Leadership at Risk: How International Students Can Help Save America’s Global Economic and National Security Leadership

STEM
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By Shorelight Team
Published on April 25, 2023

A new paper authored by Data Catalyst examines the critical role international students play in the United State’s global leadership

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Millions of talented international students leave their home countries to pursue an education abroad, creating an enormous potential benefit for the countries and universities able to recruit them. In the US, international students have massive economic, social, and cultural benefits. They add billions to our national economy, introduce global perspectives in our classrooms and communities, and support American innovation. The US is not the only country competing for the best international students, and many countries are putting forward policies to attract international students away from the US, which risks the health of our institutions, the economy, and the workforce. 

A new paper authored by Data Catalyst examines the important role of international students in the “United State’s global leadership and our ability to maintain our leading role to human dignity and democratic ideals and possessing the economic and national security muscle to support a global vision.”

International students who come to the US are studying and graduating with high-demand STEM degrees at a higher rate than domestic students and “STEM graduates have been driving corporate and national security innovation, which in turn produces economic growth and military might that support global leadership. Companies and industry associations have worked hard to modify immigration policy and expand opportunities for international high-skill workers to legally work in the U.S., but Congress has struggled to enact any significant immigration legislation.”

Leadership at Risk: How International Students Can Help Save America’s Global Economic and National Security Leadership provides a thorough overview of the challenges facing the US, the impacts on industry, and the potential impacts on our National Security. It also outlines the first steps the US can take to address American worker shortages in critical fields. 

Read the full paper on Data Catalyst >