What the federal government is already doing.
	What the executive branch proposes to do as part of the international education initiative.

The ideas contained in the executive branch proposal sections are provided to encourage discussion. In most cases, they are neither funded, nor scheduled to be undertaken. The discussion paper ends with an invitation for public-private collaboration and examples of the kinds of activities that interested groups and individuals might undertake.

What Progress has Been Made on the International Education Initiative To Date?
Seven months after its inception, important progress has been made in meeting the challenge set forth in the President's directive. The Departments of State and Education, in consultation with the National Endowment for the Humanities and USAID, developed a collaborative strategy to begin implementing the directive. The ten core areas of the President's directive were divided among four working teams. Meeting over a period of several months, the teams identified long and short-term goals and proposed recommendations. Officials from non-governmental organizations and educational institutions interested in international education were briefed on the directive, and their views solicited. This discussion paper summarizes the results of these recommendations and discussions. The conversations have contributed to a renewed sense of public-private cooperation and collaboration in the field of international education.

In addition to developing the proposals in the 10 core areas summarized on the following pages, agencies have already accomplished the following cross-cutting activities:

	Organized International Education Week November 13-17, 2000, to stimulate interest in learning more about other countries and cultures. This activity is designated a White House Millennium Event. Ambassadors to the United States from over 90 countries will visit U.S. schools and colleges; U.S. Ambassadors have been asked to visit schools and colleges in the countries to which they are posted; international classroom-to-classroom connections via the Internet are being facilitated. Over 100 events in many different nations are part of the Week.
	Prepared for the December 5, 2000 release of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study - Repeat, which will compare the achievement of U.S. 8th grade students with that of 38 other nations.
	Incorporated international education into the strategic plans of agencies including the U.S. Department of Education and National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as Department of State bureaus and missions abroad.
	Held "Partnerships for the Education of Future Global Business Leaders: A Conference on Educational, Business, and Governmental Alliances," the first of a series of international conferences on cross-national academic partnerships in professional education to be planned and co-funded by the U.S. Department of Education and Human Resources Development Canada (September 21-23, 2000).
	Added a significant international component to the Secretary of Education's annual Technology Conference (held this year on Sept. 11-12, 2000), and convened a companion International Forum on Distance Learning (held September 13th).
	Planned a review of the field to identify existing data and gaps in the data in the field of international education, and developed plans for an easy-access database for policy makers of key research findings in the field.
	Completed a study of the international student recruitment efforts of other countries.
	Held a follow-up workshop with Millennium International Volunteer Award winners in October 2000 to discuss strategies for promoting international educational exchange in the U.S.
	Commissioned a study of how the costs of study abroad are reflected in the accounting methods of post secondary institutions, to determine the costs and benefits to institutions for encouraging study overseas.
	Increased funding for basic education within USAID to provide technical assistance and resources to help nations with participatory planning to prepare credible national Education for All Action Plans.
	Created a new presidentially ordered $300 million Global Food for Education Initiative to provide early childhood and school feeding programs as important incentives to help nations achieve quality education for all.
	Secured a commitment from the World Bank that it would double lending for basic education from $1 billion to $2 billion annually.
	The Department of State formed an Overseas Security Advisory Council University Working Group to develop safety programs and establish guidelines for students and faculty traveling and studying abroad.
	Held international conferences to share education expertise:
		"Turning Around Low Performing Schools" October 4-6, 2000 in Washington D.C., co-sponsored by the U.S Department. of Education and U.K. Department of Employment and Education.
		APEC "New Trends in Student Assessment" Conference October 23-25 in Los Angeles, co-led by the U.S. and China
		International summit/webcast on disability studies, October 16-17, 2000 sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute for Disability Rehabilitation Research.
	Created a web-based "Teacher's Guide to International Collaboration on the Internet" to help teachers connect their classrooms with classrooms in other countries. See http://www.ed.gov/Technology/

The agencies welcome comments on the proposals contained in this paper, and urge our partners in other sectors who are committed to international education to work together with us, as well as to continue to design their own collaborative and complementary projects and approaches in support of the initiative.

What Work Is Already Being Done, and What Needs to be Done in the Ten Core Areas of the International Education Directive?

