The Institute of International Education (IIE) announced today that its Treasurer and Trustee, Mark Angelson, after stepping down as Chicago's Deputy Mayor later this year, will succeed Dr. Henry Jarecki as Chairman of IIE's Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) and of SRF's scholar selection committee. Dr. Jarecki is one of the founders of SRF and has served as its Chairman as it grew from a start-up initiative into a thriving international rescue effort that has saved the lives and work of nearly 500 threatened academics around the world. 

IIE has been a world leader in the rescue of persecuted scholars since its founding in 1919. During the 1930s, IIE's Assistant Director, Edward R. Murrow, worked to rescue more than 300 threatened European scholars, several of whom went on to win Nobel Prizes.

In 2002, IIE and co-founders George Soros, Henry Kaufman, Thomas Russo, and Dr. Jarecki launched SRF as a formalized response to this ongoing international dilemma, creating a fund that is ready to respond quickly to urgent crises and to assist individual scholars who have immediate need. The outstanding commitment to SRF of these noted financial world leaders has made a remarkable impact in protecting threatened academics and advancing academic freedom around the world. SRF provides fellowships and safe haven for established scholars whose lives and work are threatened in their home countries. SRF, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has been supported by prominent international philanthropic institutions, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the Open Society Institute, as well as the U.S. Department of State.

IIE President and CEO Allan E. Goodman said, "IIE has been privileged to benefit from Mr. Angelson's knowledge and expertise as a member of the SRF scholar selection committee throughout his tenure as a Trustee. He continued to advise us and to mentor Fulbright students during his period of public service. We are grateful to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for acquiescing in Mr. Angelson's return to private life to take on an ever more active role in these key activities of the Institute."

Thomas S. Johnson, Chairman of IIE’s Board of Trustees, said, "We are extremely grateful to Henry Jarecki for his remarkable service and his deep personal commitment to the Scholar Rescue Fund. He has devoted a tremendous amount of time and energy to launching the fund and leading its expansion, and we are pleased to announce that he has agreed to stay on as Chairman Emeritus of the fund. Looking ahead, we are privileged that Mark Angelson has agreed to bring his considerable talent and management experience to leading the Scholar Rescue Fund into the future, building on the strong foundation developed by its founders. We are confident that SRF will continue to grow and flourish with this strong leadership transition."

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "I am grateful to Mark Angelson for his selfless dedication and tireless commitment to the people of Chicago in his role as Deputy Mayor. Mark's outstanding efforts facilitated the creation of tens of thousands of jobs for Chicagoans, unprecedented cooperation with labor unions, the rebirth of World Business Chicago, and the launch of the largest municipal wellness program in the United States, among other initiatives. I have known Mark for many years, and I asked him to join my team with confidence in his ability to support the administration and improve the city. He exceeded my expectations, and his work will pay dividends for years to come. I look forward to continuing our friendship and his professional advice."

Soros, Kaufman, Jarecki, and Russo will receive IIE’s Humanitarian Award for their visionary leadership in founding and guiding SRF at IIE's awards gala on September 18th at New York’s Cipriani Wall Street, where 400 business, education, government, foundation, and policy leaders will celebrate the 2012 award recipients’ commitment to the Institute’s mission of Opening Minds to the World and rescuing threatened scholars.

For more information, including biographies of Mark Angelson and Dr. Henry Jarecki, please visit: www.iie.org/en/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Releases/2012/07-31-2012-Mark-Angelson-Named-New-SRF-Chair.

An article in the New York Times reports on the many successes of the Erasmus Exchange Program over the past 25 years. "By providing a framework and financing for studying and training abroad, [the Erasmus Exchange Program] allows young Europeans to look beyond their national borders when considering their education and their future. The program, which is financed by the European Union and named after the 16th-century Dutch-born pan-European scholar, has made it mainstream in Europe for students to experience adapting to a different culture while learning a new language." Of the 10 percent of European students that study abroad, nearly half receive funding from Erasmus.

To read the full article, please visit: www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/world/europe/30iht-educside30.html?_r=1&_.

According to the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA) newsletter, the European Commission has made available two reports about the Erasmus Mundus Programme (EM). One of the reports, entitled Experience and Lessons Learnt from the First Generation of EMMC, presents the analysis of 36 individual assessments of final reports submitted by first generation Erasmus Mundus Master Courses (EMMC), selected in 2004 and 2005. The other one is a survey report of the combined Cluster on Sustainability and Recognition of Degrees and Joint Degrees project. Drawing on the experience of previous EM projects, both reports aim to identify existing good practices, as well as difficulties faced by EM study program.

