A major increase in international enrollment in recent years has intensified the competition for entry to America’s top private colleges and universities, as ever-growing numbers of applicants angle for the limited supply of seats. That tension is particularly evident in the eight prestigious Ivy League schools: Federal data shows that their freshman classes grew slightly from 2004 to 2014 — 5 percent — while the number of incoming foreign students rose 46 percent. At the same time, applications to the schools shot up 88 percent.

Public diplomacy — vital diplomatic outreach and person-to-person exchanges — is more important than ever as we confront the conflict and suspicions that afflict the world. In August, Professor Janet Steele took the helm of the Institute for Public Diplomacy and Global Communication (IPDGC). As the director, Steele oversees the Institute’s speaker and panel events, media training workshops for international delegations, and graduate workshops—all of which promote the greater understanding and practice of public diplomacy.

Arab students constituted nearly 10 percent of total enrollments of international students at U.S. colleges and universities during the 2014-2015 academic year […] While many Arab students study outside their home region, only a modest number of U.S. students study abroad every year—304,467 worldwide during the 2013-2014 academic year […]