CORE AREA 1 | CORE AREA 2 | CORE AREA 3 | CORE AREA 4 | CORE AREA 5

CORE AREA 6 | CORE AREA 7 | CORE AREA 8 | CORE AREA 9 | CORE AREA 10

The Issue: The number of U.S. students studying abroad (129,770 are reported to have received credit for study abroad in 1998-99) is low compared to the number of U.S. students in higher education (up to 15 million, depending on definition) and to the number of foreign students (514,723 studying in the U.S. in 1999-2000). In addition, most U.S students who study abroad do so in Western Europe. Traditional exchanges are of undeniable benefit, but broadening the scope of exchanges and exchange participants will increase the range of experience and knowledge gained from study abroad. To share the full range of the American experience effectively with the people of other nations, all students, including minorities and the disabled, must be given greater access to study abroad opportunities so that their unique perspective can deepen the understanding of the U.S. overseas. These opportunities should also be extended to elementary and secondary teachers and students.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The Fulbright and related programs provide grants for graduate students, scholars and professionals, teachers and administrators to study and teach abroad. U.S. embassies and Fulbright commissions often assist U.S. institutions in developing strong study abroad programs overseas. The Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) currently provides financial support to U.S. postsecondary educational institutions that form consortia with counterparts in Europe, North America and Brazil, whose governments provide support to their institutions, to develop joint programs that facilitate student exchange. The Department of Education HEA-Title VI provides support to U.S. postsecondary institutions for developing undergraduate study abroad programs in under-represented world regions and for under-represented populations, and for increasing their academic quality.

Several federal agencies promote study abroad through support for programs in foreign languages and cultures, which are described under the fourth directive core area below. U.S. students may use their federal student financial assistance (such as Pell grants and student loans) when studying abroad. For example, last year 13,000 students used the Federal Family Education Loan program to study abroad. The Departments of State and Education provide information to U.S. students wishing to study abroad, through the U.S. Network for Educational Information (USNEI), and the State Department's website which offers information about health and safety aspects of study abroad.

During this year's meeting, the Education Ministers of the G8 industrialized countries (which include the U.S.) adopted the goal of doubling the level of international educational exchanges over the next decade.

	Request increased investment in the existing international curricula development and student mobility consortia programs administered by the Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to increase the number, duration, and diversity of student exchanges, as well as the quality of pre-departure and post-return components.
	Create additional opportunities for graduate study abroad under the Department of State's Fulbright programs.
	Ensure that the opportunities for students of limited financial means to study abroad under the International Opportunity Act of 2000 are widely advertised to student populations that have little exposure to such possibilities and to their families.
	Request increased investment in the Department of Education's Fulbright-Hays programs supporting advanced research, faculty training, group projects, and seminars abroad in under-represented world regions.
	Explore development of an International Postsecondary Network Program within FIPSE to encourage existing consortia of higher education institutions to add institutions in additional countries or geographic regions.
	Request increased investment in the Institute for International Public Policy Program which supports the training of minority students in international affairs.
	Build on existing efforts to focus the NAFSA coop and other State Department programs to encourage study abroad participation by students at community colleges and other institutions which have traditionally been under-represented in such programs.
	Encourage federal programs to establish invitational priorities for the development of additional study abroad opportunities and model study abroad programs, especially in non-traditional locations and for underrepresented populations such as under the Department of Education's HEA-Title VI program.
	Support travel of selected Fulbright Commission directors and U.S. Fulbright alumni to U.S. colleges and universities to discuss advantages of study abroad.
	Revise the Department of Education strategic plan to include an indicator that tracks progress toward the goal of increasing the number and diversity of U.S. students that study abroad.
	Conduct research, including tracking of alumni, and surveys of businesses about the impact of study abroad on career choices and employer hiring decisions.
	Expand a State Department pilot project with South Africa to assist universities there in developing programs that attract U.S. study abroad participants.
	Establish a program of federal matching grants to leverage private, corporate, and university support for study abroad.
	Consider setting a goal that 20% of U.S. students receiving college degrees will study abroad for credit by 2020, and 50 percent by 2040.

The Issue: The more than half-million foreign students studying in the United States spend an estimated nine billion dollars each year in the United States. These students constitute a significant economic and cultural resource for U.S. higher education institutions and the communities in which they are located. They also constitute an important resource to their own nations, and create long-term goodwill between nations. During the past decade, the U.S. share of the total number of foreign students declined from around 40% to 30%. The costs of studying at U.S. institutions, as well as visa, tax, and other policies, constitute barriers for some students who might otherwise come to the U.S. Meanwhile, other countries have adopted policies to attract foreign students, further contributing to the erosion of the U.S. share of the foreign student market.

