In administering and implementing these programs, government officials cited several strategies they believe facilitate program implementation and contribute to successful program outcomes. For example, some told us that offering preparatory courses or program orientation to all scholarship recipients enhances the students' chance of success at the host university, and is particularly useful for students who require additional language, cultural, or academic skills. For development assistance programs, some countries align the course of study paid for by their programs with the human resource and capacity-building needs of the sending country. For example, in Australia, officials work with sending governments to identify the most acute development needs and consider these with the applicant's proposed field of study when awarding scholarships.