Dear IIENetwork Members, 

We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and his three colleagues in Benghazi, Libya. It is our belief that educational linkages and exchanges of students are the surest way to build understanding between the future leaders of both countries—an effort that the U.S. Embassy in Libya strongly supported under Ambassador Stevens’ leadership. Just prior to this tragic event, the Embassy led two bi-national conference calls to explore how the higher education community in the United States and Libya can work together to rebuild and strengthen academic linkages. Now, more than ever, it is important that we all continue the important work that our colleagues started. 

The State Department's statement is available at: www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2012/09/197630.htm.

On Opening Minds, IIE’s recently launched blog, Daniel Obst, IIE’s Deputy Vice President of International Partnerships, discusses last week’s conference call that was conducted by IIE and JP Morgan and that focused on "Models for Expanding U.S. Universities' Global Presence: Strategic and Financial Issues." This call featured distinguished panelists from The Ohio State University and New York University, and addressed the strategic, administrative, and financial aspects of establishing a physical presence abroad, such as branch campuses, liaison offices, and other models of on-site representation.

Obst writes specifically about each institution’s "distinct model of international engagement": Ohio State’s Global Gateways, and New York University’s concept of a "Global Network University." Obst concludes with key themes and questions that higher education institutions should keep in mind when considering the financial and administrative aspects of global engagement. 

To read the full post, please visit: www.iie.org/Blog/2012/September/Models-for-Expanding-US-Universities-Global-Presence.

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has just released its annual Education at a Glance report. According to an article in Inside Higher Education, some of the key findings include:

• In 2010, more than 4.1 million students were enrolled in higher education outside their country of citizenship. This figure has increased dramatically, by 99 percent since 2000. In 1975, there were a mere 0.8 million students enrolled in foreign degree programs worldwide. 
• Students from Asia make up 52 percent of students studying outside their home country. 
• The most popular host countries are the United States (which attracts 17 percent of all international students), the United Kingdom (13 percent), Australia (7 percent), France (6 percent), and Germany (6 percent). The United States’ share of international students has declined from 23 to 17 percent over a decade.

To download Education at a Glance 2012, please visit: www.oecd.org/edu/eag2012.htm. To read the article in Inside Higher Education, please visit: www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/09/11/oecd-releases-report-global-education-trends#ixzz26AT5JmIi. 

The Institute of International Education invites you to nominate your program for the 2013 Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education. IIE created these awards to honor outstanding initiatives in international higher education by IIENetwork member universities and colleges. IIE's Heiskell Awards showcase the most innovative and successful models for internationalization of campuses, study abroad, and international partnerships in practice today. There are four award categories for 2013.

Read more about the award categories and download the application at: www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/IIENetwork-Membership/Heiskell-Awards.

 

If you have any questions about nominating for the Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education, please send an email to HeiskellAwards@iie.org.

The U.S. Department of State posted the remarks that Tara Sonenshine, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, gave at Drake University on September 10, 2012. In these remarks, Under Secretary Sonenshine discusses the importance of educational and cultural exchange programs abroad. As she notes, "study abroad for American students puts our own young people into direct and meaningful contact with [young, diverse] populations. It allows them to form lifelong ties and form enduring networks. That vibrant flow of exchange students creates a bridge—between our country and other nations. That is the essence of people to people diplomacy." 

As for the benefits, Under Secretary Sonenshine argues that an international exchange "enhances your ability to build global skills—an essential tool for the interconnected 21st century. It helps you become more competitive—an important attribute for your own futures. And it helps our country: The more competitive you are, the more competitive America is." Under Secretary Sonenshine noted that the Fulbright Program has been particularly effective at giving participants "the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, and exchange ideas in each others’ countries."

To read the full remarks, please visit: www.state.gov/r/remarks/2012/197511.htm.

An article in Deutsche Welle reports on the new "blue card" that Germany has introduced to help recent foreign graduates of German higher education institutions obtain work and residency permits. "Those with a university degree and a job with an average annual salary of 44,800 euros will be allowed stay in Germany for up to four years. And, for engineers and scientists, the salary requirements for a permit are even lower, as Germany is in great need of their skills and expertise."

To read the full article, please visit: www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,16221080,00.html.

The Government of Gujarat is organizing an International Roundtable for Academic Institutions (IRAI) on January 9-10, 2013, in Gujarat, India. IRAI will act as a catalyst for universities in Gujarat to build international relationship with foreign institutions for promoting long-term, sustainable, strategic partnerships in the areas of education process, research activities, faculty and student exchange, and knowledge exchange and capacity building of universities.

The expected outcomes of IRAI include:

• Aspire for meaningful affiliations and an enabling relationship with industry, educational institutions, and students
• Visualize future trends that will inspire and drive the academic institutions of tomorrow
• Establish a network between leading national and international educational institutes
• Gain a deeper understanding of the universities in the state and their requirements from their counterparts
• Develop an agenda for collaboration that is both relevant and practical
• Forge a sustainable partnership that translates into a mutually beneficial relationship

For questions about the conference, please contact Dr. Vedant Pandya at vedantvp@gmail.com.

Higher education institutions and professionals engaged in the development and implementation of international programs at their institutions are invited to participate in the 8th annual APAIE Conference and Exhibition to be held in Hong Kong on March 11-14, 2013. Hosted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the conference offers extensive opportunities for international educators to examine the impact of an emerging region on higher education under the theme: "An Ascendant Asia-Pacific: International Higher Education in the 21st Century."  