Department of State affiliated overseas educational advising centers help foreign students and scholars select and contact U.S. colleges and universities. However, government funding for overseas educational advising has declined over 50% in constant dollars since 1993, diminishing our ability to promote U.S. educational opportunities in foreign markets.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing:The Department of State supports educational information and advising centers throughout the world to provide prospective students and others with information and guidance on U.S. study opportunities. The Fulbright and other academic exchange programs award support to students and scholars from overseas to study in the United States. USAID provides training opportunities, including dual degree options, for over 7,000 professionals from developing nations in areas linked to specific development programs in USAID's Strategic Objective areas. The State Department's advising centers, and the Department of Commerce's Foreign Commercial Service aid U.S. educational institutions' recruitment efforts through support for college and university fairs overseas. The State Department and USNEI provide web-based information to prospective students.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Standardize and strengthen overseas educational information centers to increase their capability to provide comprehensive quality service to international students and scholars seeking educational opportunities in the U.S.
	Request additional Fulbright scholarships for graduate students, including for participation in American studies institutes in the fields of U.S. government, politics, and international relations.
	Award additional fellowships under the Humphrey program, which provides study and professional opportunities in the U.S. to mid-career professionals, and targeted assistance to reinforce Fellows' effectiveness after they go home.
	Expand USAID's support for U.S. participant training linked to high-priority strategic objectives and programs in developing nations.
	Establish an International Education Council which would coordinate efforts to strengthen the U.S. government's commitment to international education.
	Work with community colleges to feature these schools as unique resources for foreign students.
	Develop a web site with complete information for international students on studying in the U.S., including financial aid, testing, and visa information.
	Build a coalition of government and private-sector organizations to support the broad range of international educational information services abroad.
	Hold a Leadership Summit to help federal and state officials, college and university presidents, exchange organizations, business leaders, and other stakeholders to set goals and pledge resources to expand and develop international education initiatives at their institutions.
	Create a media plan to highlight the positive outcomes of international study and exchange; develop better public understanding of the benefits to the U.S.
	Develop a coordinated international student marketing and recruitment strategy for overseas educational advisors; promote the advantages of a U.S. education.
	Create a Foreign Service Regional Educational Specialists Officer corps to provide field-based coordination and assistance on educational advising abroad.
	Encourage the establishment of a public/private loan guarantee program for foreign students in the U.S.

The Issue: Administrative obstacles -- visa restrictions, immigration procedures and tax regulations -- pose a significant burden for foreign students, scholars, and professionals wishing to study or pursue exchange opportunities in the U.S., and make the U.S. less attractive as a study-abroad destination, especially as other countries increase their efforts to attract foreign students. Some of the same factors impede efforts by American students and scholars to study and work in some other countries.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The Department of State is coordinating an inter-agency effort to examine visa policies and procedures affecting international exchange and educational programs. In addition, information is being gathered from U.S. embassies on regulation of education and training in foreign countries that affects the ability of U.S. providers to supply their services at home and abroad.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Working with the international exchange community, develop enhanced training for State Department Consular Officers on the U.S. education system and educational and cultural exchange to help them better evaluate foreign student and exchange visa applications.
	Consult with the education community on identifying barriers to exchange of persons, and possible solutions.
	Establish a multi-agency study team to obtain detailed information on the regulation of education and training in foreign countries which affects U.S. providers' ability to supply their services at home and abroad.
	Ensure that student visa information is available in user-friendly form on Washington and U.S. embassy websites.
	Provide information and guidance regarding exchanges, employment options, and long term opportunities to U.S. school districts that desire to enhance their teaching staff with international expertise.
	Arrange high-level discussions among the Departments of State, Education, Labor, USAID, and the Immigration and Naturalization Service to work out ways to cooperate to overcome barriers to legitimate exchange.
	Revise regulations to maximize the availability of federal student financial aid for study abroad.
	Explore ways to adequately staff consular services overseas in order to expedite visa information and processing services.
	Consider ways to lessen the burden of U.S. tax reporting requirements for foreign students, scholars and exchange program participants.

The Issue: Unlike many education systems in Europe and some other parts of the world, the vast majority of U.S. school districts begin second-language instruction at the secondary level, when research shows such learning begins to be more difficult. To help provide better teaching about other countries, languages, and cultures in U.S. K-12 and postsecondary education, it is important that schools, as well as colleges and teacher training programs, effectively prepare their students to learn the languages and cultures of the world. This preparation should begin in the early grades, and continue throughout students' education.

