The United States of America, on Monday, released the 2022 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, which shows that Nigeria topped the list of countries that send students to the US for studies.
The report also highlighted an increase of 12.3% in the number of students from Nigeria studying in the United States for the 2021/2022 academic year.
“The figure represents a total of 14,438 Nigerian students, which is 33% of all African students studying in the United States.”
The new Open doors Report further indicates that Nigeria remains the leading source of students from Africa and the 10th largest country worldwide sending international students to the United States.
A statement by the US Embassy in Abuja to mark International Education Week said that “new international student enrollment in the United States has rebounded and increased by 80% raising the total number of international students enrolled in U.S. institutions by 4%.”
It explained that Nigerian students in the country “primarily study at the graduate level, with the remaining 31% enrolled in undergraduate studies, 17% pursuing optional practical training, and 2% in non-degree programs or short-term studies.”
According to the statement, an increasing number of students are crossing the globe to gain practical, international experience that they can apply in their careers and life in a global society.
The report equally highlighted a strong performance in the US education system, noting that the “strong rebound and growth confirms that the United States remains the destination of choice in higher education, with over 948,000 international students.
“International students are returning to in-person studies in the United States, with 90% of all enrolled students attending in-person classes.
The return to campuses allows international students to build life-long connections with American peers, increase collaboration within and across fields of study, and grow America’s international partnerships to address current and global challenges.”
The Open Doors report is published annually by the Institute of International Education in partnership with the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
A prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had shut down public universities in the country, and over 200,000 students at various levels of tertiary education forced to stay at home.
The strike is reportedly one of the longest in the country in recent times.
The lecturers demanded among others, adequate investment by the Federal government invests into public universities across the country, in order to bring them to world-class standards.