Examples of best practices presented in the first report cover areas such as program management, quality assurance, engagement of external actors, promotion and recruitment, and funding. Apart from best practices, it also challenges some myths such as "the more partners the merrier." Both reports conclude that much work is needed to improve the recognition of EM degrees. Despite the reputation of the Erasmus Mundus Programme, there is no such a thing as an "Erasmus Mundus Degree" awarded by a centralized "authoritative" body. Differences in national legislations, institutional administrative regulations, and in academic "scoring cultures" have prevented the award of joint degrees for 19 out of the 36 first-generation EM consortia.

For more information, please click here. 

To download Experience and Lessons Learnt from the First Generation of EMMC, please click here.

To download European Commission: Survey Report—Cluster on Sustainability and Recognition of Degrees and Joint Degrees, please click here.

An article in the New York Times reports on Japanese universities such as Akita International University that are bucking tradition by implementing innovative internationalization strategies. Such strategies are particularly timely, as "Japanese corporations need more graduates capable of helping them globalize, and as the universities themselves look to draw more students as the Japanese population ages."

To read the full article, please visit: www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/world/asia/30iht-educlede30.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all.

A new report by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada demonstrates that international students contribute substantially to the Canadian economy. Launched by the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, the report places the total value of international students’ presence in Canada in 2010 at nearly $8 billion, up from $6.5 billion in 2008.

Statistics in the report, prepared by Roslyn Kunin & Associates, include: 

• International student spending in 2010 totaled in excess of $7.7 billion, generated $445 million in government revenue, and created 81,000 jobs
• Short-term study at language schools accounted for $788 million of the total
• An additional $336 million can be attributed to tourism in Canada by international students, their friends and family
• International student expenditures represent 43.7 percent of the value of Canadian exports to Saudi Arabia, with substantial percentages for other key sending countries such as India (27.9 percent).

The report recommends recognizing international education as a major export sector and initiating a more robust, coordinated approach to data collection and reporting.

To read the full report, please visit: www.international.gc.ca/education/report-rapport/economic-impact-economique/index.aspx?lang=eng&view=d.

An article in the Wall Street Journal features an in-depth look at the Saudi government scholarship program, in the context of U.S.-Saudi relations. It also looks at the social impact on the students and their families from living and studying in the United States, and the impact on Saudi Arabia of having had many of country's leaders educated in the United States.

To read the full article, please visit: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304830704577492450467667154.html.

An article in The Jakarta Post reports on the increasing number of foreign students who are opting to study in South Korea during the summer. Several factors have contributed to this surge, such as local colleges’ continued efforts to revitalize their summer programs and help non-Korean students get hands-on experience of South Korean culture.

To read the full article, please visit: www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/07/30/korea-becomes-hot-summer-school-destination.html.

The Rowe Fund, a student loan program of the Organization of American States (OAS), helps citizens from Latin American and Caribbean OAS member countries finance a portion of their studies or research at accredited universities in the United States by awarding interest-free loans. Prospective applicants must be accepted to, or currently studying at, an accredited U.S. university and demonstrate good academic records in addition to full-time enrollment. Applications are received and reviewed on a year-round basis. The maximum loan amount per student is $15,000.  

For eligibility requirements and application forms, visit: www.oas.org/en/rowefund or www.facebook.com/rowefund. Please send any questions to: rowefund@oas.org.

The International and Foreign Language Education office (IFLE) of the U.S. Department of Education administers a variety of international education programs. IFLE continually seeks qualified individuals, in particular language and area studies specialists, to serve as readers for grant competitions.

 

Readers participate in a panel review of applications, and are provided with modest compensation. Most reviews are conducted electronically, via the Department’s G5 system, and travel will not be necessary. In cases where travel is necessary, readers are provided with roundtrip travel, hotel room, and meal allowances. The review process involves orientation, reading of applications, and regularly scheduled discussions with other panelists. Scores are based on predetermined selection criteria for each program. Panel reviews normally last one to two weeks. 

 

If you are interested in being considered for this opportunity, and feel that you have the appropriate qualifications, please submit an online application at http://opeweb.ed.gov/frs/index.cfm and click on the link for the FRS Registration Page.  