In addition to helping Americans learn foreign languages and cultures, the U.S has an interest in improving the quality of English instruction in countries around the world. These improvements require additional personnel who are well trained in the teaching of English to foreign nationals, and the incorporation of modern technology. This is a crucial part of our global engagement, as the growing use of English as the language of business, research, and international affairs worldwide aids the free exchange of information and ideas.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The Department of Education supports initiatives through the International Education and Graduate Programs (IEGPS) to strengthen and improve undergraduate and graduate instruction in foreign languages, area studies, and international business with an emphasis on less commonly taught languages and world regions. Centers supported under this program also provide extensive services to K-12 and two- and four-year institutions in language instruction and curricula concerning foreign cultures and global systems. Under the same program, the Department of Education also funds summer seminars abroad for K-12 teachers and college and university professors. In addition, the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) provides funding for innovative international projects from the field in such areas as on-line foreign language learning and web-based clearinghouses for international issues.

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) supports summer seminars and institutes as well as the development of content-based educational software. NEH also supports programs on other cultures for public audiences through libraries, museums, and other organizations and institutions. The Department of State funds the exchange of teachers and school administrators. Under Fulbright, Freedom Support Act, and related teacher exchanges, the federal government provides teachers with extensive opportunities to compare educational systems, link schools, and engage students through Internet-based classroom projects.

The Department of Education provides modest support for model and innovative foreign language programs, including professional development and related activities through the Foreign Language Assistance Program to K-12 schools. The Department's Bilingual Education program can support "dual-language" programs in U.S. schools. In 2003, the Department of Education will undertake a Foreign Language National Assessment of Educational Progress to give the nation a "report card" on what U.S. students know and can do in foreign languages, initially in Spanish.

The Department of State supports the teaching of English abroad through a network of professional Regional English Language Officers, and by placing short and long-term EFL professional grantees, and pedagogical/cultural materials in strategic locations across the globe. USAID also supports the teaching of English abroad through various specific development programs. Other English language efforts abroad include using new technologies in on-line distance education programs, global electronic networks for EFL professionals, and an Internet resource site.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Request increased funds to support investment in state/district K-12 foreign language programs, including total, partial, and dual immersion programs, as well as innovative and model programs.
	Expand Fulbright teacher exchange and other Fulbright-Hays programs in target partner countries, focusing on expansion into underrepresented world regions and special projects to compare best practices in critical fields.
	Increase investment in postsecondary national centers for language, business, and area and international studies for outreach to help schools, two- and four-year colleges, and communities acquire competence in foreign language and international activities, with particular attention to underrepresented populations, communities and institutions.
	Request the expansion of existing programs that support international consortia of higher education institutions so as to provide exchange students with language learning stipends to learn the language of their host country.
	Support the expansion of the State Department's International Visitor Program and other professional and cultural exchange programs whose participants promote international awareness in states and local communities.
	Request the expansion of State Department grant programs to better help international students become involved in U.S. classrooms.
	Request funds to support the foreign language-specific associations to continue and expand their immersion teacher institutes abroad
	Gather and disseminate "best practices"; for example, school districts that have successfully implemented foreign language programs for all students, as well as findings from research regarding the benefits of learning a second language.
	Develop a web portal of Internet resources for professionals and policy makers in the fields of language, area studies, and international studies that includes description of best practices, materials, and relevant resources.
	Build on existing efforts to expand NEH's faculty development efforts and support for educational software.
	Build on successful prior exchanges, using alumni to cement institutional relationships between U.S. and foreign universities and to establish classroom-to-classroom Internet linkages between U.S. and foreign schools.
	Increase the number of USAID development programs devoted to national education policy planning and programs for English as a foreign language. Assist interested American and foreign universities to establish links to exchange EFL students and faculty.
	Develop on-line training courses and training videos and establish on-line networks for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) professionals world-wide.
	Increase the number of State Department English Language Officers assigned abroad as well as the number of English Language Fellows and short term English language specialists. At the same time, encourage other countries to send language professionals to the U.S. to promote the study of foreign languages here.
	Increase the number of students coming to the U.S. for advanced degrees in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
	Establish a summer institute in the U.S. for foreign English teachers.
	Assist interested groups overseas to establish new National Associations of English Teachers in their countries and strengthen those that already exist.
	Work with primary and secondary school administrators to develop policies that value and facilitate international experience and professional development opportunities abroad for teachers.
	Work with appropriate organizations to make international experience a significant part of teacher professional development for both new and experienced teachers.
	Increase the number of Foreign Language Assistance Program awards that focus on professional development.
	Encourage the expansion of federal foreign language programs to include Native American and Hispanic heritage languages.