Over 1,000 delegates from around the world will take part in this conference to learn about opportunities and challenges facing international educators today, and to build regional and global networks. The conference will feature a large-scale exhibition, pre-conference workshops, parallel sessions, networking opportunities, visits to local universities, and a Hong Kong city tour. Parallel sessions will cover the following six strands:

• Region Reports: national plans, policies and trends; factors effecting higher education development.
• Student Mobility and Support Services: student learning and development, advising, and crisis management.
• Partnerships and Collaborations: Asia-Pacific alliances, international initiatives, and networks.
• Programs, Models, and Curriculum: internationalization at home, off-shore initiatives, and education for global citizenship.
• Managing the International Office: structures, inter-university relations, and professional development.
• Internationalization Strategies: institutional policies and practices in Asia and beyond.

Details about registration, exhibition, and sponsorship opportunities of APAIE 2013 are now available at www.apaie.org/conference/2013. For inquiries and to subscribe the e-newsletter of the APAIE 2013 Conference and Exhibition, please email apaie2013@cuhk.edu.hk.

Organized in partnership with the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, the International Association of Universities (IAU) 14th General Conference will take place on November 27-30, 2012, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The theme of the conference is, "Higher Education and the Global Agenda: Alternative Paths to the Future." 

This conference will examine the role of higher education and research in addressing the numerous and critical challenges on the "global agenda." In plenary and concurrent sessions, leaders of higher education will consider the responsibilities of higher education institutions in contributing to meeting such objectives as the Millennium Development Goals; they will debate different funding models and how they steer the development of higher education; and they will question the new internationalization agenda.

For more information and to register, please visit: www.iau-aiu.net/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=45.

Freeman-ASIA provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Applicants should have a minimum 2.8 GPA. The program's goal is to increase the number of Americans with firsthand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. Awards of up to $5,000 are available for spring programs. Award recipients are required to share their experiences with their home campuses or communities to encourage study abroad by others.

The student application deadline is October 10, 2012. The adviser endorsement deadline is October 17, 2012.

For more information, eligibility requirements, and the online application, please visit: www.iie.org/freeman-asia. If you have questions, please contact freeman-asia@iie.org.

Now is the time to renew your IIENetwork membership, which will allow you to continue to take full advantage of the many resources IIE offers. IIE membership renewal forms for the 2012/2013 academic year have been sent by email to the membership contact at each member institution. If you have not yet renewed your IIE membership, please take a moment to complete your renewal by September 28, 2012.  

IIENetwork is IIE's membership program, with over 1,100 member institutions around the world. Each IIENetwork designee is an important link in a network of over 7,000 individuals with a commitment to the internationalization of their institutions. As an IIENetwork member, you benefit from international education publications, resources, discounts, and sharing best practices. IIE's offices around the world work closely with members to assist you in accessing IIE's expertise and information on the many programs for which your students and faculty may be eligible. 

As an IIENetwork member, your campus will receive complimentary copies of our valuable print resources, including the Open Doors report, IIEPassport Study Abroad Directory, the IIENetwork Handbook for International Educators, the IIENetworker magazine, and more. You will also be able to access members-only data on www.iie.org, and receive member discounts for IIE's Recruitment Fairs in Asia. Finally, your IIENetwork membership ensures that you are eligible to nominate the innovative programs at your campus for the 2013 Andrew Heiskell Awards. 

You can renew your membership, update your designees, and pay the membership dues for your institution online. For more information on how to renew online, visit www.abdi-ecommerce.com/iie/emailresponse.asp. If you need an invoice, or for more information, please email membership@iie.org.

The Institute of International Education is currently preparing the 2013 edition of its online directory Study Abroad Funding, which can be found at www.studyabroadfunding.org.

With hundreds of scholarship and grant listings, Study Abroad Funding is the most comprehensive directory for U.S. students to find funding for studying abroad. The website features detailed descriptions of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, grants, and paid internships for U.S. undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate students. These are searchable by name, field of study, continent, and country. All listings are free of charge and provide an excellent opportunity to publicize your institution's programs. The deadline to add or update your programs is September 14, 2012.

Please take the opportunity to update your existing scholarship listings or to add new funding opportunities and scholarships.

For institutions whose listings already appear on the Study Abroad Funding website, we ask that you verify and update your listings and contact information or add new listings by visiting: www.naylornetwork.com/iiestab/. For questions about your password, please email jbunkin@naylor.com.

Institutions can also purchase Premier Listings, which offer heightened visibility on the Study Abroad Funding website by appearing in alphabetical order on top of all basic listings. Institutions that opt for Premier Listings can also include an add-in video with their listing. For more information on Premier Listings, please email Jeff Bunkin at jbunkin@naylor.com.

Institutions whose listings do not appear on the Study Abroad Funding website can add their study abroad scholarships or grants that are available for U.S. students by visiting: www.naylornetwork.com/iiestab/Update.asp?NewRec=y.

With questions, please contact lepplin@iie.org.

An article in the Chronicle of Higher Education reports on the growing number of U.S. higher education institutions that offer study abroad programs to incoming freshmen before the academic year begins. As the article notes, these programs "help globalize the curriculum and student body, accommodate enrollment of more freshmen without straining home-campus facilities, and recruit top students. While students who are already highly motivated are most likely to apply, administrators say international experience generally increases the confidence of any student, both academically and socially, and that alumni of the trips often become student leaders on campus."

To read the full article, please visit: http://chronicle.com/article/For-a-Growing-Number-of/134092/.