Americans_NN2 Study_VV0 Abroad_RL In_II Increasing_JJ Numbers_NN2 A_ZZ1 record_NN1 number_NN1 of_IO U.S._NP1 students_NN2 are_VBR choosing_VVG to_TO study_VVI abroad_RL ,_, reflecting_VVG a_AT1 strong_JJ commitment_NN1 to_II the_AT value_NN1 of_IO an_AT1 international_JJ academic_JJ experience_NN1 to_TO prepare_VVI them_PPHO2 to_TO live_VVI and_CC work_VVI in_II a_AT1 more_RGR global_JJ society_NN1 ._. 
Open_JJ Doors_NN2 2009_MC reports_VVZ the_AT number_NN1 of_IO Americans_NN2 studying_VVG abroad_RL increased_VVN by_II 8.5%_FO to_II 262,416_MC in_II the_AT 2007/08_MF academic_JJ year_NNT1 ._. 
This_DD1 latest_JJT increase_NN1 builds_VVZ on_II decades_NNT2 of_IO steady_JJ growth_NN1 ,_, with_IW four_MC times_NNT2 as_RG many_DA2 U.S._NP1 students_NN2 participating_VVG in_II study_NN1 abroad_RL in_II 2007/08_MF than_CSN in_II 1987/88_MC ._. 
Open_JJ Doors_NN2 2009_MC is_VBZ published_VVN annually_RR by_II the_AT Institute_NN1 of_IO International_JJ Education_NN1 with_IW funding_NN1 from_II the_AT U.S._NP1 Department_NN1 of_IO State_NN1 's_GE Bureau_NN1 of_IO Educational_JJ and_CC Cultural_JJ Affairs_NN2 ._. 
These_DD2 findings_NN2 will_VM be_VBI discussed_VVN at_II a_AT1 briefing_NN1 today_RT at_II the_AT National_JJ Press_NN1 Club_NN1 in_II Washington_NP1 ,_, DC_NP1 ,_, in_II31 conjunction_II32 with_II33 the_AT nationwide_JJ observance_NN1 of_IO International_JJ Education_NN1 Week_NNT1 ._. 
Open_JJ Doors_NN2 2009_MC reports_NN2 that_CST the_AT number_NN1 of_IO students_NN2 going_VVG to_II nearly_RR all_DB of_IO the_AT top_NN1 twenty-five_MC destinations_NN2 increased_VVN ,_, with_IW particularly_RR strong_JJ rises_NN2 seen_VVN in_II students_NN2 going_VVG to_II less_RGR traditional_JJ destinations_NN2 for_IF study_NN1 abroad_RL ._. 
Notable_JJ increases_NN2 among_II leading_JJ destinations_NN2 were_VBDR in_II the_AT numbers_NN2 students_NN2 going_VVG to_II China_NP1 ,_, Ireland_NP1 ,_, Austria_NP1 and_CC India_NP1 (_( up_RP about_RG 20%_NNU )_) ,_, as_II31 well_II32 as_II33 Costa_NP1 Rica_NP1 ,_, Japan_NP1 ,_, Argentina_NP1 and_CC South_NP1 Africa_NP1 (_( up_II nearly15%_FO each_DD1 )_) ._. 
While_CS this_DD1 data_NN reflects_VVZ academic_JJ year_NNT1 2007/08_MF ,_, prior_II21 to_II22 the_AT economic_JJ downturn_NN1 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ likely_JJ that_CST trends_NN2 toward_II less_RGR expensive_JJ destinations_NN2 and_CC shorter_JJR stays_NN2 will_VM continue_VVI ,_, reflecting_VVG the_AT effects_NN2 of_IO the_AT economy_NN1 ._. 
Anecdotally_RR ,_, student_NN1 interest_NN1 in_II study_NN1 abroad_RL has_VHZ remained_VVN high_JJ in_II the_AT past_JJ year_NNT1 despite_II financial_JJ challenges_NN2 that_CST might_VM keep_VVI some_DD from_II participating_VVG ,_, and_CC campus_NN1 leaders_NN2 have_VH0 expressed_VVN an_AT1 interest_NN1 in_II trying_VVG to_TO make_VVI sure_JJ that_CST international_JJ opportunities_NN2 remain_VV0 available_JJ ._. 
