IIE joins with AACRAO, NACAC, and NAFSA in sharing with our members the following guidance, as each institution implements policies and practices related to Ebola and other global public health concerns. 

Christine Farrugia, Senior Research Officer with the IIE’s Center for Academic Mobility Research, looks at the newly released Open Doors data on U.S. study abroad. "To achieve Generation Study Abroad’s ambitious goal of doubling study abroad by the end of the decade, the US higher education community needs to increase the number of American students abroad by almost 15 percent each year over the next five years," writes Farrugia.

David Callahan discusses in Inside Philanthropy the current and potential role of U.S. foundations and philanthropists in cultivating a beneficial relationship with a rising China. He highlights the Schwarzman Scholars Program’s $300 million commitment to help future world leaders better understand China and Ford’s $1 million to the 100,000 Strong Foundation, which seeks to increase the number of Americans learning Mandarin and studying abroad in China.

As a follow-on to the 2012 edition of Mapping Internationalization on U.S. Campuses, the American Council on Education's (ACE) Center for Internationalization and Global Engagement conducted a study of international joint and dual degree programs administered by U.S. institutions, "Mapping International Joint and Dual Degrees: U.S. Program Profiles and Perspectives." The report includes survey data as well as programmatic examples and advice from a variety of U.S. institutions.

A recent article in University World News discusses student subsidies to gain degrees abroad offered by countries seeking to build their human capital. This approach can be risky, because students may not return to bring back their new skills. Several programs have measures to minimize brain drain. This article shares some of the intended and unintended consequences of these efforts.

The expanded Southeast Asia (SEA) Fair Series merges the mainland SEA fair with the previously separate Indonesian fairs, and features two new cities, Hanoi and Mandalay. The event will be held from January 21th to February 8th and will offer opportunities to meet students in 13 cities and 7 countries where demand for U.S. higher education is growing.

The EducationUSA 2015 SEA Fair Series remains highly cost-effective and a great value: 

• Choose from 4 fairs with Complimentary Registrations (when paired with paid fairs).
• Registration Fees start at just $500 per paid fair.
• Minimum registration commitment is 2 Paid Fairs or $1,450, with matching privilege for 2 Complimentary Registrations in Hanoi, Rangoon, Mandalay, or Brunei.
• In 2014 60+ U.S. institutions participated in the SEA Fairs and met more than 9,000 people.
• Optimized fair dates and venues, and streamlined travel itineraries.
• Speaking slots on pre-fair panels in most cities, by invitation.
• Opportunities to meet high school counselors, varies by city.
• Interpreters provided in some cities.
• Network with dynamic EducationUSA advisers at each fair.

KUBRI is the only career and education fair in Europe with a particular focus on the countries of the MENA region. Companies, universities, and international organisations operating in North Africa and the Middle East are given the opportunity to present their vacancies and meet directly with highly qualified Arab and European graduates and young professionals at Technical University Munich (TUM). Furthermore, as part of the fair’s visitor program, exhibitors may host workshops or company presentations, providing them with increased visibility among the fair audience.

 

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the IIE are pleased to announce the EducationUSA Training Institute: Enhancing Advising Expertise program to take place in the spring of 2015. Accredited U.S. higher education institutions are invited to submit proposals to host the on-campus portion of the Training Institute, April 27, 2015 - May 1, 2015. The EducationUSA Training Institute: Enhancing Advising Expertise (Level 2) program will take place during the spring of 2015. The Level 2 program, designed for experienced advisers, will increase participants’ depth of knowledge on key topics related to advising students, supporting U.S. institutions, managing an advising center, and representing and advocating for EducationUSA to a variety of audiences.

 

Request for Proposal: Groups of accredited U.S. higher education institutions are invited to submit proposals to host the on-campus portion of the EducationUSA Training Institute program.

 

In close collaboration with EducationUSA staff, host campuses will design and carry out the on-campus portion of the training program. Campus responsibilities include securing faculty and staff to deliver training sessions, providing on-campus meeting space and other facilities, and arranging program logistics.

The Civil Society Leadership Awards (CSLA) for the 2015-2016 academic year provide fully-funded Master’s degree study to individuals who clearly demonstrate academic and professional excellence and a deep commitment to leading positive social change in their communities. The purpose of the Program is to directly assist future leaders in countries where civil society is challenged by a deficit of democratic practice in local governance and social development. Awards are available for MA degree study in the select fields at universities participating in the CSLA program.

The Elgin Heinz Teacher Award was authorized by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees in September 2001 and recognizes exceptional teachers who further mutual understanding between Americans and Japanese. The award is presented annually to two pre-college teachers in two categories, humanities and Japanese language, and consists of a certificate of recognition, a $2,500 monetary award, and $5,000 in project funds. It is named in honor of Elgin Heinz for his commitment to educating students about Asia as well as for the inspiration he has provided to the field of pre-college education.

If your institution is seeking to develop strategic institutional partnerships with institutions of higher education, please consider applying for IIE's International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP). IIE’s Center for International Partnerships is pleased to offer two international partnership initiatives for the 2014-2015 cycle: Brazil and Colombia. 

Following five years of success, the International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP) will again guide a select a group of U.S. higher education institutions over the course of a year in strategic planning activities focused on implementing partnerships with counterparts in the country of focus, either Brazil or Colombia. Since 2009, IAPP has engaged almost 100 U.S. higher education institutions in comprehensive, year-long programs aimed at increasing the number of partnerships between U.S. higher education institutions and their counterparts abroad. Past participants have increased faculty exchanges, implemented strategic partnership plans, and expanded study abroad offerings. 

Applications are currently available for the following two IAPP programs:

Application Deadline: extended to November 21, 2014
Program Dates: November 2014-October 2015
Week-Long Study Tour to Brazil: April 2015 (TBD)
Program Fee: $12,500 for IIENetwork member institutions; $14,000 for nonmember institutions

IAPP COLOMBIA

Application Deadline: December 19, 2014
Program Dates: January 2015-December 2015
Week-Long Study Tour to Colombia: May or June 2015 (TBD)
Program Fee: $12,500 for IIENetwork member institutions; $14,000 for nonmember institutions

For further information or to download an application for either program, visit www.iie.org/iapp.

In his article in the latest edition of IIENetworker magazine, Ethan Knight, Executive Director and Founder, American Gap Association, writes about the growing popularity of Gap Years, most notably by universities such as Tufts, Princeton, and Duke University. "The data is indeed showing that students are returning from their gap years not only more likely to study abroad again," writes Knight, "but also more engaged in their campus activities and with improved GPAs over their non-gap year peers."

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In the first of a series of testimonials offered during the IIE's Scholar Rescue Fund Summit last month, Dr. Joanne Bruno, Vice President of Academic Initiatives and Services at New Jersey City University, reflects on the wide-reaching impact an IIE-SRF scholar has had on NJCU’s students, faculty and staff. In the interests of "preserving education for the future of our youth," Dr. Bruno says the Scholar Rescue Fund is a "natural fit" for the university’s strategic initiative to expand and globalize NJCU’s already diverse campus. IIE-SRF thanks Dr. Bruno and the NJCU community for its generosity and invaluable partnership.