The Issue: Overall U.S. government funding for international exchanges decreased during the lean budget years of the 1990s. For example, in constant dollars, State Department program funding for exchanges has declined 31% since 1993, from $242.3 million to $166.6 million in 2000. Fulbright funding has also fallen, from $124.9 million in 1993 to $92.8 million in 2000. USAID has reduced its investment in U.S. participant training by over two-thirds due to budgetary cutbacks since 1994.

Although over 98 percent of the students who participate in USAID professional training programs return to their countries of origin to contribute in these fields. Many have become leaders of their nations and institutions over the years, often helping to link U.S. institutions to their on-going development work. However, the number of professionals in participant training programs has declined sharply since 1994, when over 17,000 persons studied annually in the U.S. under USAID sponsorship. This trend must be reversed if our nation is to remain a leader in international training for development.

Because international exchange and training are critical to all sectors of society and the government's work, twenty-one federal departments and agencies administer over sixty specialized programs in this general area. Coordination of these various programs is essential to ensure that the programs complement each other to the extent possible, and that the federal resources are used in an efficient and effective manner to address U.S. national interests.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The Interagency Working Group (IAWG) was created by Congress to coordinate federally sponsored exchange and training programs. Federal agencies contribute to an annual IAWG Inventory of Programs and cooperate to identify potential duplication. The next study will be published in November 2000.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Request increased funding for State Department exchange programs.
	Request increased funding for USAID's participant training and higher education partnership programs.
	Representatives of federal organizations will continue to work with the IAWG to ensure that programs are coordinated and that information on educational exchange programs is widely available.

The Issue: International comparative studies of student achievement and educational context are the cornerstone of our ability to understand how well the U.S. education system prepares young people for work and the world of the future. For example, The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) found that U.S. students' international standing in mathematics and science is above average at the fourth grade, but declines to near the bottom of participating nations by the end of high school. This finding has led to numerous U.S. policy reforms, not only in the U.S., but in other nations participating in TIMSS.

Throughout the world, educators and policymakers all strive to improve their own nation's education system, yet reforms are often undertaken without knowledge of the practices, advances, and difficulties of other countries. There is no easily accessible source of such information. Some areas of education in which the United States might learn from other countries include: providing high-quality early childhood education; mathematics curricula which provide greater depth and improved course sequencing; developing knowledge of foreign countries and global issues; and promoting proficiency in a second language.

At the same time that the U.S. is learning from educational policies and practices in other countries, many other nations are eager to learn more about the American educational experience. When formulating new education policies, other nations can learn from the U.S. in various ways, for instance: fostering creativity and innovation; providing educational opportunities for students with special needs; community colleges; and family and community participation in education. By learning from each other, educators around the world can improve their ability to offer high-quality education for all.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The United States participates in meetings of education ministers and other international education events, including the April 2000, 180-country World Forum on Education for All. We support the international framework to improve the quality of and access to basic, elementary, and secondary education for all students in countries around the world. USAID is a permanent representative to the Education for All Working Group led by UNESCO. USAID also leads interagency collaboration to help nations prepare credible National Education for All Action Plans and innovative programs for educational reform. The federal government supports comparative international studies of student performance such as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the International Reading Literacy Study, as well as the gathering of international education statistics through international organizations such as the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). However, the federal government has not extensively supported other forms of comparative research, such as identification of effective practices used in other countries (termed benchmaking in the private sector), and cross-national research on these topics.

