Media Contact: Mary Dhooge, International Center, (619) 534-3730, [email protected] or Jan Jennings, (619) 822-1684, [email protected]
UCSD INTERNATIONAL CENTER SENDS RECORD NUMBER ABROAD; RANKS FIFTH IN THE COUNTRY AS A HOST FOR FOREIGN SCHOLARS
The International Center at the University of California, San Diego sent a record 606 students abroad last year, surpassing any other UC campus. UCSD ranks fifth among U.S. institutions in the number of international scholars hosted during 1997-98.
According to the center's recently released annual report, the record number of students (up from 574 in 1996-97) was achieved through UC's Education Abroad Program (EAP) and UCSD's Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP), both of which are administered out of the center. The University of California system sent more students abroad (1,751 enrolled in EAP) than any other university system in the U.S.
In hosting international scholars, the UCSD International Center is positioned after Harvard University, UC Berkeley, Stanford University and UCLA, respectively.
Center director Mary Dhooge said that last year UCSD hosted 4,516 international students, researchers and faculty from more than 89 countries. Dhooge credits "the extraordinary support from the surrounding community" for UCSD's ability to provide the hospitality necessary for this large population of visiting students and scholars.
During 1997-98, UCSD students studying abroad were awarded a total of $341,784 in scholarships. Competitive national scholarships totaled $36,064 of that figure; scholarship donations from the community, $68,620; scholarship donations from UCSD, $47,000, and UC EAP scholarships, $190,100.
Of 1,473 international researchers and faculty visiting UCSD last year, the report points out that 49 percent were from European countries and 35 percent Asia.
Most of these scholars' disciplines fell into science fields, with 40 percent in the health sciences and 15 percent in the physical sciences.
International students welcomed by the International Center last year numbered 810, with 54 percent from Asia and 29 percent from European countries. The majority of the students studied in the fields of engineering, the physical sciences, the social sciences, and history.
There were 2,233 visiting international scholars and students enrolled in the English language program at UCSD Extension.
The UCSD International Center began in the early 1960s as a "town and gown" organization to support programs and activities for visitors and students from other countries. Its permanent location on the UCSD campus was built in 1971.
The International Center's active volunteer program involves 943 individuals and sponsors a variety of services to foster international exchanges. These include a Volunteer Tutors' American-English in Action Program, a Host Family Program, the International Cafe weekly lunches, a "Quest" Study Abroad Fair, the Friends' Resale Shop, an Orientation Dinner and volunteer orientation assistants.
For more information on the UCSD International Center, call center director Mary Dhooge, 534-3730.
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