The Institute of International Education is requesting photos for use in our printed and Internet-based communications that tell the visual story of IIE and the students/scholars/teachers who participate in our programs. Our goal is for the viewer to communicate the breadth of our work and the impact of our programs.

This is an opportunity for you to:

• Share the importance of your work
• Inspire other grantees
• Gain artistic recognition
• Win prizes! (including gift cards to Amazon or a travel guide book)

IIE is seeking a well-rounded group of images that represent the international scope of our work, not only geographically, but also in ethnicity, age, and the multidisciplinary aspect of their work. It is important that photos show participants in professional situations that are representative of their field of study or profession. Please help us demonstrate the vibrancy of IIE by submitting engaging photos of our programs at work.

 

Only valid contestants will be considered. Valid contestants include any grantees since 2011 from any of IIE's 200+ programs. The deadline for submission is 12:00 PM EST, December 31, 2014. All entries may be used in IIE-related communications such as Annual Report, marketing materials, websites, and videos. If you have any questions regarding the IIE Photo Contest, please e-mail photos@iie.org.

Allan Goodman, IIE President and CEO, discusses the importance of "champions" in helping students overcome the three leading obstacles to study abroad: cost, curriculum, and culture. Goodman calls on freshman advisors, faculty, coaches, parents, and financial aid professionals to help students at every stage of the educational process. "And [IIE] can help such champions at each step of the process to obtain information, scholarships, and know-how," writes Goodman.

Alexandra Ossola’s article in The Atlantic speculates about the short- and long-term impact of Brazil’s Science Without Borders, which is designed to send 100,000 undergraduate and graduate students to international institutions to study the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Brazil’s $2 billion investment to raise the country’s scientific prominence and boost its manufacturing economy is showing early signs of success, though some critics are concerned about its limited focus on higher education and potential contribution to brain drain. 

Bernhard Streitwieser’s post on the World Economic Forum takes a comprehensive look at international education in the United States. Looking primarily at recent Open Doors data, Streitwieser shows that the country has made progress in sending students abroad in the past 15 years and still has a significant lead in its ability to attract international students. He argues, however, that doubling study abroad remains an ambitious goal that will require much greater diversity of student participation.

Trevor Williams’ article in Global Atlanta reports a 9-percent increase in foreign student spending by Georgia university students in 2012–2013. "With 66 universities in the metro area, education and health services account for 12 percent of Atlanta’s employment mix," writes Williams. "Foreign students also contribute to diversity and global competency, while providing a potential pool of internationally experienced labor."

Trade Arabia recently reported that six key partners from industry, research, and academia have formed the Saudi Arabia Advanced Research Alliance (Saara) "to drive the commercialisation and application of innovative research and development activities in Saudi Arabia." According to the article, the alliance will "provide a focal point within Saudi Arabia to bring industry and academia together to find ways to translate technology and intellectual property into commercially available products and applications."

Canton Winer’s article in USA Today discusses recent data released in Open Doors showing a growing popularity of non-European study destinations for U.S. students. "As globalization continues and the economies of Asian countries expand, students are realizing that understanding the languages and cultures of countries outside of Europe will give them a more competitive advantage when looking for jobs, particularly in business," said Stéphanie Maître in an interview for the article.

The New York Film Academy was featured in Popular Astronomy highlighting the school’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) Education Initiatives. The article details an exciting project in which a group of BFA acting and film students from around the world launched weather balloons into near-space while recording the whole experience, resulting in an original short documentary that combined hands-on science education with arts training. This academic term, the New York Film Academy is hosting more than 6,000 students from 109 countries.

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The Association of International Education Administrators would like to invite you to the 2015 AIEA Annual Conference in Washington DC, February 15-18. Please join senior international education leaders from around the world for a provocative, relevant, and rewarding program on the theme "Leading Global Learning: Envisioning New Paradigms." This conference is especially designed for leaders in international higher education. Keynote speakers from countries around the world will provide a variety of perspectives.

