Once again, our group of higher education associations is jointly surveying its members/member institutions to gather data comparing this fall’s international student enrollments with last fall’s. The partner organizations are: American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), American Council on Education (ACE), Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), Institute of International Education (IIE), and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

The purpose of this survey is to obtain quick and early feedback on enrollment trends so far this academic year (starting in Fall 2015). By sharing this information (in aggregate form) with the international education community and the media, we hope to develop a wider understanding among the press, the general public, and policy makers at state and national levels, about how higher education institutions continue to be affected by the various factors which impact international enrollments.

If you do not yet have final fall registration figures, we ask that you provide your best early estimates. All institutional-level responses will be anonymous and only aggregate numbers will be shared. We ask for your contact information only to insure that no more than one reply is received per institution, and to facilitate follow up if there are any questions. 

The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education, is interested in hearing from U.S. colleges and universities about their language goals for AY 2016-17. The FLTA Program enables young educators to refine their teaching skills, increase their English language proficiency and extend their knowledge of the cultures and customs of the United States. FLTAs engage in non-degree studies at accredited post-secondary U.S. educational institutions while assisting in foreign language departments. For additional information on the Fulbright FLTA Program or to have your contact details added to the program’s distribution list, please contact fltaevents@iie.org.

The applications for the 2016-2017 David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships are now available at www.borenawards.org. Boren Awards provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East, where they can add important international and language components to their educations. Boren Scholars and Fellows represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. The Boren Awards are initiatives of the National Security Education Program (NSEP) and are administered by the Institute of International Education.

The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (Stevens Initiative) is a multilateral private-public partnership designed to increase people-to-people exchange between youth in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa, as a lasting tribute to the legacy of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens.

The Stevens Initiative has launched an award competition to fund virtual exchanges that equip young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa to communicate with respect and understanding across diverse cultures and perspectives. The competition is open to U.S. organizations that work with young people, primarily but not limited to those enrolled in secondary through post-secondary education, and that either have operated or are interested in operating cross-cultural exchanges.

The Cultural Services of the French Embassy, in partnership with Kickstarter and OrgSync, have established the France on Campus Award under the patronage of film director Wes Anderson to discover, celebrate, and support initiatives that explore France in new and creative ways. The Award is intended to help student organizations eager to launch or continue a major France-related project on campus by providing a unique package of funding, mentoring and networking. With this support, awardees will be expected to expose new audiences to France and French culture on their campus and beyond.

The Washington International Education Conference (WIEC) features seminars with the latest information on international student recruitment and includes information on new and on-going scholarship programs. Pamela Barrett will speak on "What Matters Most," the strategies, activities and actions which can make the most difference in the effectiveness of an international student recruitment and global marketing initiative. The Conference includes meetings at key Embassies and sponsoring organizations, the Conference Reception and two luncheons.  Registration will close when capacity has been reached.

The Fulbright International Education Administrators Program provides fully funded grants for U.S. higher education administrators to participate in an intensive two-week seminar abroad. Participants learn about other countries' higher education systems, and they develop new perspectives and insights for improving internationalization opportunities on their campus.

 

Seminars include

• Campus visits with a cross-section of universities and colleges
• Briefings with faculty and administrators, government officials, and leading educational experts at public and private institutions
• Tours of historical and cultural sites

For general inquiries, please contact Scholars@iie.org.