A new statewide initiative to encourage international students to attend Colorado colleges and universities was announced Thursday at a press conference at the University of Denver.
StudyColorado, a partnership among the state, the business community and institutions of higher education, will work to attract international students through unified outreach efforts.
In academic year 2010–11, more than 7,000 international students from more than 100 countries studied in Colorado. More than 1,300 of those students studied at DU.
“Their presence here enriches all of us in many different ways. It raises the bar of the intellectual climate for the entire university,” University of Denver Chancellor Robert Coombe said at the press conference. “It’s a truly wonderful thing for us at DU, but for the city and for Colorado as well.”
International students bring more than $235 million to the Colorado economy each year, said Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia.
Beyond the economic rewards, “our students benefit from the presence of international students,” Garcia said. “It’s a win for all of Colorado, not just the institution.”
StudyColorado will be housed at the state Department of Higher Education and includes public and private colleges and universities from throughout the state as members. The group will use social networking and various traditional marketing efforts to promote member schools. Members of the Governor’s Trade and Tourism Ambassador Program will work closely with StudyColorado to distribute program materials when they travel internationally.
In supporting the international recruitment goals of member institutions, StudyColorado seeks to increase the number of international students studying in the state and to diversify their countries of origin. Most international students currently in Colorado come from China, Saudi Arabia, India, South Korea and Taiwan.
“It is in Colorado’s economic, cultural and social interest to welcome the best and brightest students from all over the world,” Garcia said. “StudyColorado will help enrich the learning experiences on college campuses and better prepare Colorado’s students for the challenges of a global marketplace.”