Study Abroad

by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman

Eighty per cent of US students 18-24 can’t locate Iraq on a world map and 83% can’t find Afghanistan.
 
With the world becoming smaller, universities are struggling to graduate enough students with language skills and cultural competence to meet demands of business, government, and educational institutions.

With these concerns, the US Senate passed a resolution designating 2006 as the Year of Study Abroad with many reasons why such an experience is important: helping Americans cope with globalization, migration, increasing economic interdependence, and communication.
 
Its intention was to help assure that citizens of the United States are globally literate, will work toward a global peaceful society, create good will for our country and increase international trade.
 
Such programs help people be more informed about the world and develop the cultural awareness necessary to avoid offending individuals from other countries.

The year 2006 is past and while79% of those in the United States agree that students should have a study abroad experience sometime during college, only 1% of students from the United States currently study abroad each year.