Many_DA2 are_VBR placing_VVG an_AT1 emphasis_NN1 on_II sustaining_VVG financial_JJ assistance_NN1 for_IF study_NN1 abroad_RL ._. 
"_" Today_RT more_DAR than_CSN ever_RR before_RT ,_, study_VV0 abroad_RL can_VM help_VVI our_APPGE students_NN2 to_TO understand_VVI our_APPGE interconnected_JJ world_NN1 and_CC to_TO participate_VVI productively_RR in_II the_AT global_JJ economy_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD Judith_NP1 A._NP1 McHale_NP1 ,_, Under_II Secretary_NN1 of_IO State_NN1 for_IF Public_JJ Diplomacy_NN1 and_CC Public_JJ Affairs_NN2 ._. 
"_" The_AT State_NN1 Department_NN1 strongly_RR supports_VVZ study_NN1 abroad_RL through_II such_DA programs_NN2 as_CSA the_AT Fulbright_NP1 Program_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ is_VBZ sending_VVG its_APPGE largest_JJT number_NN1 ever_RR of_IO U.S._NP1 students_NN2 abroad_RL this_DD1 year_NNT1 ,_, and_CC the_AT Benjamin_NP1 A._NP1 Gilman_NP1 International_JJ Scholarship_NN1 Program_NN1 --_NN1 which_DDQ in_II two_MC years_NNT2 has_VHZ doubled_VVN the_AT number_NN1 of_IO U.S._NP1 undergraduates_NN2 with_IW financial_JJ need_NN1 whom_PNQO we_PPIS2 support_VV0 for_IF study_NN1 abroad_RL ._. 
I_PPIS1 congratulate_VV0 all_DB the_AT U.S._NP1 students_NN2 who_PNQS are_VBR taking_VVG advantage_NN1 of_IO these_DD2 and_CC other_JJ opportunities_NN2 to_TO study_VVI abroad_RL ._. "_" 
Allan_NP1 E._NP1 Goodman_NP1 ,_, President_NN1 and_CC CEO_NN1 of_IO the_AT Institute_NN1 of_IO International_JJ Education_NN1 ,_, noted_VVD that_CST the_AT experiences_NN2 afforded_VVN through_II study_NN1 abroad_RL provide_VV0 American_JJ students_NN2 with_IW the_AT skills_NN2 needed_VVN to_TO live_VVI in_RP today_RT 's_VBZ increasingly_RR inter-connected_JJ world_NN1 ._. 
"_" More_DAR students_NN2 are_VBR eager_JJ to_TO study_VVI in_RP newly_RR popular_JJ study_NN1 abroad_RL destinations_NN2 such_II21 as_II22 China_NP1 ,_, India_NP1 ,_, and_CC the_AT Middle_JJ East_ND1 ._. 
The_AT language_NN1 and_CC cultural_JJ skills_NN2 they_PPHS2 acquire_VV0 along_II21 with_II22 their_APPGE academic_JJ experience_NN1 will_VM have_VHI a_AT1 profound_JJ effect_NN1 on_II their_APPGE lives_NN2 and_CC careers_NN2 ._. "_" 
According_II21 to_II22 Dr._NNB Goodman_NP1 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ important_JJ for_IF colleges_NN2 and_CC universities_NN2 to_TO make_VVI it_PPH1 possible_JJ for_IF students_NN2 from_II diverse_JJ backgrounds_NN2 and_CC in_II diverse_JJ fields_NN2 to_TO take_VVI advantage_NN1 of_IO study_NN1 abroad_RL opportunities_NN2 ._. 
While_CS the_AT four_MC countries_NN2 that_CST are_VBR perennial_JJ leaders_NN2 in_II hosting_VVG U.S._NP1 students_NN2 --_JJ United_NP1 Kingdom_NP1 ,_, Italy_NP1 ,_, Spain_NP1 and_CC France_NP1 --_NN1 are_VBR in_II Western_NP1 Europe_NP1 ,_, Open_JJ Doors_NN2 reports_VVZ that_CST fifteen_MC of_IO the_AT top_NN1 25_MC destinations_NN2 are_VBR outside_II21 of_II22 Western_NP1 Europe_NP1 and_CC nineteen_MC are_VBR countries_NN2 where_RRQ English_NN1 is_VBZ not_XX the_AT primary_JJ language_NN1 ._. 
