10-12 pages of text + up to 10 exhibits discussion cases
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NACRA 2017 Start-Up Cases’ Workshop
Case Working Title: The Impact of Reducing Saudi Arabia Students on American Universities
Author, Affiliation (etc.)
Corresponding Author Affiliation, address Email, telephone
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The Impact of Reducing Saudi Arabia Students on American Universities
Target Course: This case will be useful for both undergraduate and graduate students pursuing courses in or related to finance, economics, sociology, administration, business, and education. Most specifically, the case will be very helpful for students pursuing courses in finance.
Industry: This case is most applicable within the finance and education industries.
Data Sources: For this case study, data will be collected through conducting library research, interviews, consulting, as well as personal experience.
Prior Cases: I am a complete “newbie” when it comes to writing cases.
Draft Case Opener
Gwen B. Wade, an International Student Services Coordinator at Clark Atlanta University, had just arrived back from Washington DC to have a meeting with SAUDIA Cultures admission. The key topic of discussion during this meeting would be to deliberate on the sharp and unexpected drop in enrolment by students from Saudi Arabia in Clark Atlanta University, and by extension the most universities and institutions of higher learning across the United States. This surprise trend has been experienced within the past six months or so. In a brief interview with her, Wade confided that her university is quite concerned about the declining number of students from Saudi Arabia, which is also their main origin of students taking both short and long courses.
In particular, the university has been receiving large numbers of students from Saudi Arabia for the last ten years or so. According to Wade, this year alone, the number of international students enrolled in Clark Atlanta University has reduced by nearly half. As an illustration, the number of Saudi Arabian students enrolled last year were well above 400 while there are only 270 students this year.
When asked if she thinks the change in Saudi government policy by reducing the amount in scholarships granted by King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) could be the cause, Wade said she thinks so. However, she said that she is yet to ascertain this, and that forms part of the reason why she is here.
Just the same way several universities assumed that the fiscal wreckage resulting from the 2008 depression was a thing of the past, campuses throughout the United States have been compelled to make fresh rounds of reductions. The only difference between the two cases is that the current one has been caused largely by a decrease in international students (Saul 2018). Mostly hard hit are the campuses within the Midwest of the country. This is because most of these are non-flagship public universities which have developed an over-reliance on international students who often pay more than domestic students (Saul 2018).
Established in 1968, Clark Atlanta University is a private, not-for-profit university headquartered in Atlanta, United States (Clark Atlanta University 2016). The university is affiliated to the United Methodist Church and is classified as coeducational and residential institution. Its parent institutions include Atlanta University which was founded in 1865 and Clark College (established in 1869) (Clark Atlanta University 2016). The institution offers degrees under the four key categories (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Specialist, and Doctoral).
A total of 38 unique areas of study are offered at the university schools which include business school, school of education, school of social work, and the school of business administration (Clark Atlanta University 2016). During the 2014-2015 enrollment, the university enrolled a total of 3,485 students (females accounting for 74 percent and males 26 percent). Out of these, 45 percent are students from within the state, 51 percent from outside the state, and 4 percent international students (Clark Atlanta University 2016). This trend has been persistent and unchanged for quite some time.
The university experienced a significant increase in the number of foreign students during the seven-year period 2011-2017. About 90 percent of these international students were from Saudi Arabia (Clark Atlanta University 2018). As an illustration, the number of Saudi Arabian students at Clark Atlanta University in 2011 were only 10, gradually increasing to 11 and 32 students in 2012 and 2013 respectively. In 2014, the number increased to 70 while 2015 and 2016 saw a further increase to 118 and 184 students respectively (Clark Atlanta University 2018). According to Wade, the number of students from Saudi Arabia reached a record 400 in 2017. However, this number has shockingly reduced to 270 this year instead of increasing as was expected.
It is reported that over the last half a decade, the total number of international student population has grown at an estimated average rate of about 90.3 percent. Saudi Arabia has been the greatest contributor of the growth having accounted for approximately 90 percent of the total foreign student population (Clark Atlanta University 2018).
Several other universities also continue to feel the impact of the decreased international students enrollment (especially those from Saudi Arabia), a trend that started recently. One key reason for the decline, though not yet confirmed, could be the tightening of some of Saudi Arabia’s government scholarship program. Declines in the enrollment of international students undermines not only the educational experience, it also has a negative impact on the bottom line. In most universities, foreign students pay the full price for tuition. They also typically pay higher rates for out-of-state tuition in public universities. Therefore, it means that any decrease in foreign student enrollment would result in notable financial impacts for universities, and Clark Atlanta University is not an exception.
There are many possible variables which can cause diminished enrollment of foreign students in American universities and colleges. These include, but are not limited to, changes in demographics or national policies in their home countries. Alterations to the country’s scholarship programs or the capacity of higher education for the country. Another possible reason is the increasing competition for foreign students from where fees structures or even quality of education is perceived to be better.
In the proposed case study, I will endeavor to answer the two key questions arising from the decreased international student enrollments: why is the number of students from Saudi Arabia in American universities sharply decreasing? What are the possible implications of this decrease to Clark Atlanta University and what can be done to curb this?
Bibliography Clark Atlanta University. 2016. Clark Atlanta University at a Glance. Accessed April 25, 2018. http://www.cau.edu/about/cau-quick-facts.html. —. 2018. Clark Atlanta University International Student Report. Accessed April 25, 2018. https://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/clark-atlanta-university/student-life/international/. Saul, Stephanie. 2018. "As Flow of Foreign Students Wanes, U.S. Universities Feel the Sting." The New York Times. January 2. Accessed April 25, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/02/us/international-enrollment-drop.html.
