U.S. Embassy hosts College Fair in Harare

November 3rd 2006

As part of the celebration to mark International Education Week, the United States Embassy in Harare has organized a United States College and University Fair for over 400 “A” level students from selected high schools in Zimbabwe. The Fair, co-organized by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the United States Embassy’s EducationUSA Advising Center, will be held on Tuesday 7th November (Time: 1500 hours to 1800 hours) in the Stuart Ballrooms at the Meikles Hotel in Harare.

Admissions officers representing ten colleges and universities from the United States–College of Wooster, Denison University, Drake University, Eugene Lang School–The New School, Florida Institute of Technology, Franklin and Marshall College, Manhattanville College, Mount Holyoke College, University of Richmond, University of Tulsa, and York University in Canada- will participate at the Fair.

At the Fair, Zimbabwean students will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with international admissions officers from fourteen institutions that represent the diversity of higher educational opportunities in the United States and discuss entry requirements and other academic prospects related to their specific institutions.

During their visit, admissions representatives will also have an opportunity to get more information about Zimbabwean education when they meet school heads and Career Counselors from secondary schools in and around Harare.

Statistics from the recently released Open Doors study by the Institute of International Education show that in 2004-05, there were 1,699 Zimbabweans studying at colleges and universities in the United States. Zimbabwe surpassed South Africa to become the fourth largest student sending country in Africa to the United States. Only Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana in Africa continue to send more students to study in the US.

“American institutions of higher education recognize the high quality of Zimbabwean secondary school education as reflected in the A level graduates we send to them and are thus eager to have more of our students join their college and university communities. The over 450 students who received student visas in Zimbabwe this past year reflect this fact,” commented Rebecca Zeigler Mano, the Embassy’s Educational Advisor. 
She added that “it is also a confidence booster to prospective students in Zimbabwe to know that despite the economic hardships Zimbabwe faces, top American universities are still interested in visiting Zimbabwe and are happy to enroll students from the country.” 3

The United States has one of the best and most comprehensive system of higher education in the world; and boasts of over 3800 accredited and internationally recognized institutions of higher education, all who welcome the diversity brought by international students to their campuses. There were 565,039 international students studying in the United States last year, according to the Institute of International Education.

The United States Embassy’s Public Affairs Section houses an EducationUSA certified educational advising center which provides the only source in Zimbabwe of comprehensive, accurate, current and unbiased information about higher education opportunities in the United States. The Educational Advising center is located on the 7th Floor, Gold Bridge in Eastgate in Harare. Prospective students located outside of Harare can visit our second advising centers at the Bulawayo Public Library or satellite advising center colletions at Gweru Memorial Library, Turner Memorial Library in Mutare and Mucheke Public Library in Masvingo.

International Education Week, officially November 13-17, celebrates the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. The US Embassy recognizes the immense value in educational exchange toward increased mutual understanding between the people of Zimbabwe and the people of the United States ###

Contact: Mark Weinberg, Assistant Public Affairs Officer