In_II 2007/08_MF ,_, students_NN2 electing_VVG to_TO study_VVI in_II Africa_NP1 increased_VVD by_II 18%_NNU ,_, those_DD2 going_VVG to_II Asia_NP1 increased_VVD by_II 17%_NNU ,_, and_CC those_DD2 going_VVG to_II Latin_JJ America_NP1 increased_VVD by_II 11%_NNU ._. 
This_DD1 growth_NN1 is_VBZ fueled_VVN in_RR21 part_RR22 by_II new_JJ program_NN1 opportunities_NN2 ,_, strategic_JJ partnerships_NN2 between_II higher_JJR education_NN1 institutions_NN2 in_II the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 and_CC abroad_RL ,_, and_CC a_AT1 range_NN1 of_IO fields_NN2 and_CC program_NN1 durations_NN2 that_CST have_VH0 expanded_VVN to_TO accommodate_VVI the_AT needs_NN2 of_IO an_AT1 increasingly_RR diverse_JJ study_NN1 abroad_RL population_NN1 ._. 
About_RG 40%_NNU of_IO students_NN2 studying_VVG abroad_RL do_VD0 so_RR through_II mid-length_NN1 programs_NN2 ,_, while_CS 56%_NNU of_IO U.S._NP1 students_NN2 choose_VV0 short-term_JJ programs_NN2 (_( including_II summer_NNT1 ,_, January_NPM1 term_NN1 and_CC any_DD program_NN1 of_IO 2_MC to_II 8_MC weeks_NNT2 during_II the_AT academic_JJ year_NNT1 )_) ._. 
Short-term_JJ programs_NN2 serve_VV0 the_AT largest_JJT number_NN1 of_IO Americans_NN2 studying_VVG abroad_RL ,_, including_II community_NN1 college_NN1 students_NN2 and_CC others_NN2 whose_DDQGE financial_JJ or_CC academic_JJ needs_NN2 preclude_VV0 a_AT1 longer_JJR stay_NN1 ;_; 68%_NNU of_IO students_NN2 at_II Associates_NN2 Degree_NN1 granting_NN1 institutions_NN2 who_PNQS studied_VVD abroad_RL did_VDD so_RR for_IF 8_MC weeks_NNT2 or_CC less_RRR ._. 
Mid-length_NN1 programs_NN2 (_( one_MC1 semester_NN1 ,_, one_MC1 quarter_NN1 or_CC two_MC quarters_NN2 )_) allow_VV0 for_IF deeper_JJR immersion_NN1 into_II host_NN1 cultures_NN2 and_CC increased_JJ opportunity_NN1 for_IF language_NN1 acquisition_NN1 ._. 
A_RR21 little_RR22 more_DAR than_CSN 4%_NNU of_IO study_NN1 abroad_RL students_NN2 spend_VV0 a_AT1 full_JJ academic_JJ or_CC calendar_NN1 year_NNT1 abroad_RL ._. 
While_CS large_JJ institutions_NN2 dominate_VV0 in_II31 terms_II32 of_II33 absolute_JJ numbers_NN2 of_IO their_APPGE students_NN2 going_VVG abroad_RL ,_, many_DA2 smaller_JJR institutions_NN2 send_VV0 a_AT1 higher_JJR proportion_NN1 of_IO their_APPGE students_NN2 abroad_RL ._. 
Open_JJ Doors_NN2 2009_MC data_NN on_II study_NN1 abroad_RL participation_NN1 rates_NN2 show_VV0 23_MC institutions_NN2 that_CST reported_VVD sending_VVG more_DAR than_CSN 80%_NNU of_IO their_APPGE students_NN2 abroad_RL at_II some_DD point_NN1 during_II their_APPGE undergraduate_NN1 careers_NN2 ._. 
