As enrollment declines or remains flat, public universities in Illinois are competing to recruit students across the country and world.

University officials say fewer students are graduating from the state's high schools and many of them decide to attend college in another state. They say the combination of climbing college tuition and a struggling economy is also contributing to their enrollment woes.

Reports indicate Troy Johnson, Illinois State University's associate vice president of enrollment management, says competition for all students has become "supercharged." He says universities are forced to look to new markets through out-of-state or international students.

Last year Northern Illinois University created a new position, vice president of international affairs, to attract more international students. The new focus caused international student enrollment to increase by 30 percent.