The Institute for International Education (IIE) has released its annual "Open Doors" report, a summary of study abroad by U.S. college and university students. 
Locally Michigan State, Calvin College and Grand Valley State University are all among the top 20 in their respective categories.
Calvin has had a strong study abroad emphasis for several decades and annually is among the top schools in the country for students who study abroad. 
In the latest IIE report, Calvin ranked sixth in the country among baccalaureate institutions for the number of students studying abroad in the 2005-2006 school year. 
Calvin had 509 students studying off campus that year, trailing onlyLee, Saint Olaf, the University of Richmond, Saint Benedict/Saint John's and Oberlin in its category.
Grand Valley State was 12th among master's institutions, while Michigan State was second among doctoral and research institutions.
Calvin has both semester-long programs abroad as well as numerous three-week programs abroad during the college's January term (called Interim). At Calvin students can live and study in such countries as China, Honduras, Ghana, Hungary, Spain and Britain. Calvin will launch a program in Mexico this spring. Semester-long U.S. programs are offered in New Mexico and Washington, D.C. 
According to Calvin director of off-campus programs Ellen Monsma, the college believes that off-campus study programs broaden a student's perspectives on both the world and the kingdom of God, enhance a student's self-discipline and provide students with "coherent, comprehensive and authentic learning experiences that have an unusually deep and long-lasting effect." 
While Calvin College annually sends numerous students abroad for study, it also is becoming a place where many students come from other countries for a four-year, liberal arts degree.
In the latest Open Doors report Calvin is rated sixth in the country among baccalaureate institutions for number of international students on campus. In 2006-2007 Calvin had 336 international students. 
The Open Doors report noted that the number of international students enrolled in colleges and universities in the United States increased by three percent in the 2006-2007 academic year, the first significant increase in total international student enrollments since 2001-2002.
Calvin's efforts to bring international perspectives to the classroom was recognized earlier this year when it was awarded one of four Simon awards for internationalization of the campus by NAFSA, the national association of international educators.