According to a new report released by the Institute of International Education, the number of American students enrolled in Arabic and Middle Eastern studies has increased while the number of students studying abroad in the Middle East has remained low. Statistics from the report said that only 1 percent of students enrolled in for-credit study abroad programs fulfilled their credits at Middle Eastern institutions. Experts said that this phenomenon is largely due to the safety concerns many American students have about studying in such regions. The report said that many American institutions grant credit for relatively few study-abroad programs in the Middle East, usually only for those they manage or those that are closely affiliated with other American institutions.