The
departments of State and Education jointly sponsor International
Education Week, which is designed to encourage and promote
the importance of global educational exchanges at all levels
across the United States and abroad. Celebrated November
13-17, the theme for this year's International Education
Week is "Engaging in Global Partnerships and Opportunities."
In their statements announcing International
Education Week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and
Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings noted president
Bush's creation of the National Security Language Initiative
and the No Child Left Behind Act.
"Studying critical languages such as
Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, and Farsi expands young
people's opportunities, enriches their lives, and demonstrates
our respect for other cultures," Rice said.
Rice noted that 2006 is the 60th anniversary
of Fulbright Program, the flagship international exchange
program of the United States, whose mandate is to promote
mutual understanding.
In recent years, the United States also
has expanded greatly youth exchange programs for students
from Middle East and other Muslim countries, as well as
from nations of the former Soviet Union.
More than 550,000 students from around the
world study in the United States each year, according to
Rice's statement, while nearly 200,000 Americans study in
other nations.
According to a new study by the Council
of Graduate Schools, international graduate enrollment at
U.S. universities has increased for the first time in four
years, with the fields of engineering and business showing
the biggest increases. (See related
article.)
State Department officials have noted that
the handling of visa applications for study in the United
States have improved markedly in recent years, with approximately
97 percent of applications now being processed within two
days or less.
Secretary Spellings, in her statement on
International Education Week, said: "Education teaches
more than students. It teaches all of us to see beyond our
borders and boundaries, both real and imagined. It teaches
us to overcome stereotypes and appreciate cultures other
than our own. In so doing, it gives us hope for a brighter
future by advancing freedom, opportunity and understanding."
Following are the full texts of Secretary Rice and Secretary Spellings' statements:
| Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice |
|
Secretary of Education Margaret
Spellings |
As we mark the seventh annual International
Education Week, the U.S. Department of State is proud
to join again with the U.S. Department of Education
in celebrating the importance of international education
and exchange. International Education Week provides
schools, universities, communities, nonprofit organizations,
and businesses across the United States and abroad
the opportunity to recognize and encourage international
educational exchange.
In January, Secretary of Education Margaret
Spellings and I co-hosted our nation’s first
U.S. University Presidents Summit on International
Education. At the Summit, President Bush announced
the creation of the National Security Language Initiative,
which will help provide Americans with the skills
necessary to adapt to our changing world. Studying
critical languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian,
Hindi, and Farsi expands young people’s opportunities,
enriches their lives, and demonstrates our respect
for other cultures.
As a result of the U.S. University Presidents
Summit, Secretary Spellings and Assistant Secretary
of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Dina
H. Powell will lead a delegation of U.S. university
presidents to Japan, Korea, and China during International
Education Week to demonstrate the broad range of
U.S. higher education opportunities and encourage
the continued flow of international students to
the United States.
This year we also mark the 60th anniversary
of the Fulbright Program, the flagship international
exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Government.
With a mandate to promote mutual understanding,
the Fulbright Program exemplifies the power of international
education.
Each year, more than 550,000 students
from all over the world come to the United States
to study in order to gain a better understanding
of this country. They return to their home countries
to share their experiences and develop careers that
build on the knowledge and insights they gain at
our colleges and universities. Many of the students
go on to hold positions of leadership in their countries.
At the same time, nearly 200,000 U.S. students study
abroad each year, improving their language skills
and gaining a better understanding of life in the
countries where they study.
I encourage you to be involved in International
Education Week by going to our website http://iew.state.gov/.
By organizing a local or regional event, you are
helping to affirm the value of education and international
exchange as an investment in our future. Working
together we can achieve a peaceful and more prosperous
world.
| |
 I
am pleased to invite you to participate in the seventh
annual International Education Week, November 13-17,
2006, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of
Education and the U.S. Department of State. This year's
theme, International Education: Engaging in Global
Partnerships and Opportunities, presents a golden
opportunity to focus on what it takes to create new
partnerships and seize new opportunities in the 21st
century. It all starts with a quality education.
Education is a shared value around the
world and the foundation of our children's future.
The political and economic strength of our country
can be measured by the education of our citizens.
That's why the closing of the achievement gap is
more than just a domestic issue, it's a global imperative.
The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act
is to ensure that our schools give every child in
America a quality education through Graduation Day.
Earlier this year, the President proposed the American
Competitiveness Initiative to ensure that our students
develop the 21st century skills they need to compete
and thrive in the competitive global economy. And
our National Security Language Initiative would
help our students communicate across borders with
potential friends and partners.
More than ever, success in the world depends
on what you know, not where you live. Technology
has leveled the playing field and "flattened"
the world. It has showed the value of math, science
and other subjects in high demand across the globe.
And it has illustrated the importance of foreign
languages in communicating and forming partnerships
with citizens from other cultures and countries.
This year I have been very fortunate to
participate in some very productive and forward-looking
discussions with my international partners in the
education field. While visiting India this year,
I was struck by the bonds between our nations, beginning
with the importance placed on education by government,
business and civic leaders. In Russia, I had the
privilege of signing a Memorandum of Understanding
with my counterpart to expand cooperation and create
new exchanges to give our students the skills they
need to succeed.
Education teaches more than students. It
teaches all of us to see beyond our borders and
boundaries, both real and imagined. It teaches us
to overcome stereotypes and appreciate cultures
other than our own. In so doing, it gives us hope
for a brighter future by advancing freedom, opportunity
and understanding.
These are exciting and opportunity-filled
times for America. We are committed to engaging
all students in this effort to build global partnerships
and create new opportunities. By strengthening our
students' skills, we do more than keep pace with
our competitors. We continue America's tradition
of leadership and innovation. And we continue to
be a beacon of opportunity to the rest of the world.
International Education Week 2006 is a
time to commemorate and celebrate these shared values
that transcend borders. No matter how you choose
to celebrate, I hope you have an enriching experience
this November.
|
| | |
For additional information and resources,
see International
Educational Week and EducationUSA
on the State Department’s Web site.
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