Weekly News Round-Up: May 4, 2023

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By Shorelight Team
Published on May 4, 2023

Each week the Shorelight team rounds up trusted headlines on the latest in international education and all things impacting students and universities.

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United States To Open First Batch Of Student Visa Appointments Mid-May

The US continues to increase its efforts at meeting the visa appointment demand in India. The US Consulate in Hyderabad has announced the first batch of visa appointments for students opening up in May. 

Get the full story on The Economic Times >

Full-Year US Visa Numbers Show Solid Gains For 2022

The 2022 SEVIS numbers show international student numbers are up! The annual report is always anticipated and is used to help forecast the next year’s numbers. While this data is valuable, it doesn’t provide a long-term look ahead. Our team is working on estimated student numbers through 2030.

“Of the reported total for 2022, more than 117,000 were in pre- or post-completion optional practical training (OPT). This is up marginally over OPT enrolments for 2021, and remains well below pre-COVID levels. We might expect, however, that those numbers will continue to recover this year and next, especially in light of the announcement last year that more science and technology students will now be eligible for an expanded “STEM OPT” work term of up to three years.”

Get the full story on ICEF Monitor >

Presidents Are Changing Their Tune On Free Speech

More and more we are hearing reports about Governors and State Legislatures attempting to restrict campus activities and curriculum. College presidents are grappling with these issues and so much more. We are seeing campus leaders pushing back which suggests a renewed support for free-speech principles. 

“Free speech is under attack in our country, from across the political spectrum,” she said. “But free speech, as difficult and as challenging as it is, is not only the bedrock of higher education. It’s also the bedrock of democracy and a free society. Chipping away at that bedrock — even for what we think are good reasons, like protecting others — diminishes our capacity as a learning community to do our work, and it puts our democracy at risk.” -President Martha E. Pollack of Cornell University 

Get the full story on The Chronicle of Higher Education >

College Students Still Struggling To Stay Enrolled, Gallup Research Finds

Understanding the drivers of college students is important. Times have changed. The pandemic forced change and questions about the value of a higher education are being questioned. This report dives into what students are grappling with when making choices to pursue an education or continue their college education.

“The higher education world is just now seeing hints of recovery. Undergraduate enrollment is still on the decline, but it only fell 0.6% from fall 2022 year over year, according to National Student Clearinghouse Research Center data. That’s the smallest decrease since the coronavirus began to spread.”

Get the full story on Higher Ed Dive >