General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)

Higher Education and the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)

In 2000, the United States representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) proposed adding higher education services to the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The purposes of GATS are to expand free trade in services, open markets, and facilitate economic growth. GATS also covers the following service sectors: communications; construction and engineering; distribution; environment; financial; health; tourism and travel; recreation, cultural, and sporting; and transportation. The higher education services market was estimated in 1999 at approximately $30 billion, with the United States holding the largest market share.

GATS' impact on higher education markets

• An Overview of Higher Education and GATS
• U.S. Update on the GATS negotiations and issues for higher education: March 2007 (also available in PDF [59 KB])
• U.S. Update on GATS: January 2004 by Madeleine Green
• Remarks by ACE President David Ward at OECD/US Forum on Trade in Educational Services, May 23–24, 2002, Washington, DC

ACE's position on GATS

• Letters to the United States Trade Representative
  • June 20, 2001 (152 KB; PDF)
  • March 7, 2003 (70 KB; PDF) (attachment [81 KB; PDF])
  • March 6, 2007 (88 KB; PDF)
    
• Letter to the United States International Trade Commission
  • June 26, 2007 (128 KB; PDF)
    
• Letter from the United States Trade Representative
  • June 7, 2007 (170 KB; PDF) 

Additional information:

• Trade in Higher Education and GATS Basics  (UNESCO)
• GATS (WTO) and Higher Education Implications (International Association of Universities)

Please direct questions about this page to:
cii@ace.nche.edu | Staff Contacts
Download our information brochure (PDF)
This page last updated on: 09/02/2008