FAQs: Data Collection & Education Abroad

Below are answers to common questions about data collection for education abroad.  A separate resource contains specific instructions on how to fill out the Open Doors survey.

General questions about data collection

What is data collection?

Data collection is the process of gathering sets of information into categories and processing it statistically for results.

As study abroad professionals, why should we be concerned with data collection?

Data collection is one of our most accurate and compelling ways to demonstrate to others (to those within our own institutions and to external constituents) the extent to which we support the mission of our campus and contribute to the educational experience of our students. For a convincing argument on the importance of data collection in our field, see Michael Vande Berg's article, "Data Collection and Study Abroad: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow."

Background on the Open Doors survey

What is the Open Doors survey?

The Open Doors study abroad survey is the only national data collection reporting system that serves the education abroad community. It is administered and published by the Institute of International Education (IIE), a leading not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization. IIE has conducted its annual statistical survey of the foreign student population in the United States since 1949. IIE began collecting study abroad data, as part of Open Doors, on a regular basis in 1985-86, but earlier efforts date back as far as the 1950s. Until 1993, study abroad data was collected from campuses biennially but from 1994 onwards it has been collected annually. The report is supported by a grant from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Information Agency.

Is Open Doors the only instrument to collect data?

While it is the only national instrument for collecting study abroad data, many institutions and organizations gather their own data. Many not only collect and analyze the same categories as Open Doors, but also include additional data, such as grade point average.

Additionally, the Data Collection Committee of the Forum on Education Abroad has several current initiatives targeted to expand the scope of data collection and analysis in the field of education abroad.

To whom does IIE send the Open Doors survey?

For the Open Doors 2006 report, IIE sent the Study Abroad Survey to 1,484 accredited colleges and universities throughout the United States, asking them to provide information on the number of their own students to whom they awarded credit for study abroad in 2004-2005, including summer 2005.

Since the Open Doors survey is currently sent to colleges and universities only, how can independent program providers help in the process?

In order to avoid double-counting of students, the survey collects data from each student’s home university only. However, since program providers have valuable information about student participation, it would be very helpful if they could share this with their students’ home institutions. This can easily be done by sending a report of program participants to each school. Many providers already do this routinely.

Who decided what categories would be included in Open Doors?

The Institute of International Education (IIE), the Inter-Associational Data Collection Committee (which no longer exists), and NAFSA’s Knowledge Community for Education Abroad (formerly NAFSA's Section on U.S. Students Abroad).

Can the categories of Open Doors be changed in the future?

In the interests of being able to do research of trends over the long term, it is not desirable to change categories too often. When that happens, one cannot compare changes from year to year because the categories are different. However, when categories are not useful or when more meaningful categories can be added these options should be considered. IIE works closely with the Education Abroad Data Collection Subcommittee to find out what education abroad professionals think about data collection and what data the field wants collected. If you have suggestions for changes to the current categories, feel free to contact the Education Abroad Data Collection Subcommittee chair.

How is Open Doors data used?

• Data is shared with agencies in the United States and overseas, such as NAFSA, U.S. Department of Commerce, foreign educational authorities, etc.
• Special reports are prepared for organizations such as the British Council and individual governments.
• IIE issues press releases and works with media outlets to generate interest in study abroad.
• Graduate students use data for dissertation research.
• Study abroad recruiters use data for planning and marketing.
• Individual institutions use data to compare with peer institutions and to plan for the future.
• Data is published in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Practical issues regarding collecting data for Open Doors

Who should be responsible for reporting the Open Doors data from my campus?

Because each campus has its own unique organization of study abroad activities, IIE faces a great challenge in determining the appropriate office or person to whom the questionnaire should be sent. You can help by talking with the various study abroad constituencies on your campus and deciding who should receive and submit the questionnaire. Then you can devise a way to share data, if necessary, to be sure all students are tallied. If you are not sure who at your institution currently receives the questionnaire, contact IIE Research & Evaluation, and they can tell you.

What are some strategies I can use on my campus to find the data I need?

Here are some suggestions for improving campus data collection:

• Build a good relationship with all of the people who will need to contribute data to the report. Help them to understand why compiling an accurate and comprehensive report from your institution is important. If they understand the importance, they will be more willing to spend the extra time to contribute.
• Collect data from every possible source, such as:

• the students who go on your programs, of course (make this as easy as possible by collecting the information you need in your application materials)
• students who go on other programs (if they have any contact with your office, have them fill out a form indicating their intentions and including their demographic data - you can follow up later to see if they went abroad)
• registrar's office records (perhaps they code students going abroad in a certain way or have a leave of absence program or a special course students register for)
• admissions office records (especially if they process transfer credit for study abroad students)
• outside program sponsors can provide lists of your students who went on their programs
• financial aid office (if they give aid to students who go on programs not administered by your office)
• campus institutional research offices (they may collect the data on students abroad themselves or be willing to help you collect it)
• academic departments (some track their own students; or they may publish a newsletter that mentions their students who go abroad)
• anything else you can think of (never stop being creative)

• Use a data collection questionnaire that you can send out to the various people on your campus who have information on students who go abroad.
• Make sure you have access to student information (especially to your university's computer system), so that you can fill in holes in your data. You may have a name and a program name, but no further data. You need a way to get that data. You can look it up on the university computer, order an internal transcript for the student, and/or ask the registrar’s office for the information in hard copy or electronically.

