The IIE Summit on Generation Study Abroad will feature high‐level plenary debates, solution‐oriented sessions, think tanks and networking opportunities to mobilize commitments and inspire new actions. The IIE Summit will bring together creative thinkers from a variety of perspectives and sectors, including education, business and government leaders and journalists.

To date, more than 600 partners from the U.S. and abroad have joined Generation Study Abroad with a bold vision to double the number of U.S. students studying abroad by the end of the decade.

We've added new speakers to the line-up. Visit the summit website to see what's new, and secure your place today!

The Emergency Student Fund of IIE has awarded 165 grants to Nepalese students at 122 U.S. college and university campuses who face urgent financial need due to the devastating earthquake that struck Nepal in April. IIE awarded approximately $330,000 in funding with grants up to $2,000 each. These grants are made possible with generous funding from the Freeman Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York, as well as anonymous U.S. citizens who share IIE’s commitment to help Nepalese students complete their U.S. studies.

"Our goal is to help relieve the financial burden that was compounding these students' personal distress, and to encourage them to complete their U.S. studies so they could return home with the skills and new knowledge to help rebuild their shattered communities," said IIE President Allan E. Goodman.

This effort is part of IIE’s Emergency Student Fund, for which IIE is currently raising funds to provide emergency grants to post-secondary students matriculated at accredited educational institutions outside their home countries whose sources of support have been impacted by natural disaster or crisis.

IIE Research Officer, Ola Mahmoud, shares five takeaways from her conversation with the 2014 Fulbright Russian International Education Administrators (RIEA) Program cohort. Her first takeaway: "more and more Russian students are turning to neighboring countries in Europe and Asia for cheaper and competitive education alternatives" due to the rising cost of education in the United States.

While significant quality gaps between institutions in Asia and the West remain—according to the editors of Asia: The Next Higher Education Superpower?— the region’s higher education systems are catching up, and are increasingly asserting their ambitions and influence in the region and beyond.—ICEF Monitor

IIE’s Clare Banks, interviewed for the article, argues that the key to helping higher education in emergencies was to leverage funding and networks and to act fast. — University World News

Officials at Westmont College in Santa Barbara hope the tests, which can measure empathy, memory, reason, and other functions, will provide some insight into its value. — The Chronicle of Higher Education

 

Senior U.S. Government officials on the call will provide an update on the President’s Young African Leader’s Initiative (YALI) in advance of President Obama’s travel to Africa this summer and will outline how U.S. organizations can be active partners in advancing the future goals of YALI.

 

The Young African Leaders Initiative is a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. Nearly 1 in 3 Africans are between the ages of 10 and 24, and approximately 60 percent of Africa’s total population is below the age of 35. President Obama launched YALI in 2010 to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance, and enhance peace and security across Africa.

This call is hosted by: The White House, U.S. Agency for International Development, and U.S. Department of State.

In keeping with the new age of digital diplomacy, the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington, DC, has launched a new initiative called the #VirtualAmbassador Program. This program invites universities across the United States to schedule a virtual session for their students to interact live with the Norwegian Ambassador, H.E. Kåre R. Aas.

 

With the use of a webcam, the session begins with a brief presentation from the Ambassador about some of Norway’s top priorities. Topics include the Arctic, peace & reconciliation, girls’ education, as well as the relationship between NATO, Norway, and the United States. Following the Skype presentation Ambassador Aas opens up for an engaging dialogue with the students, providing them with the opportunity to ask follow-up questions about the presentation. 

Students are also encouraged to participate in a virtual Q&A with the Ambassador via his Twitter handle @kareraas, where their questions are included in the presentation.

Please contact anne.charlotte.lindblom@mfa.no to schedule a session with the Ambassador.

Application Deadline: August 3, 2015 | Award Options

South and Central Asia is a dynamic, rich, and diverse region balancing a respect for traditions with increasing engagement in an interconnected world. This region ranges from the vast steppes and rugged mountains of Central Asia to the deserts and tropics of South Asia. It is attractive for U.S. faculty and professionals because of its historic, religious, cultural, and geographic variety.

Bountiful opportunities exist across South Asia for teaching and research. Motivated scholars have an opportunity to make a significant impact in this region, and are likely to be welcomed as the first or only Fulbright U.S. Scholars stationed at certain universities.

With approximately 55 grants available, this is the largest Fulbright award worldwide. It is open to faculty and professionals in all disciplines at all levels to teach and/or conduct research at institutions and organizations across the country.

Conduct research in 2 or 3 countries in the region over 3-9 consecutive months. This award is open to academics and professionals in all disciplines, and a PhD is not required.

Faculty and professionals can teach and/or conduct research for 3-9 months at any appropriate institution in Sri Lanka.

An opportunity for scholars and professionals to teach or teach/research at a university in Business Administration, Economics, or Information Sciences for four to nine months, and a Ph.D. is not required.

 

Six Fulbright Foreign Students were selected by the U.S. Department of State to participate in the third Millennial Trains Project (MTP) voyage across the United States, which left from Los Angeles, CA, on May 21 and ended in Washington, DC, on May 31. They joined 19 American riders on the journey to gain an in-depth understanding of life in the United States and to strengthen their skills in leadership, social entrepreneurship and communication. Check out the blog posts they wrote along the way or watch the 2015 Fulbright-Millennial Trains Video.

The University of Oregon (UO) and its Office of International Affairs (OIA) launched their new study abroad venture called GEO (Global Education Oregon). The new national study abroad program provider was unveiled at the recent 2015 NAFSA conference held in Boston, MA. GEO provides more than 250 study abroad opportunities in 90 countries to UO students and holds partnerships with a network of over 40 colleges and universities throughout the country.

Thirteen students from high schools in Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC, received the IIE Passport Award for Study Abroad. IIE established these planning scholarships in 2014 to create pathways to study abroad for high school juniors, so that they can acquire global skills and expand personal and professional opportunities as part of their college education.

Recipients of the IIE Passport Awards for Study Abroad will be provided with resources on study abroad from IIE and will be paired with a study abroad alumni mentor. In addition, each student will receive a $1,000 scholarship to be used towards the costs of studying abroad once they are enrolled successfully in college and have an approved study abroad plan.

With lead gifts from IIE Chairman Thomas S. Johnson and IIE Treasurer Mark A. Angelson, IIE created the IIE Passport Awards in the belief that we need to build a pipeline of students who plan to study abroad when they get to college in order to make "international" be part of every student’s experience. Research shows that students who study abroad have better grades and more confidence, and are more likely to graduate from college at higher rates than students who do not study abroad.

Laura Kosloff stresses the importance of informed parents in a student’s study abroad experience in her review of A Parent Guide to Study Abroad, published by IIE and the AIFS Foundation. "Parents back home can be a key factor, particularly in today’s world of instant communications, even if those parents are often unseen and unheard," writes Kosloff. "[Their] knowledge and expectations can help make or break a student’s successful integration into a host community as well as transitioning back home."