IIE President Allan Goodman’s special guest blog post "Beyond Student Recruitment: 5 Countries American Universities Should Watch in 2013" was published this week in the Chronicle of Higher Education’s WorldWise Blog, which features "Commentary from globetrotting higher education thinkers." 

In his essay, he offers insight on countries and regions to watch, based on work that IIE has been doing together with U.S. higher education in some key countries and regions.

"International-student recruitment will undoubtedly remain a priority in 2013 for American colleges and universities. China, of course, will continue to be a major focus of those efforts, in addition to new growth markets, like Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Venezuela.

At the institute, however, we have been working with American higher-education institutions to engage with other countries and regions in ways that go beyond student recruitment. Based on our own efforts and the desire that we see on many campuses to develop comprehensive international strategies, we would like to suggest these as places to watch in 2013..."

Read the full blog post here: http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/beyond-student-recruitment-5-countries-american-universities-should-watch-in-2013/31379

Also in the Chronicle of Higher Education's WorldWise blog, Jason Lane and Kevin Kinser put forward five trends that may affect international branch campuses in 2013. 

1. Greater push-back from home campuses. 

2. A shift from expansion to quality.

3. Global competition to be education hubs. 

4. Focus on economic development.

5. Increasing diversity of programs. 

Read the blog entry at: http://chronicle.com/blogs/worldwise/looking-ahead-5-international-trends-for-2013/31279

IIE’s efforts to assist Syrian students and scholars were the subject of an article published in print in the International Herald Tribune on December 31, and online on the New York Times website. The article discusses the effort to provide emergency assistance to students and scholars from Syria, and notes that IIE will soon launch an online portal to connect students from Syria with universities and organizations offering scholarships and assistance. 

To read the article, please go to: www.nytimes.com/2012/12/31/world/middleeast/31iht-educside31.html

Thank you to all the higher education institutions and other organizations that have joined the IIE Syria Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis. We hope more institutions around the world will join this effort. More information can be found at: www.iie.org/syria

Scientific innovation is the focus of a new science, technology and innovation policy announced by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. According to a University World News article, Singh said he would be doubling investment in science in the next five years in order to establish India as a top nation for scientific research. 

India has expanded its research infrastructure in recent years, establishing many new institutions, including 16 new central universities and 10 new national institutes of technology. 

Read more here: www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20130104130038690

A new report published by McKinsey & Company, Education to Employment: Designing a System that Works, seeks to provide answers to a conundrum that governments and businesses around the world are facing: "high levels of youth unemployment and a shortage of job seekers with critical skills. How can a country successfully move its young people from education to employment? What are the challenges? Which interventions work? How can these be scaled up? These are the crucial questions." 

In the report, the authors attempt to answer these questions, based on an analysis of two unique surveys: "The first is an analysis of more than 100 education-to-employment initiatives from 25 countries, selected on the basis of their innovation and effectiveness. The second is a survey of youth, education providers, and employers in nine countries that are diverse in geography and socioeconomic context: Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States."

Download the survey at: http://mckinseyonsociety.com/education-to-employment/report/

A recent article in Inside Higher Ed discusses the practice of conditional admissions of international students and argues that more and more "American colleges seeking to increase their international student enrollments are offering more flexible admission policies than ever before. An increasing number of institutions offer conditional admission programs for students whose English proficiency test scores fall short of minimum cutoffs, and at many colleges the terms of these programs are changing." 

Read the article at: www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/01/03/conditional-admission-and-pathway-programs-proliferate

The forum will be conducting two half-day workshops on January 16 for education abroad professionals. 

(Morning session)

This workshop is a prerequisite for becoming a Peer Reviewer in the Forum’s Quality Improvement Program (QUIP) and focuses on the concept of quality improvement for education abroad, the implementation of the Forum's Standards of Good Practice, and the role and responsibilities of the QUIP Peer Reviewer. For more information, visit www.forumea.org/QUIPworkshopDickinson2013.cfm

(Afternoon session)

After a very brief overview of the Standards, participants will discuss various models used to prepare students, faculty and staff for both the sojourn abroad and the return home. Participants are expected to leave this workshop with plans for improved orientation and re-entry models. For more information, visit: www.forumea.org/Standard4Dickinson.cfm

Workshop elements include:

• Building Strategic Partnerships with Brazil, India, China, and Indonesia: Synergies and Divergences
• Strategic Planning and Garnering Support from Campus Stakeholders: Examples from Brazil, China, and India
• Breaking the Mold: New Models in International Partnerships
• Best Practices for Engaging with Brazil, India, China, and Indonesia
• How International Partnerships Advance Government Goals