 

Programs include: 

 

FULBRIGHT-HAYS PROGRAMS:

• Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA)
• Faculty Research Abroad (FRA)
• Group Projects Abroad (GPA)
• Seminars Abroad (SA)

TITLE VI OF THE HIGHER EDUCATION ACT PROGRAMS:

• American Overseas Research Centers (AORC)
• Business and International Education (BIE)
• Centers for International Business Education (CIBE)
• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS)
• Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP)
• International Research and Studies (IRS)
• Language Resource Centers (LRC)
• National Resource Centers (NRC)
• Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access (TICFIA)
• Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) 

To learn more about IFLE Programs, please visit our web site at www.ed.gov/ope/iegps.

This fall the Boren Scholarships and Fellowships will offer six workshops for campus representatives and interested faculty and staff, while the Fulbright Student Program will hold two workshops. If you would like to attend any of the workshops, please RSVP via email with your name, institution, and phone number to boren@iie.org. You may also contact us with any questions at 1-800-618-NSEP.

August 29 (Wednesday): San Francisco, CA

Location: San Francisco State University

Schedule: 9am-noon Boren Scholarships and Fellowships; 1-4pm Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

August 31 (Friday): Boston, MA

Location: Northeastern University

Schedule: 9am-noon Boren Scholarships and Fellowships; 1-4pm Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

September 14 (Friday): Washington, DC

Location: IIE Washington, DC Office

Schedule: 9am-noon Boren Scholarships and Fellowships

October 4 (Thursday): Chicago, IL

Location: Loyola University Chicago

Schedule: 9am-noon Boren Scholarships and Fellowships

October 19 (Friday): Raleigh, NC

Location: North Carolina State University

Schedule: 9am-noon Boren Scholarships and Fellowships

November 15 (Thursday): Philadelphia, PA

Location: Drexel University

Schedule: 9am-noon Boren Scholarships and Fellowships

The call for presentations for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ (HACU) 10th International Conference is now open. The conference will take place February 27-March 1, 2012 in San Antonio, Texas. The deadline to submit proposals is October 15th.

Speaker proposals under the conference theme, "Creating Global-Minded Environments on Our Campuses," can be made in any of the following five conference tracks:

• International Education Policy
• International Mobility
• Innovation in International Education
• Best Practices in International Education
• Workforce Development

For detailed guidelines on the submission process and to submit your online proposal, visit www.hacu.net/hacu/Call_for_Presentations_(IC)1.asp. For questions about proposals, please contact Alicia Martinez, HACU’s Senior Executive Director of International Affairs and Membership, at amartinez@hacu.net or by phone at (210) 576-3244. 

 

The Institute of International Education is currently preparing the 2013 edition of its annual directory Funding for United States Study: A Guide for International Students and Professionals, the print companion to IIE's online search engine www.fundingusstudy.org. 

With more than 500 grant and scholarship listings, Funding for United States Study is the most comprehensive directory on finding funding for study in the United States. It features detailed descriptions of grants, fellowships, and scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study, and doctoral and postdoctoral research in the United States. All listings are free of charge and provide an excellent opportunity to publicize your institution's programs. 

For institutions whose listings appeared in the previous year's directory, we ask that you verify and update your listings and contact information or add new listings by visiting:  www.fundingusstudy.org/OVS/login0.asp.

Institutions whose listings did not appear in previous years' directories can add their scholarships or grants that are available for international students by visiting: www.fundingusstudy.org/OVS/EditInstitution.asp?AC=New.

With questions, please contact lepplin@iie.org.

The International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) office at the U.S. Department of Education announces that the Fiscal Year 2012 competition for the Title VI American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program is now open. The due date for submitting applications is August 24, 2012. 

The AORC Program provides grants to consortia to establish or operate overseas research centers that promote postgraduate research exchanges, and area studies; and provides opportunities for students and researchers to conduct studies using authentic texts and primary resources in the languages of the region.

 

AORC centers have been located in Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, Jerusalem, Jordan, Senegal, Tunisia/Morocco, Turkey, and Yemen. 

 

Please go to www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsaorc/applicant.html for additional information.  

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) announces an open competition for one or more assistance awards to administer the FY2013 Community College Initiative Program, which will support study by international undergraduate students at accredited U.S. community colleges. The Program provides quality educational programs, leadership and professional skills development, practical professional experience, community engagement, and programming that builds mutual understanding and knowledge about American society and culture to underserved, non-elite international students, particularly women, who already have some work experience.  

For more information, including program goals, eligibility, and application materials, please visit: http://exchanges.state.gov/grants/open2.html.