Duquesne University, along with 11 other colleges and universities, has become part of the GlobalPittsburgh Education Partnership, which works toward increasing international student enrollment in the Pittsburgh Metro area.

GlobalPittsburgh, formerly the Pittsburgh Council for International Visitors, recently reorganized and started several new initiatives, including efforts to provide support for international students in the region and to provide the higher education institutions with access to resources they need to handle the varying needs of international students.

The partnership's goal is to raise international student enrollment by 10 percent over the next five years, according to Tom Buell, vice president of communications.

Buell said GlobalPittsburgh will utilize its existing network of embassies and consulates to promote the Pittsburgh region and all the GPEP members to prospective international students.

Joe Decrosta, director of the office of international programs at Duquesne, said in order to improve the experience of international students, the University works with educational consultants in other countries, who act as cultural guides to help the University and the international families understand one another.

Decrosta said his office uses different methods to attract new students to Duquesne, including traveling abroad to recruit. Helen Auckland, the assistant director of international admissions, is going to India in September. Decrosta said either he, Auckland or another member of the office goes abroad for the purpose of attracting international students each semester.

"We're heavily focused on India and China, but also parts of Latin America and the Middle East," he said. "We're also looking to enhance the relationships with universities that we have exchange programs with."

Decrosta said Duquesne has its largest exchanges with Germany and the Netherlands.

Rebecca Lee, director of international student services and enrollment at Point Park University, a member of GlobalPittsburgh, said Point Park is looking to make connections "without traveling thousands of miles," by finding the students that "are in our own backyard."