Presenters include:

• Daniel Obst, Deputy Vice President, International Partnerships, Institute of International Education
• Clare Banks, Senior Manager, Center for International Partnerships, Institute of International Education
• Jeff Peck, Dean of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, the Vice Provost for Global Strategies, Baruch College
• Heidi Gregori-Gahan, Director, International Programs & Services, University of Southern Indiana
• Anne Schiller, Vice President for Global Strategies, George Mason University
• Peter Baker, International Program Development Officer, University of Montana
• Janice Thomas, Director, International Education Center, Brookdale Community College
• Mohamed El-Aasser, Vice President for International Affairs, Lehigh University
• Joanna Regulska, Vice President for International Affairs, Rutgers University
• Haryo Winarso, Educational Attaché, Indonesian Embassy

For more information and to register, please go to: http://aieaworld.org/events/2013-pre-conference-workshops.htm#developing

The fair is part of the Southeast Asia College Fair Series, hosted by EducationUSA, also includes events in Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Tentative Schedule: 

9:10 am – 9:30 am:     Country Briefing by EducationUSA (and Consular officer from Embassy)

9:30 am – 11:00 am:   Breakfast Reception and Networking  Student/Parent Fair Briefing 

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm:    Information Sessions 

3:00 pm – 8:00 pm:    College Fair

**No registration fee will be charged to participate in the College Fair in Burma. Please visit the following site for registration: http://bit.ly/MSTreg13.

The early-bird registration deadline for the Forum’s Ninth Annual Conference is January 31, after which regular registration fees will apply. The conference theme is "Moving Beyond It Was Great: Student Learning and Development in Education Abroad." 

More information can be found at www.forumea.org/Chicago2013.cfm.

The Forum on Education Abroad will host a Fireside Dialogue for education abroad professionals and language faculty to be held in conjunction with the Ninth Annual Forum Conference in Chicago, IL in April. "Language Learning and Education Abroad" will increase participants’ understanding of the role of foreign language learning in education abroad. This Fireside Dialogue will bring together no more than 30 participants, facilitators and thought leaders in an informal setting for in-depth collegial discussion that leads to practical solutions, which participants can put into action. The leaders, representing diverse areas of higher education and language learning, will share their experience and expertise and engage participants in an open, frank dialogue.

For more information and instructions on how to apply, go to www.forumea.org/FiresideDialogues13.cfm

Dell Social Innovation Challenge acts as an educational innovation community where university students, academia, primary/K12 educators, mentors, judges and fellow students from around the globe can network, share best practices and inspire each other to create social change. The Dell Social Innovation Challenge rewards university students who develop innovative ideas to transform society and offers $350,000 in prizes and awards to help students put their ideas into action. Any undergrad or graduate student in any field of study, from any country, can post all of their innovative ideas on dellchallenge.org for a challenge. Both nonprofit and for-profit ideas are eligible.

For more information on this program, visit www.dellchallenge.org.

The Institute of International Education is pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 9th annual Victor J. Goldberg IIE Prize for Peace in the Middle East. The prize recognizes outstanding work being conducted jointly by two individuals, one Arab and one Israeli, working together to advance the cause of peace in the Middle East. The two individuals whose work is judged to be most successful in bringing people together and breaking down the barriers of hatred will share a $10,000 prize.

We would greatly appreciate your assistance in publicizing this Prize to anyone you know who may be eligible, or who may be interested in nominating others. Please send any questions or comments to goldbergprize@iie.org. 

A copy of the nomination form can be downloaded at www.iie.org/goldbergprize.

The US-UK Fulbright Commission is offering nine exciting and unique opportunities for US undergraduates, who have had little or no opportunity to study in the UK, to follow three to six week programs at world-class UK institutions.  

Since 2010, the Fulbright Summer Institutes provide an immersive academic, cultural and social experience for freshman or sophomore U.S. undergraduates who wish to deepen their knowledge of the United Kingdom and its diverse population while developing their communication, research, and presentation skills.  

The Award will cover program costs for the participants such as the academic program fees, travel, housing, subsistence, and cultural visits. 

For more information, visit www.fulbright.org.uk/fulbright-awards/exchanges-to-the-uk/undergraduates. Or email Valerie Schreiner at Valerie@fulbright.org.uk

IIE President Allan Goodman spoke to South-South News about the history behind IIE’s Scholar Rescue Fund, and about the Fund’s Iraq Scholar Rescue Project, which to date has assisted over 270 scholars from Iraq. South-South news covers international efforts in sustainable economic and social development to advance the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals by sharing best practices. 

A video of the interview can be viewed here.