A decline in the University of Oregon’s international student population continues to affect overall enrollment, according to the school's interim president. Patrick Phillips spoke Friday at the City Club of Eugene.
He said in particular, the number of students from China has dropped significantly over the past five years due to both geopolitics as well as travel restrictions brought on by the pandemic.
“The other thing that’s happened in China is that they’ve made huge investments in their own higher education system," said Phillips. "So twenty years ago, you wanted to come to the United States. Now there’s really outstanding universities in China as well.”
The University of Oregon announced its largest ever incoming class this fall, but overall enrollment is down from its peak a decade ago.
Phillips was appointed as UO's interim president in August, after the previous president, Michael Schill, resigned in order to become president of Northwestern University in Illinois.