The results of educational research conducted in the United States are made available through the ERIC system with abstracts of documents available worldwide through the Internet. Education Research Centers and Regional Laboratories disseminate results of educational research. The State Department's International Visitor and related programs enable leading foreign educators to carry out comparative study visits in the United States.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Request increased investment for the study of promising education practices and policies in other countries and communication of this information to American educators.
	Request increased investments in joint research with other countries concerning areas of mutual policy concern, such as improving the performance of low-performing schools.
	Inventory current cross-national comparative and analytic activities, studies, and outreach activities being conducted by federal agencies and non-governmental organizations and identify findings of particular relevance.
	Request increased investments in the gathering of international education data by developing a regular cycle of international studies of student performance such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies, and the International Reading Literacy Study.
	Expand USAID's programs to improve the gathering, analysis and dissemination of national and household-level statistics on education, in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute of Statistics.
	Expand the design of cross-national studies of student achievement to enable U.S. states and districts to participate so as to be able to compare themselves to their international counterparts.
	Support professional dialogue on educational practices and education reform through the Department of State's International Visitor, Citizen Exchanges, and academic programs.
	Include the acquisition of information about best practices and innovations abroad as a part of the program of the Office of Educational Research and Improvement Institutes and Research Centers and Regional Laboratories.
	Develop the Fulbright specialist program to provide consultancies to foreign governments and institutions by U.S. experts in education and other fields.
	Raise the priority of education activities in U.S. development assistance programs by reinforcing the efforts of the Department of Education, USAID, and others to share information on U.S. educational practice and expertise.
	Maintain an international information database on the status of education around the world for all people, including women and children, minorities, and the disabled.

The Issue: Traditional exchanges are of undeniable benefit to participants and long-term value to the country; however, because the "unit of exchange" is the individual, their cumulative effect is not always maximized. Other exchange models seek to build lasting cross-national partnerships among postsecondary institutions in specific academic or professional areas. Along with student exchange, their activities include faculty collaboration and exchange, which often result in joint curriculum development and mutual recognition of credits. While these programs may be created in response to federal (or other) incentives, federal support is relatively small; many institutions are entering into collaborative agreements with "sister" institutions abroad because it furthers their goals and those of their faculty and students; many more such partnerships could be formed.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: Two international curricula development and student mobility programs funded under the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) over the past 5 years have supported the formation of over 100 consortia of U.S., European, and North American institutions to facilitate curriculum development and student mobility. This year, FIPSE is also initiating an international consortia program with Brazil. Since 1982, the Department of State's Institutional Linkages programs have awarded over 500 grants to U.S. institutions for faculty and staff exchanges with counterpart institutions abroad, building long-term collaboration among scholars and education administrators. The State Department's Office of Citizen Exchanges awards grants to U.S. academic institutions and other non-profits for international projects in a range of fields, including educational administration and curriculum reform. USAID has over 120 higher education partnerships focusing on international development between U.S. four and two-year institutions and counterpart institutions in developing nations.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Request increased investment in the existing international curricula development and student mobility consortia programs administered by the Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) to increase the number, duration, and diversity of student exchanges. (Also included under Core Area #1)
	Develop the Fulbright Alumni Awards program to support future institutional linkages based on successful individual exchanges.
	Explore development of an International Postsecondary Network Program within FIPSE to encourage existing consortia of higher education institutions to add institutions in additional countries or geographic regions. (Also included under Core Area #1)
	Expand the State Department's Institutional Linkages programs to encourage partnerships for the cooperative pursuit of education and curriculum reform in a wider range of countries and institutions.
	Expand USAID's international higher education partnership programs between universities in developing nations and U.S. universities, including community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges, to achieve more cost-effective development results.
	Encourage U.S. universities to adopt policies supportive of faculty and staff exchanges between U.S. and foreign postsecondary institutions
	Work with private sector groups and consortia to publish an on-line guide to successful exchange programs.
	Integrate databases of exchange program alumni to match scholars and institutions with similar interests and support collaboration among them.

The Issue: "Globalization" is rapidly shrinking the differences between foreign and domestic concerns in areas such as business, environmental protection, health, and other fields. If our nation's young people are to function successfully in an increasingly interdependent world, international education must become an integral part of U.S. college and university programs. To help students understand other societies, the faculty who teach them must possess in-depth knowledge of other cultures and languages, have access to research and instructional materials and other resources on foreign countries, and collaborate regularly with experts abroad. However, the demands of the postsecondary teaching profession and institutional economic pressures make it a challenge for faculty to acquire and maintain the necessary expertise and resources in these fields, in institutions ranging from small colleges to research universities. Institutional budget circumstances also make it difficult to maintain faculty expertise in less-commonly-studied languages and cultures, even though such knowledge is in the long term national interest.