The Forum on Education Abroad is offering another opportunity for Generation Study Abroad Commitment Partners to participate in The Forum's Education Abroad Capacity Review. Offered in support of IIE's Generation Study Abroad initiative, this customized Quality Improvement Program review focuses on assessing and expanding education abroad capacity at all types of institutions and organizations. The processes and exercises of this Education Abroad Capacity Review are designed to evaluate the organization’s mission and goals and assess enabling conditions and challenges in light of The Forum’s Standards and the best practices in the education abroad field.

This program is exclusively for Generation Study Abroad Commitment Partners, and an application and fee is required to participate.

 

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.

Questions about the program, hosting responsibilities, or the host campus application should be directed to Allison Viescas, Senior Manager – Operations & Finance, Global EducationUSA Services, Institute of International Education, AViescas@iie.org by December 18, 2014.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) invites highly qualified undergraduate students to apply for scholarships funding study, senior thesis research and/or internships in Germany. The goal of this program is to support study abroad in Germany and at German universities. Preference will be given to students whose projects or programs are based at and organized by a German university. Scholarships are available either as part of an organized study abroad program or as part of an individual, student-designed study abroad semester or year.

IIE’s Center for International Partnerships in Higher Education invites U.S. university and college representatives to join an informational webinar on Friday, December 12th from 2:00-2:30pm on current trends in Colombian higher education and opportunities for U.S.-Colombia university partnerships. The webinar will address the present partnership landscape and opportunities for further engagement between U.S. and Colombian institutions, and will feature presentations by Executive Director of the Colombian Fulbright Commission, Ann Mason, as well as IIE staff. Institutions interested in initiating or furthering partnership activities with counterparts in Colombia are invited to attend the webinar.

Please contact the Center for International Partnerships program staff (cip@iie.org) with any inquiries.

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 a Colombia international partnership initiative.

Following five years of success, the 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 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 IAPP Colombia program:

Application Deadline: December 19, 2014

Program Dates: January 2015-December 2015

Week-Long Study Tour to Colombia: May or June 2015 (TBD)

For further information or to download an application, visit www.iie.org/iapp or contact iapp@iie.org.

Participate in the first ever Virtual Study Abroad Fair on February 25, 2015. The fair, hosted by CollegeWeekLive, the Institute of International Education, and the U.S. Department of State, is a unique opportunity to reach a large number of U.S. students who are considering pursuing a study, intern, or service learning opportunity abroad. 

We invite study abroad organizations and higher education institutions to sign up as exhibitors and promote their programs or services. We also invite Government organizations or national exchange agencies to promote their countries as study destination to U.S. students. There are a range of opportunities to exhibit, deliver a presentation, or sponsor the fair.

Jim Ellis and John D. Heyl’s article on IELeaders.net advocates for a deeper understanding of the factors affecting students’ decision to study abroad. They argue that social, cultural, geographic, and economic issues must be taken into account and that, "until we address some of the core issues in a systematic way proposals such as the ones being made recently may simply be temporary and lacking in long-term sustainability." The article includes analytical models and a recommendation to focus on eight key areas.

In her article in The Atlantic, Amanda Machado shares the unique and subtle lessons that can only be learned while abroad. "My best travel moments came from subtle, personal moments instead of the grandiose, materialistic ones," writes Machado. "That month in Ecuador did more for my character, education, and sense of identity than any other experience in my early life."

Rasha Faek’s article in Al-Fanar Media discusses various efforts by the international community to help meet the needs of university-age youth displaced by the conflict in Syria. Methods range from providing scholarships and encouraging countries hosting refugees to admit Syrian students into their universities to delivering learning opportunities directly to the camps. IIE’s "From Camps to Campus" pilot project, which will provide scholarships to students from the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan to continue their education at nearby universities, is cited as an example of supporting host communities.