Germany as a Study Abroad Destination of U.S. Students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fields

Y

13

International Education; International Educational Exchange; Academic Achievement; Engineering; Foreign Countries; Educational Opportunities; German; Study Abroad; STEM Education; Trend Analysis; Educational Policy; Second Language Learning

1085-4568

Of the 205,000 U.S. students abroad during the 2004-2005 academic year, only 6,557 or slightly more than 3% of them studied in Germany. The Ohio Alliance reports that only 13% of all U.S. students who studied abroad during the 2004-2005 academic year were from the STEM fields of study. The Institute of International Education Open Doors Report, however, does not provide a breakdown of the number of American students per academic field of study in specific countries or regions. For this reason it is difficult to know how many U.S. students in the STEM fields are actually studying and/or researching in Germany each academic year. This report maps patterns of study abroad in Germany by U.S. students in the Scientific, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields and to learn what, if anything, Germany is doing to attract these students to its universities and research institutions. It also looks at the academic trends in the STEM fields in both the United States and German higher education systems in order to better understand the international educational opportunities for U.S. students to study these disciplines abroad in Germany. Finally, it investigates if there are current developments or policies in Germany to attract U.S. students and in particular students in the STEM fields to study and/or research in German universities and institutes. (Contains 38 notes.)

ERIC

2011

EJ936415