In the yeas 2004-2005 the quantity of international students who come to study to the Unites States decreased significantly in comparison with European universities where the Erasmus program was introduced.
In the year 2003 Robert Pastor organized a new project and its goals were to convert the American University into the best university and to attract student from all over the world to study in the USA. This project presupposes to give to international student the excellent possibility to learn about the US and to communicate with other international student.
The program of Robert Pastor and his team presented two new courses:
1.“What is America” – this course should be studied in autumn and it presupposes careful and detailed study of US culture, traditions, politics, history, society etc
2.“How Washington Works.” – is studies in spring and its goal is to show how the most important politicians work.
Students who successfully finish this program will receive a Certificate about completion of the program at American university.
One of the pluses of this program is that it is available not only for exchange student, but also for other students if they have the desire to pass it and can pay for it.
During three years since its beginning, the American University signed agreements with more then 25 different universities abroad. The first class that passed this program consisted of 20 students who came from 18 countries. The results of this program were really amazing, their GPA was rather high. Also students had the possibility to enjoy all facilities provided by the university and the city.
USA is really needed in such line of programs because its reputation suffers because of political actions of the government that influence on the popularity of Universities too. All children study history of USA in the program of international history in their schools in their countries. But looking into Iraq problem and social reaction not all students prepared to study there. So from this side it is very useful to show foreigners real USA’s culture and politics. It is like accommodation course too. I think it will help to increase popularity of Universities.