The scholars agreed that some amount of international students belong on U.S. campuses, but the deeper question centered on whether American higher education can balance financial necessity with educational mission, ensuring that global engagement strengthens, rather than defines, the future of U.S. universities.
The crux of the debate centered on whether U.S. universities are “too dependent” on international students’ tuition dollars, with those who support international enrollment arguing it’s not even close.
International students represent less than 10 percent of the student body at most U.S. universities, “hardly the majority of the business model,” said Chris Glass, a professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Boston College.
David Freed, a medical technology expert, also argued that international students enrich classrooms, strengthen research, and build global partnerships.