Who, exactly, are we supposed to be counting for the Open Doors survey?

Open Doors survey asks for information on students who:

• are U.S. students and permanent residents who are enrolled in a degree program (undergraduate or graduate) at your U.S. institution and
• have received academic credit towards their degrees for study abroad (regardless of who sponsored the program - your institution or someone else).

There is a slight variation for community colleges in that many have open enrollment programs, so that even regularly enrolled students are not officially in degree programs. These students may be counted as long as they are applying the overseas credit towards general education requirements at the community college. (Community colleges should not be counting students who are in degree programs elsewhere. It is the responsibility of the degree-granting institution to count the students.

Study abroad on my campus is very decentralized. I cannot possibly know about all of the students who study abroad, can I?

This would be a good reason to build a good working relationship with all people on your campus who get involved with study abroad students. If you are the person responsible for submitting the Open Doors report, you should take a lead role by informing the others from whom you need data about exactly what is needed and by when. This should be followed up with polite and friendly reminders. (See also the question about data collection strategies.)

Use a computerized database to compile the data. It takes time to enter the data, but should save time in the long run. If you are using data from multiple sources, the database can help you find duplicates. You can also enter data over the course of the year, as you gather it from various sources. Then you can run a quick annual report when Open Doors is due. In addition, now that you have the data in a database, you will be able to generate quick reports to meet a myriad of other needs.

How can I convince upper-level administration that tracking students who go abroad is essential?

Issues of academic integrity compel us to know exactly what our students are studying and where they are studying. Additionally, many institutions have found that a gripping argument to upper-level administration is the issue of the safety and security of our students abroad, which is, consequently, related to issues of liability and risk for the institution. It IS important for us to know where our students are.

I do not have a complete list of students from my campus who study abroad, so my data is incomplete. That means I shouldn't submit the Open Doors survey, doesn't it?

Any data you can submit will be gratefully accepted.

What happens if I submit my data late?

If it is past the survey deadline but before IIE has compiled the data, your data can still be included in the current survey. Contact IIE as soon as you realize the deadline has passed to see how much of an extension is reasonable.

Alternatively, you may contact the chair of the Education Abroad Data Collection Subcommittee.

How can I adequately submit data to Open Doors when the Open Doors categories do not match the data our institution collects?

Many institutions have restructured their databases to ask the same questions as Open Doors. Most Open Doors data is similar to the questions you want to ask, such as country of study, major of student, etc. Complete data on each student would be best, but even partial data on students is important and will be included.

I have never received the survey form, so how can I submit data?

First, verify with IIE whether someone else at your institutions has been submitting the data. Otherwise, the Research Division at IIE will be happy to put you on their mailing list for a survey (contact IIE Research at iieresearch[at]iie.org or 212-984-5348). Alternatively you may contact the chair of the SECUSSA Data Collection Committee.

What can I do with the data I collect, besides submitting information to IIE for the Open Doors survey?

You can use the data to:
1. Compile other reports for which you are responsible, such as:

• annual reports on study abroad enrollment that you must submit to your university or to regional accrediting organizations,
• reports showing breakdowns by college, ethnicity, destination, major, etc.,
• reports that can be used to share information with academic departments, financial aid, health services, student accounts, etc.,
• information gathered to answer questions of parents, reporters, and others who want to know more about your programs.

2. Advocate internally and externally on behalf of education abroad by:

• using data to show accomplishments of your program(s),
• developing press releases based on study abroad data collected,
• insuring that we have real data for rebuttal or to question prejudices,
• doing your part to contribute to the databank that national organizations [such as Fulbright, Foreign Language and Area Study Programs (FLAS), National Security Education Program (NSEP)] use to justify funding requests.

3. Plan for the future by:

• comparing your data with that of with other institutions to see what should be improved,
• looking at trends in the data that affect budgeting, especially if your state or institution uses “performance-based funding” to allocate funds,
• using the data to monitor progress towards goals,
• adjusting staffing to match needs (staff, faculty),
• demonstrating trends and the need to add, eliminate, or otherwise change programs,
• making decisions about marketing by looking at trends in the data,
• doing your part to contribute to a good data source that you or others can use to do research that will ultimately benefit the entire profession.

How can I learn more about efficient ways to collect, store, and manipulate data?

• Attend sessions on data collection at NAFSA regional or national conferences.
• Take classes offered locally at your institution, nearby schools, a science museum, computer stores, or other adult learning sources.
• Network with your colleagues to find out how they do it (meet in person, phone, or by e-mail, or network with hundreds of professionals via SECUSS-L and the Managing an Education Abroad Office discussion forum).
• Read computer books and magazines.

What factors should I consider when selecting database software?

Look for software that the staff in your office can easily learn by themselves (from a book or on-screen help) or by taking local classes. Often a campus will support one or two particular brands of database software. It is usually not a good idea to use software that is not used by others. If you do not understand your software, you will become very frustrated when you try to use it.

Consider software that will allow you to easily import and export data from outside sources, such as word processing or spreadsheet files, or files saved in another database. This will allow you to more easily share data with other offices and will give you flexibility in generating reports in different formats or to use mail merges when producing letters.

Specific instructions on completing the Open Doors survey

The Education Abroad Data Collection Subcommittee maintains a page on how to fill out the Open Doors survey.