More students worldwide and from the U.S. are traveling to other countries to study, according to a report from the Institute of International Education.

The report said that U.S. students attending study abroad programs increased 4 percent from 260,327 to 270,604 in 2009-2010, while foreign students attending school in the United States increased 5 percent in 2010-2011, a new record of 723,277 for international students in U.S. colleges.

UNA has done its part in pushing study abroad programs by offering several trips to students in most major fields of study, professors said.

“I think there’s a combination of reasons UNA has done a lot in the last few years in accepting foreign cultures,” said Dr. Lesley Peterson, associate professor of English at UNA, on why UNA has been successful in supporting study abroad. “UNA as an institution is dedicated to studying abroad. UNA students want what we have to give them in experience and knowledge.”

Peterson, along with Dr. Jeffrey Bibbee, assistant professor of history, is preparing to lead a study abroad trip to London in July for students in English and History in the vein of other study abroad trips they have taken to research London.

dents from being able to participate in the programs.

“It’s expensive,” Peterson said. “There’s also a personal sacrifice involved. I didn’t see my husband for a month. You’re sacrificing both financially and personally, and you have to count the cost.”

Peterson also said that many students could be afraid of traveling to other countries, but that the strength of programs like the one at UNA is that professors can get involved much more personally.

“We’re all just a big bunch of nerds,” Peterson said. “They get a lot of individual attention as scholars. It’s a supported independence kind of thing.”