According to the 2016 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange data released by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs,  there is a significant increase in the student mobilization between the United States and Costa Rica.

President Obama launched the initiative “The force of 100,000 in the Americas” to make an attention call over the importance of quality education for regional prosperity. The Open Doors Report shows that Costa Rica holds first position in the Latin America and the eight globally as favorite destination of studies by the United States citizens. There was also an increase of 2.7% in the number of Costa Ricans studying in the United States which reflects in a total of 1,148 for the 2015-2016 period. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. students that traveled to Costa Rica increased in 8.5% for a total of 9,305 students.

The Open Doors findings reflect that students study abroad in part to gain international experience that can be applied in their careers, and data also show that an increasing number of U.S. students—over 22,000 in 2014-15—participated in non-credit work, internships and volunteering abroad through which they can gain practical skills.

“We need to empower more of America’s future leaders to experience the world beyond our borders,” said Evan Ryan, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. “International education helps people develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in today’s global economy, and creates networks across borders that improve international understanding and strengthen the national security of the United States.”

“Studying abroad is one of the best ways to prepare to enter and succeed in the interconnected, globalized workforce, yet 90 percent of American college students do not study or intern outside of the United States. We owe it to the next generation of Americans to find ways to make it more accessible to a wider range of students,” said IIE’s President, Dr. Allan E. Goodman. “