Report On Global Expansion of U.S. Higher Education Released At Summit

Washington, D.C., December 8, 2004 – Dr. Richard Hezel, president of the education consulting firm Hezel Associates, today released a preliminary report detailing foreign market opportunities for U. S. higher education institutes. Dr. Hezel shared the findings during the international portion of the NorthStar international summit titled “Riding the Wave or Weathering the Storm? Mapping a Course in the Postsecondary Market.”

“For many years, U.S. colleges and universities have sought to enroll international students, not just to diversify their student populations, but also to stabilize their enrollments,” said Hezel, who served as chairperson for the international portion of the conference. “We have observed lately that in addition, institutions are increasingly exporting the American style of education to other lands.”

Hezel noted several factors fueling the growth of education export, including the increasing technological capacity for e-learning in the United States and abroad; a surge in demand for United States higher education; and fluctuations in the United States higher education population.

In the preliminary report, Hezel Associates explored the higher education markets in Asia, Latin America and Europe. A broader and deeper report, to be released in stages during February 2005, will detail opportunities by country and include information on respective education systems, technology infrastructures, policy, language and economic data.

“These reports follow a series of very successful U.S. reports Hezel Associates conducted on distance learning, which were used extensively by state and federal education and technology policy leaders,” said Hezel. “Our hope is that by compiling this comprehensive report, we can better aid policy leaders on a global level. Already, we see the opportunity for even more market-specific research.”

A preview report is now available on Hezel Associates Web site at http://www.hezel.com/globalreport/Global_Report_Preview.pdf.

ABOUT HEZEL ASSOCIATES
Headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., Hezel Associates provides research, evaluation and strategic services to national and international clients in education, technology, publishing and business. The firm has earned a distinguished national reputation as a leading expert in distance education research and consulting. Clients such as the U.S. Department of Education, Arizona Board of Regents, Habitat for Humanity International, the Public Broadcasting Service, Regis University and the United Way have relied on Hezel Associates’ recommendations to make strategic decisions, and create and implement policies. The company was founded in 1987 by Dr. Richard T. Hezel, a leading research-oriented consultant in the field of education technology. For further information about Hezel Associates, visit www.hezel.com