Simba's impassioned post yesterday (On Being an African in the US: Navigating an Endless Web of Stereotypes) has generated a lot of discussion around the impact of negative stereotypes, and how to begin to change them.

It was clear that Simba wasn't alone in encountering negative stereotypes while living overseas - and that America isn't the only country in which they exist. Mada remembered what it was like to go to the U.K on a working holiday visa:

I remember one colleague used to come to me to give me updates on the wars going on in various places in africa and enquired on whether my relatives were ok. I told him several times the country I came from , Malawi had never experienced civil wars but this never got to him, to him africa was one big kingdom where everyone was related. I also remember how people didnt think I knew anything about computers but they later found out that I was more knowledgeable than them...

Commenter river_song (great name!) wrote on Reddit about an African friend in the U.S.:

I asked my best friend once what the most annoying thing that he'd had to deal with. He said what really upset him the most was how, to most people, there was just "Africa" and all the accompanying stereotypes or assumptions that go with it. There's a huge variety of living experiences, quality of living, social and cultural heritages and political histories that no one considered. He said he hates the fact that to many people here, it's like Africa was just one big homogenous place with tons of problems. Instead, it's hundreds of different nations, tribes, cultures, cities, villages, towns, and people.

A number of other Americans chimed in to share their experiences getting to know Africans,and how it changed their point of view. Justin wrote, "It’s pretty tough to find out anything “real” about Africa in the US," but added:

I forwarded this to my daughter who’s studying in Africa and has found the experience- the city, the people and what she’s seen of the country amazing.

And Sheryl shared her own eye-opening experiences living in Zambia:

This was in the late 90′s, and the ironic thing was that I had never used email or the internet regularly until I moved to Lusaka. And just for the record, we used to travel to Zimbabwe for many of our getaways — to go to the cinema, enjoy excellent restaurants, and do some shopping.

One fascinating piece of the discussion was how the stereotypes differ in America and Europe. Both share similar perceptions of Africa, and many commenters pinpointed media coverage as the source of these broad generalizations about the continent. But America and Europe have their own underlying cultural contexts that shape the discussion.

BlackGringa talked about the problematic role of race in general in America, writing:

Even in the discourse on race in the US “the black community” is presented as an amorphous, homogenized whole. The tone of one’s skin defines people’s character, culture, and origin as much as the slant of one’s eyes.

Shaun, meanwhile, explained that in his experience in the Netherlands, he felt issues of race were glossed over:

I think what makes the latent racism and stereotyping going on here in Europe difficult to deal with is that Race and ethnicity are “dead” topics in Europe. Many of the people I meet here assume that racism does not really exist, due to the fact that they do not consider themselves racists, nor are the people around them. What people fail to realize that the very way they position themselves in the discourse already presupposes many stereotypes.

It's not just about Africa that negative stereotypes exist, though. Commenter JP explained that he went to England with irrational stereotypes of his own about the U.K.:

I studied in the UK and though a colonial power of my home country, still many English lads and lasses had the most cockamamie stories about Africans. But as I analysed it further I realized that I too held many irrational stereotypes about the English and England. My white british friend went to study in Kenya and some of the questions he was asked or experiences he went through were majorly because of stereotypes the locals had of whites and the West. It goes both ways and such initiatives like yours that encourage cross-cultural exchange are very helpful in dispelling myths that exist about cultures and races.

And Sultan wrote that coming from Pakistan in 1972 to study in the U.S., he faced a similar battle against negative perceptions:

I was asked the most ridiculous questions including “Do you have fruit in Pakistan.” It seems not much has changed in 40 years.

But most of you seemed to feel that while negative perceptions are certainly prevalent, they are definitely not insurmountable.

isaaclw wrote that it is not stereotypes themselves that are harmful. Rather:

It’s the inability to step back and reconsider one’s stereotypes that’s really dangerous. ...

Stereotypes are all around, and even those who are exposed to many different groups have developed stereotypes/prejudices. But that’s why it’s important to continue interacting with people who act and think differently, to change ourselves and them.

