ALLIANCE COMMENTARY
Our 2024 Commitments to Alliance Members
The Alliance shares its 2024 vision and commitments to its membership.
Open Position: Assistant Director and Head of Advocacy and Government Relations
The Assistant Director and Head of Advocacy and Government Relations plays a critical role in the Alliance’s advocacy and government relations work on behalf of the U.S. international exchange community, as well as in the development and management of member services. The Assistant Director develops strategies for Congressional advocacy and maintains a wide range of Capitol Hill and federal agency contacts to encourage policies and legislation favorable to international education and exchange. The position further monitors, analyzes, and reports legislative and executive developments and plays a core role in the Alliance’s policy development. As the second-ranking member of a small staff, the Assistant Director plays a key leadership role in Alliance strategy, Board of Directors relations, member engagement, and the general management of the association.
Register for Advocacy Day 2024 today!
Registration for Advocacy Day 2024 is now live! Register by Monday, February 5 to make your voice heard.
House SFOPS amendment threatens to eliminate funding for DOS educational and cultural exchange programs
Tell your Rep to oppose amendment to eliminate DOS exchange funding: https://www.votervoice.net/EXCHANGE/campaigns/107854/respond
September 2023: How Might Exchanges be Impacted by a U.S. Government Shutdown?
With only four legislative days left before the end of the fiscal year, Congress is still far from a funding deal. The Alliance's Andrea Bodine provides a primer on how international exchange programs might be impacted by a government shutdown.
Navigating the Paradox: International Student Visa Trends in 2023
The dynamic landscape of international education has been marked this year by a powerful paradox: aspiring international students are displaying a renewed interest in studying in the U.S., yet this enthusiasm is met with a growing struggle to secure visas. A dichotomy emerges – while U.S. enrollments are surging for the first time since the pandemic, a shadow looms as visa denials rise. Collectively, these elements shape the trajectory of international student mobility, offering insights into the United States’ public diplomacy impact and its role as a competitive global player.
FY24 Appropriations Recap and Outlook
Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have completed their subcommittee and full committee markups of their respective State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) bills in recent weeks. Educational and cultural exchanges were funded at $700.95M (approx. 10% decrease) by the House bill and $779.5M (approx. 0.25% increase) by the Senate bill. See the chart below for more details and a comparison with the President’s budget request and current enacted level.
Member Feature: Celebrating Exchange Day with Greenheart International's Haldis Toppen
Haldis Toppen, Communications Director at Greenheart International, reflects on the creation of Exchange Day, how its changed over the years, and how Greenheart is celebrating the day this year.
McCarry Leadership Award - Call for Nominations
Nominations for the 2023 McCarry Leadership Award are now live! Young professionals committed to the exchange field and looking for opportunities to grow in their work, as well as supervisors of exceptional young professionals are encouraged to review the award materials and submit applications no later than Friday, September 8.
Intl ed signaled as top export priority for first time in new National Export Strategy
For the first time, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Export Strategy identifies international education as a top export priority. The report outlines the significant economic contributions that stem from international education (in 2022, U.S. exports of education-related travel totaled $37.68 billion, a 17% increase from the year prior) and five novel approaches to promoting education and exchange opportunities in the U.S.
A Note from the Executive Director: Join us at the 2023 Annual Conference!
Registration for the 2023 Alliance Annual Conference is now live! Join us on November 2-3 for exciting new panels, workshops, and networking opportunities at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel. Make sure to register by Monday, October 2 to secure your spot today!
#CelebrateExchangeDay on August 7th!
Join us in sharing the power of exchange programs this Exchange Day on Monday, August 7.
U.S. and China discuss increased people-to-people exchanges during Blinken visit
Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s diplomatic meetings in China this past weekend included high-level discussions of international educational and exchange ties between the two countries.
Elizabeth Allen confirmed as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
On Tuesday, June 13, Elizabeth Allen was confirmed with bipartisan support by the U.S. Senate as Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs.
Reps. Moore and Kuster support BridgeUSA in House Resolution
Representatives Blake Moore (R-UT) and Annie Kuster (D-NH) reintroduced a House Resolution yesterday supporting Department of State BridgeUSA exchange programs. Supported by more than 400 organizations, associations, and businesses, the resolution recognizes international exchange as an invaluable public diplomacy tool, as well as a way to strengthen American business and our economy.