Kathmandu, November 15

The number of Nepali students studying in the United States has increased by 14.3 per cent over the last year, according to the 2018 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange data released by IIE and the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The report shows the number of Nepali students in the United States has once again posted the highest growth among the top 25 sending countries and increased to a record level, totalling 13,270 – the third year in a row to see growth. Nepal now ranks 10th among the top 25 for undergraduate students in the US.

“International students studying alongside Americans are a tremendous asset to the United States,” said Marie Royce, assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural Affairs in a press release circulated by the US Embassy in Nepal today.

“We need to develop leaders in all fields who can take on our toughest challenges. We need people who can find solutions that keep us secure and make us more prosperous. We want to send a message that international education makes us stronger as a country,” she added.

In the 2017-2018 academic year, for the third consecutive year, US colleges and universities hosted more 1.09 million international students. This also marks the twelfth consecutive year of continued expansion. The number of Americans studying in Nepal has also significantly increased — by 57 per cent — compared to the previous year. We believe institutional collaboration and student exchange programmes have played a vital role in stimulating growth over the past two years, the release stated.

The Open Doors Report also marks the celebration of International Education Week from November 12 to 16, a joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education, designed to attract future leaders from other countries to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

In support of IEW 2018, the US Embassy in Nepal,  partner organisations, The United States Educational Foundation Nepal, Education USA Reference Centre Learning House, and American Centre will host ‘Get Inspired’ programmes featuring Nepali alumni of US universities, student visa sessions by the embassy’s consular officers, trivia, host webinars an online college fair and other activities to discuss and promote US higher education and career options for Nepali students, it informed.