And Pearl of Africa pledged:

... as a personal commitment, I will keep spreading positivity around me and change my environment one soul at the time. I will challenge each one of us , to face up the little “defensive” person in us and get deeper in someones’s background, before profiling them!(-:)

"The old story of Africa still persists," wrote Simba, "but I’m hopeful that it will soon be outpaced by the determination of young Africans worldwide to have it rewritten. Africa is changing so rapidly at the moment that it has became really inaccurate to still classify it as hopeless,if it ever was so.No doubt there are still serious problems, but I believe optimism and having faith in the possibilities can be a good first step in finding the solutions."

There was only one point on which several commenters felt the need to disagree with Simba's original article:

Oh and in Swahili, Simba does mean Lion.

- JP

Have you experienced any stereotypes while living or traveling overseas? Have you had stereotypes of your own dispelled? What's the best way to change the narrative and create more nuanced perspectives? Share your thoughts in the comments!

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.

WASHINGTON — 

The administration of President Donald Trump said on Monday it will review Columbia University's federal contracts and grants over allegations of antisemitism, which it says the educational institution has shown inaction in tackling.

Rights advocates note rising antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias since U.S. ally Israel's devastating military assault on Gaza began after Palestinian Hamas militants' deadly October 2023 attack.

The Justice Department said a month ago it formed a task force to fight antisemitism. The U.S. Departments of Health and Education and the General Services Administration jointly made the review announcement on Monday.

"The Federal Government's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is considering Stop Work Orders for $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia University and the Federal Government," the joint statement said.

The agencies said no contracting actions had been taken yet.

"The task force will also conduct a comprehensive review of the more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments to Columbia University."

The agencies did not respond to requests for comment on whether there were similar reviews over allegations of Islamophobia and anti-Arab bias.

Columbia had no immediate comment. It previously said it made efforts to tackle antisemitism.

College protests

Trump has signed an executive order to combat antisemitism and pledged to deport non-citizen college students and others who took part in pro-Palestinian protests.

Columbia was at the center of college protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel due to the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel's assault on Gaza. There were allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia in protests and counter-protests.

During last summer's demonstrations around the country, classes were canceled, some university administrators resigned and student protesters were suspended and arrested.

While the intensity of protests has decreased in recent months, there were some demonstrations last week in New York after the expulsion of two students at Columbia University-affiliated Barnard College and after New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the removal of a Palestinian studies job listing at Hunter College.

A third student at Barnard College has since been expelled, this one related to the occupation of the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia last year.

The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.

It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.

In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.

Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.

Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.

"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.

The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.

An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."

House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."

Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.

Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.

The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.

"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."

The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.

STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)

U.S. News & World report addresses some of the misconceptions about U.S. colleges and universities, including the difficulty of getting a visa.

Read the full story here. (January 2025)

US News & World Report details the three top factors in foreign students' decision to study in the U.S. They include research opportunities and the reputation of U.S. degrees. Read the full story here. (December 2024)

A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.

Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.

Read the full story here. (December 2024)

Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health reaches out to international students by detailing the international student experience at the school.

Learn more about housing, life in Boston and more here.

BEIJING — 

China issued its first national action plan to build a "strong education nation" by 2035, which it said would help coordinate its education development, improve efficiencies in innovation and build a "strong country."

The plan, issued Sunday by the Communist Party's central committee and the State Council, aims to establish a "high quality education system" with accessibility and quality "among the best in the world."

The announcement was made after data on Friday showed China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, with the number of deaths outpacing a slight increase in births, and experts cautioning that the downturn will worsen in the coming years.

High childcare and education costs have been a key factor for many young Chinese opting out of having children, at a time when many face uncertainty over their job prospects amid sluggish economic growth.

"By 2035, an education power will be built," the official Xinhua news agency said, adding that China would explore gradually expanding the scope of free education, increase "high-quality" undergraduate enrolment, expand postgraduate education, and raise the proportion of doctoral students.

The plan aims to promote "healthy growth and all-round development of students," making sure primary and secondary school students have at least two hours of physical activity daily, to effectively control the myopia, or nearsightedness, and obesity rates.

"Popularizing" mental health education and establishing a national student mental health monitoring and early warning system would also be implemented, it said.

It also aims to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas to improve the operating conditions of small-scale rural schools and improve the care system for children with disabilities and those belonging to agricultural migrant populations.

The plan also aims to steadily increase the supply of kindergarten places and the accessibility of preschool education.

The Open Notebook, a site focusing on educating journalists who cover science, has complied a list of U.S. graduate program financial aid information for international students.

Read it here.