The International Trade Administration announced the partnership with the Association of International Educators (NAFSA).
This partnership came to fruition with the goal of increasing foreign student enrollment numbers in the United States, according to a June 12 news release.
“This agreement reinforces the long and cooperative relationship of the International Trade Administration with NAFSA,” ITA Deputy Assistant Secretary Kendee Yamaguchi said in the release.
The ITA and NAFSA established a memorandum of agreement to enhance the international competitiveness of the U.S. education sector, the release reported. The collaboration aims to promote the U.S. as a premier study destination for foreign students and support opportunities for increased collaboration to attract more international students to study in the country.
“We are pleased to formalize this collaboration to benefit educational institutions across the nation," Yamaguchi added, according to the release. "International students benefit U.S. schools by increasing diversity, financial stability and enrollment. U.S. students benefit from exposure to different cultures and a global view during their educational experience."
The agreement between ITA and NAFSA will enable joint activities to facilitate international trade and export growth for U.S. educational institutions, the release reported. Education-related travel was reported as the ninth highest among U.S. service exports, amounting to $37.7 billion in 2022, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The U.S. reportedly hosted nearly one million international students and supported more than 335,423 U.S. jobs during the 2021-22 academic year, the news release said.
“We are grateful for the Department of Commerce’s long-standing support of international education and are pleased to enter into this agreement with the International Trade Administration in this way,” NAFSA Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Fanta Aw said in the release. “We share a common understanding of the many contributions that international students bring to the U.S. and are hopeful this agreement will lead to even greater gains in recruiting them to our colleges and universities.”
