A new campaign has been launched to bring more refugees into the United States for higher education under a new visa system, it was announced.

The US education sector celebrated international students, international education sector and exchange this week during International Education Week, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that nurturing a vibrant international student community is a "foreign policy imperative".

Education organisations in the US are urging the government to develop a strategy to increase international enrolment and exchanges to pre-Covid levels.

The US economy has lost $12.1 billion over two years as a result of declines in international student numbers, NAFSA has calculated.

The number of international students enrolled at US institutions has begun to rebound after a pandemic-related drop, data from a US snapshot survey has suggested, while the Open Doors 2021 has shown a decrease of 15% in international student numbers during 2020/21. 

The number of African scholars joining staff ranks at higher learning institutions in the US dropped by 21% in the last three years to stand at 1,960 in 2020, down from 2,479 in 2017, recent data shows.

The International Trade Administration within the US Department of Commerce has announced a renewed global marketing campaign that will target international students to study in the globe's "premier" study destination.

Seven winners of Diversity Abroad's 2021 Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion in International Education awards have been announced.