The Gator Nation has gone global, and it hasn't gone unnoticed.
UF ranked in the top 20 schools for studyabroad participation and international student attendance, the Institute of International Education announced Monday.
Records from the institute stated there were 3,921 international students at UF in the 2006-2007 academic year, which put UF at 17th nationwide for international student attendance.
The University of Southern California was No. 1.
Data on short-term study-abroad participation from 2005-2006 ranked UF fifth with 1,329 students traveling that year.
However, UF will not receive any extra funding or awards with the rankings, said Dennis Jett, dean of UF's International Center.
It will only get recognition, and that's good enough for The Gator Nation, Jett said.
"We have to attract the best minds from wherever they are if we're going to compete in a global economy," he said. "We can't be a world-class institution unless we are out in the world."
Gaining a broader perspective on the world is an essential part of higher education, he said.
Learning goes beyond the classroom-or at least it should, he added. Jett said student participation in international programs started to pick up after Sept. 11.
He said he'd still like to see an increase in involvement.
When students come to UF as freshmen, about 70 percent say studying abroad is a major goal, but only 5 percent follow through.
At Ustler Hall at 2 p.m. today, the center will give a ,1,000 award to one faculty member who has made outstanding international achievements in each of UF's colleges.