Outreach to teachers and students in K-12 schools is important to assure a steady flow of young people with strong preparation and interest in international and area studies and foreign language learning. Federal leadership and assistance is also necessary to ensure the existence of a national foreign language architecture of resource centers, teachers, students, and curriculum materials for less-commonly taught languages, or for any of the many other languages critical to national security that are rarely taught at U.S. schools and universities.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing:Through Title VI of the Higher Education Act, the Department of Education supports postsecondary programs to maintain, strengthen and improve both undergraduate and graduate instruction in area- and international studies and foreign languages. This includes national centers for the teaching of less-commonly taught languages and cultures, international business, foreign language and overseas research of vital interest to the U.S. Fulbright-Hays programs provide grants to scholars, teachers and prospective teachers to engage in research and training activities overseas. The National Endowment for the Humanities supports individual and collaborative research, faculty development, and the production and preservation of research resources, such as reference works and collections of scholarly material about other cultures. The Wilson Center supports scholarship, and links that scholarship to issues of concern to official Washington through conferences and collaborative projects.

The Department of State-funded Fulbright scholarships provide opportunities for Americans to conduct graduate and post-doctoral research, and teaching in countries around the world and for foreign scholars, teachers, and students to conduct similar activities in the U.S. The Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence program provides foreign academic expertise to U.S. institutions, emphasizing minority-serving and small colleges and universities with limited international programs.

The Department of Defense National Security Education Program was created to address the relationship between national security and international education. Supported by a trust fund, it provides fellowships for undergraduates and graduates to develop leaders who have more than the traditional knowledge of language and culture. They can use their skills and expertise to help the U.S. make sound decisions on and deal effectively with global issues related to U.S. national security, broadly defined. The National Science Foundation supports opportunities for international collaboration in the sciences and engineering.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Request increased funding for Title VI centers and programs. Particular attention would be directed towards sharing resources and expertise with underrepresented populations, communities and institutions, K-12 schools, government agencies, businesses, labor, and the media, as well as to building the next generation of international experts, and internationalizing the undergraduate curriculum.
	Request increased funding for the new Fulbright New Century Scholars initiative to support flexible models of scholarly collaborative research on topics of global significance.
	Expand the National Security Education Program trust fund to provide additional opportunities for U.S. postsecondary students to study those languages and cultures that are less commonly studied, and to continue to build institutional capacity in language and area studies.
	Request increased funding for Fulbright regional research grants for U.S. faculty, which have been dramatically reduced in number over the past decade. These grants enable faculty to conduct independent research while they gain area expertise.
	Request increased funding for the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence program, which has decreased from over 200 grants annually in the early 1990s to 30 in 2000.
	Build on existing efforts to expand NEH's faculty development efforts and support for research and dissemination.
	Develop a web portal of Internet resources for professionals and policy makers in the fields of language, area and international studies that includes description of best practices, materials, and relevant resources as proposed under Directive Core Area #4.
	Expand the Leadership Summit of postsecondary institutions and federal agencies described under Directive Core Area #2 to include a discussion of ways to make international education, including foreign language an integral part of the U.S. undergraduate experience.
	Encourage linkages between universities and faculty and staff exchanges.
	Expand support for cross-fertilization between foreign languages and area studies, and professional education, including business.
	Establish through the National Security Education Program national programs in advanced language proficiency training at major U.S. colleges and universities, in languages critical to national security, and also to provide study abroad opportunities for U.S. students in languages, areas, and fields of study critical to national security.

The Issue: New technologies offer the potential for exponential growth in international interchange, heightening cultural awareness and providing opportunities for direct, practical applications of knowledge by transcending the traditional boundaries of nation, language, time, disability, and culture. New communications technologies make learning experiences possible across the borders of time and place, allowing many more students, even those with handicapping conditions, to take part in international exchanges. At the same time, concerns about English-language predominance, equitable access, and appropriate content must be addressed. While many recognize the potential power of the Internet for providing educational experiences, many problems remain to be solved, including those related to quality assurance and credit recognition.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The Federal government promotes the use of educational technology and the Internet through grant programs to assist states and school districts to provide computers and connectivity, train teachers in their use, and develop new methods of teaching with computers; at the postsecondary level, federal programs also support the creation of new postsecondary consortia, and explore student aid policies for distance learning. The E-rate provides deep discounts (up to 90% for low-income districts) to schools and libraries to connect to the Internet. International exchange programs funded by the Department of State and other agencies increasingly involve the use of technology as a component to enhance and/or prolong the life of the exchange. USAID's Internet for Economic Development Initiative is assisting over 22 developing nations to achieve expanded access to affordable learning and information resources. Among the emphases of this program are distance learning, distance teacher training, and community learning and information centers.

The Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology works to advance the effective use of computers and telecommunications in education through participation in international organizations, conferences and meetings, and by supporting research and evaluation of international uses of technology. The Department of Education funds several research/technical assistance initiatives focusing on accessible technology, universal design, and access to learning. These projects have fully accessible websites that facilitate international dissemination and sharing. Several projects funded by the Technology Innovation Challenge Grants and Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology program have international components which connect U.S. schools and teachers to their foreign counterparts. Through HEA-Title VI, the Department of Education also supports collaborative and innovative university projects to utilize the new technologies to promote greater U.S. access to foreign scholarly information that is otherwise difficult to access and maintain.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative:

	Modify existing grant programs to encourage applicants to include web-based international education collaborative activities in their funding proposals.
	Work with state departments of education and school districts to help provide opportunities for teachers to use communication technology to conduct projects with classrooms in other countries.
	Explore establishment in FIPSE of a new international e-learning consortia program to support jointly funded international partnerships among colleges and universities, employers, technology companies, and other institutions to create postsecondary programs that deliver technology-mediated distance education in the United States, partner countries, and elsewhere.
	Expand the number of countries served and the funding for USAID's Internet for Economic Development Initiative, in collaboration with the Digital Opportunities Task Force (DOT Force) announced by the President at the Okinawa G-8 meeting. This includes activities for distance learning, distance teacher training, and community learning and information centers that help to overcome the "digital divide."
	Request increased investment in the Department of Education's new HEA-Title VI program promoting technological innovation and cooperation for U.S. access to foreign information.
	Work with other governments and non-governmental organizations to encourage appropriate policy reform, training and the wise use of technologies to promote distance learning and minimize the "digital divide" within and across countries.
	Expand international participation in federally funded conferences on educational technology.
	Continue to seek appropriate ways to incorporate the use of technology to increase the effectiveness of traditional exchange programs.

The Issue: The Government Performance and Results Act is the main method by which Congress and the American public can review and evaluate the progress of federal agencies toward their stated goals. By fully including international education in the strategic plans of the appropriate agencies, and by annually measuring progress toward the goals contained in this directive, the federal government demonstrates its commitment to strengthening international education, and allows the public to review and comment upon its progress.

What the Federal Government Is Already Doing: The Department of Education has included in its new FY 2000 Strategic Plan a number of strategies and indicators dealing with the various core areas of international education contained in this directive, as well as reports on international programs' progress in meeting their annual goals. The Department of State directed its Missions and Bureaus to incorporate international education considerations in their Mission and Bureau Program Plans. The National Endowment for the Humanities is considering the inclusion of an additional objective in the Strategic Plan which includes agency-wide initiatives in international studies and regional studies.

USAID established an Agency Goal, targets and indicators for achieving Human Capacity Development that addresses basic and higher education, workforce development, international training and information technology. USAID's Center for Human Capacity Development in the Global Bureau developed key indicators of success for achieving results in all Strategic Objective areas. Annual results reporting has demonstrated that all targets have been reached or exceeded.

Executive Branch Proposals under the International Education Initiative: Develop guidance to grantees on how to incorporate GPRA indicators and targets into their own planning for the use of grant and program funds, and on appropriate measures for annual reporting of progress.

How Can The Goals of the International Education Initiative Be Accomplished?
The goals of the directive on international education cannot be achieved by the federal government alone. International education has always enjoyed essential support from dedicated individuals and organizations that are deeply committed to its success. Their work provides a foundation on which public-private cooperation in this field can be built. To fully realize the potential of this initiative, the executive branch will work together with those organizations and educational institutions to identify areas of critical mutual interest, develop an action plan, and to coordinate efforts and responsibilities to ensure that the plan is carried out.

In addition, an even wider number of supporters are welcomed to participate in a variety of ways. Some examples are:

	Establish or expand international education programs.
	Host or participate in an exchange program.
	Help teachers add international content to a class or curriculum.
	Make international education experience a criterion for employment.
	Develop a policy on international education to meet state and local needs.
	Write and work with the media in support of international education.
	Develop local exhibits on how the people and products of a given community link to the entire world.

Organizations, educational institutions, foundations, businesses, and individuals who are concerned with the issues in the international education initiative are invited to create their own ideas and solutions to the goals outlined in the initiative, and to work together with the federal government to help the field meet the promises and opportunities of the future.

Contact:

U.S. Department of Education: Lois Peak (202) 401-0430 lois.peak@ed.gov