Almost 300 current and former leaders have participated in American academic programs, the Washington Times reports. The U.S. Department of State maintains a list of such leaders, including Jordan’s King Abdullah, “a crown prince in Norway and a crown princess in Japan.”

The United States has historically “been the most open to students from other countries.” President of the Institute of International Education Allan Goodman said that an American “tradition of academic open doors and a very consistent record of having international students here” is why the United States continues “to be the leading destination” for higher education.

While top U.S. schools, such as members of the Ivy League and other prestigious universities, are a popular choice for students, many world leaders attended other schools around the country. For example, the University of Wisconsin has “alumni officials from Bangladesh, Jordan, Peru, Sri Lanka and Sweden.” Other schools like George Washington University, Louisiana State University, the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan have also had students who went on to serve in powerful positions in various countries.

The number of international students studying in the United States is rising; in 2010-2011, international student enrollment grew 5 percent to 723,277 students. The next great leader may be among them!

Source:

• Armed with U.S. education, many leaders take on world;
Washington Times