The Loss of International Students in the U.S.

Guest: Kate Byrnes, former U.S. ambassador to North Macedonia and deputy chief of mission in Greece

The Institute of International Education reported last month that new enrollments of foreign students at U.S. colleges and universities decreased by 17 percent this fall compared to the same time last year.

On this episode of “The Diplomacy Podcast,” we discuss what that means for the future of U.S. education, science, economy and soft power. My guest is Kate Byrnes, former U.S. ambassador to North Macedonia and deputy chief of mission in Greece. She spent 32 years in the Foreign Service, most recently as a senior foreign policy adviser to the commandant of U.S. Europe Command in Stuttgart, Germany.

Byrnes also talks about the tension between free speech and visa policies. She explains the historical role of educational and cultural exchanges in U.S. public diplomacy, and their impact on foreign publics’ perceptions of and trust in the United States.

As always, my guest’s opinions don’t necessarily represent my own views.

Watch or listen to the episode above, or on one of these platforms: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts.

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