Venture with INTO University Partnerships Fills Need for Globalized Education
USF Launches Drive to
Maximize International Student Success
TAMPA (Jan. 19, 2010) – The University of South Florida (USF) and INTO University Partnerships today embark on a joint venture to increase international student recruitment at USF and ensure greater student success.
The new INTO USF international study center, based at USF’s Tampa campus, will offer a unique range of programs that will help USF capitalize on the growing number of international students seeking to study abroad.
The venture is also expected to create new jobs and economic opportunities for both USF and the larger Tampa Bay region. The effort is jointly financed by the USF Foundation and INTO University Partnerships. No public dollars will be spent on the recruitment and education effort.
INTO USF will recruit approximately 300 international students for its undergraduate and graduate programs, which begin in August 2010.
The innovative year-long preparation courses provide international students with the specific academic, English and cultural skills needed for successful study in American universities. In time, the study center intends to broaden its course portfolio to support USF’s long term goals to provide more globally competitive undergraduate, graduate and professional programs; enhance global literacy; and expand global engagement initiatives.
“USF’s responsibility is to prepare all its students to be successful in an integrated, globalized world where the ability to work with people from other nations is a vital skill,” said USF President Judy Genshaft. “The INTO USF partnership will enhance the educational experience for all students on our campus, allowing us to continue offering the best courses for our students while creating educational opportunities for a growing market of international students.”
Andrew Colin, Chairman of INTO University Partnerships, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome USF to our network. After successful ventures in the UK, we have experienced record levels of international student recruitment this year in the UK and in our first year with Oregon State University, which proves the INTO model can work well in the U.S. We expect INTO USF will enjoy similar successes over the coming years.’
USF is the latest leading university to partner with INTO, following eight UK universities and Oregon State University, the company’s first U.S. partner. USF will connect with INTO’s network of sales and marketing staff for its recruitment drive, including 800 education recruitment representatives working with INTO’s 23 offices worldwide, with special focus on Latin America, India, China and nations such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia.
The INTO model enables USF to improve international student recruitment, develop innovative study programs that help students adapt to American teaching styles and enhance campus services to make university campuses a more welcoming environment to international students. In addition, the company has stimulated multi-million dollar investments in on-campus academic and social facilities.
One of the priorities of the new partnership is to help USF to perform more effectively in the increasingly competitive market for international students – a group that, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, contributes $17.8 billion to the U.S. economy each year.
Despite having one of the largest enrollments in the country, USF ranks 81st in terms of size of international student population. In 2008-09, foreign students comprised just 4 percent of its student body – about 1,800 students.
The number of international students at colleges and universities in the United States increased by 8 percent to an all-time high of 671,616 in the 2008-09 academic year.
The partnership is committed to raising this figure to serve both the academic environment at USF and create a new revenue stream to continually improving academic offerings for all USF students.
INTO USF undergraduate students will pay full-time, non-resident tuition fees of about $16,000 (compared with average Florida resident undergraduate fees of $4,000), and will not be counted against USF’s enrollment cap or displace Florida resident students in the admissions process.
David Stremba, INTO’s managing director for North America, said: USF is a modern university with a significant value proposition to international students. It has a growing reputation for research, a wide variety of majors, and Tampa offers a fantastic outdoor lifestyle with great weather for most of the year. The INTO USF venture will give an increasing number of international students exposure to these benefits while enhancing Florida’s attraction as a study destination.
INTO University Partnerships, a UK-based company was established in 2006 and is expected to form partnerships with more than 20 universities across the UK, U.S. and Asia by 2015. For the academic year 2010/11, there are currently more than 4,500 international students enrolled at INTO study centers.
For media enquiries or further details, please contact:
Ning Baines,
INTO University Partnerships PR and Communications Manager:
Tel: +44 [0]20 7486 9909
Email: ning.baines@into.uk.com