UNC Pembroke hosted a group of EducationUSA international student advisers from Australia, Honduras and Hungary July 27.

The visit included time with International Programs staff, meetings with deans and key faculty, an overview and tour of notable academic programs and facilities, meetings with undergraduate and graduate admissions staff, and conversations with local and international students.

EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 425 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries. It promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering comprehensive information on opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States.

“Hosting EducationUSA advisers will allow us to highlight our welcoming campus and dedicated faculty and staff, and share the unique UNCP student experience,” said Jessica Hall, assistant director of International Programs.

“This visit will give the advisers the opportunity to get a real sense of what makes UNCP an ideal choice for international students looking for a U.S. university to call home.”

EducationUSA offers approved U.S. universities the opportunity to host a group of its international student advisers before or after several international conferences and trainings in the U.S., the most prominent being the annual EducationUSA Forum in Washington, D.C.

These hosting opportunities allow the advisers to learn more about the U.S. higher education system, while providing the participating universities the chance to showcase the unique and attractive aspects that distinguish their campus.

UNCP is a member of the University of North Carolina International Recruitment Consortium. The advisers will also visit East Carolina University this week.

For the second consecutive year the UNC Consortium, an office supporting international student recruitment for the UNC System, has been selected as a host. In 2017 the consortium collaborated with N.C. A&T State University, UNC Greensboro, and UNC School of the Arts to bring in a group of EducationUSA advisers from Lebanon, Nepal and Thailand.

 “Our hope is that these visits will lead to more international students studying on the host campuses, providing rich academic and intercultural opportunities for students on both sides,” said Lori Suarez, assistant director for the UNC Consortium.