Students studying abroad in the United Arab Emirates will find themselves in a melting pot of nationalities. Foreign nationals – most from India and Pakistan – outnumber locals nine to one in the country, which is perceived to be the safest in the Arab region, ranking above even the United States.
The UAE is the best country to study abroad, at least according to nearly 8,000 millennials, or adults under age 35, who filled out surveys for the 2017 Best Countries rankings. The rankings, formed in partnership with global marketing communications company Y&R’s brand strategy firm, BAV Consulting, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, asked more than 21,000 survey participants from four regions to associate 80 countries – up from 60 last year – with specific attributes to gauge global perceptions of the world’s biggest economies.
The Best Countries to Study Abroad, including Singapore, India, Turkey and Romania, scored highest on a compilation of four equally weighted country attributes: culturally accessible, fun, has many cultural attractions and would consider attending university there. A fifth country attribute – has top quality universities – that factored into the 2016 Best Countries to Study Abroad ranking was not included this year. Israel and Austria were perceived as the worst countries in which to hit the books.
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No. 5: Romania
Romania was host to more than 23,000 international students in 2015, according to UNESCO. Bachelor’s programs in the country typically take around three years to complete. Multiple-major programs are not available at Romanian universities, so students in Romania are allowed to attend several universities as a full-time student.
No. 4: Turkey
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No. 4: Turkey
Turkey welcomed just under 50,000 international students in 2014, according to UNESCO. The country has more than 23 universities, including the highly ranked Boğaziçi University and Middle East Technical University.
No. 3: India
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No. 3: India
India offers more opportunities to scholars in the Fulbright programs than any other country in the world, according to the Institute of International Education. The country drew in nearly 40,000 international students in 2014, according to UNESCO.
No. 2: Singapore
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No. 2: Singapore
Singapore is home to the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, both of which are ranked internationally. The country is also known for its impressive economy and drew in nearly 50,000 international students in 2013, according to UNESCO.
No. 1: United Arab Emirates
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No. 1: United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven emirates, brought in more than 73,000 international students in 2015, according to UNESCO. The country is home to United Arab Emirates University, which is one of the best universities in the Arab region.
Want to Know More?
Want to Know More?
Click below to see the full list of Best Countries to Study Abroad, or visit the U.S. News Best Countries homepage to find news and more rankings. The 2017 Best Countries report and rankings were formed in partnership with global marketing communications company Y&R’s brand strategy firm, BAV Consulting, and The Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.
This year’s ranking marks a drastic change from last year’s in which Europe swept the top spots. Last year’s top countries, including Italy, Spain and France, dropped to the middle of the list.
Despite historical trends that show the U.S. and the U.K. to be the countries that attract the most international students each year, millennials’ perceptions ranked the countries No. 46 and No. 70, respectively. No. 8 Japan is the only country to maintain a spot in the top 10 for two years in a row.
[Source:- usnews]
