BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo ranks 11th among 2,700 U.S. accredited universities in international student enrollment, according to an annual report on international academic mobility released yesterday by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

UB has moved up four spots in the ranking, from 15th in 2004.

The new ranking in IIE's "Open Doors 2005" is based on UB's 2004-05 enrollment of 3,965 international students, which includes undergraduate and graduate students, as well as students taking part in optional practical training programs, such as post-graduation externships. In 2003-04, UB enrolled 3,664 international students.

This fall, 4,003 international students are enrolled at UB among a total enrollment of 27,220 students.

UB's improved ranking comes at a time when international enrollment declined about 1 percent nationally, according to the IIE report.

UB President John B. Simpson said UB's ranking is "particularly heartening news at a time when international enrollment in institutions across the U.S. continues to reflect the challenges of the post 9/11 environment.

"As a public institution with a global impact, UB is enriched and invigorated by the large numbers of excellent students who come from all over the world to study here, and we are committed to opening the doors for academic opportunity and exchange throughout the global higher education community," Simpson added. "The fact that this commitment has only strengthened in the face of considerable challenges is a testament to the outstanding and sustained efforts, foresight and outreach of our Office of International Education."

Stephen C. Dunnett, UB vice provost for international education, said the new ranking and UB's increased international enrollment is "a tribute to the university's farsighted and strategic efforts over the past decade to recruit and retain high-quality, self-funded international students from all world regions.

"UB was among the first public research universities to develop an international enrollment management team with a comprehensive strategy for attracting students from around the world," said Dunnett, who also noted that for the past two years UB has ranked highest among public universities in terms of the percentage of total enrollment that is international.

"Our success is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of our overseas recruitment staff -- Joseph Hindrawan, director of international enrollment management, and Raymond Lew, assistant director."

A large part of UB's success in recruiting and retaining international students is a result of the welcoming environment it provides students from other countries, according to Pauline Anastesia Phoa of North Sumatra, Indonesia, who is pursuing a master's degree in geography at UB after earning a bachelor's degree in business from UB's School of Management.

"UB is quite well known overseas and has a reputation for having a large and diverse international student community," Phoa said. "UB's International Student Association is quite active and made me feel very welcome from the very beginning. They even picked me up at the airport when I first arrived."

According to Dunnett, UB's international reputation has helped it "continue to be a destination of choice for many excellent students, particularly those from Asia, despite a tough and highly changeable regulatory environment and greatly increased competition from other U.S. institutions and universities in Australia, Britain, Canada and other countries."

The IIE is the leading not-for-profit educational and cultural exchange organization in the United States. It has conducted the annual statistical survey of the international students in the United States since 1949, and with support from the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs since the early 1970s.

The "Open Doors 2005" report and ranking is available at http://opendoors.iienetwork.org/.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, the largest and most comprehensive campus in the State University of New York.