by Alliance Staff | Jun 13, 2016 | Department of State News, Exchanges in the Media, Federal Register, John Kerry, Policy Monitor Weekly Digest, Public Diplomacy, Study Abroad
Achievements and further expansions in exchange programs between citizens of the United States and the People’s Republic of China were discussed by top diplomats at the China-U.S. Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE) last week in Beijing.
Throughout the seventh annual high-level meetings, co-chaired by Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, top government officials met with participants of past exchange programs and expressed strong support for the continuation of these initiatives.
by Alliance Staff | Jun 13, 2016 | Department of State News, Federal Register, Funding, Study Abroad
Institutional grants and scholarship programs are increasing participation in study abroad, and helping students prepare for future career choices, according to two reports released during the 2016 NAFSA conference last week. Both reports specifically highlight the positive impact of these funding opportunities on students from underrepresented populations.
by Alliance Staff | Mar 21, 2016 | Department of State News, Federal Register
The U.S. Department of State is planning to soon publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) with a 60-day comment period on the Summer Work Travel (SWT) program. The rule could be released as soon as late April.
The Department published an initial interim final rule (IFR) with request for comment in April 2011 to amend the regulatory requirements of the SWT program. In May 2012, the Department published a second interim final rule that, among other things, added a cultural component and expanded the list of jobs prohibited under the SWT program.
by Alliance Staff | Feb 26, 2016 | Department of State News, Exchange Visitor Program, Exchanges in the Media, Federal Register, Public Diplomacy
International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants are contributing to U.S. counter-terrorism efforts through the State Department’s P2P: Challenging Extremism initiative, according to a recent article in Vice News.
by Alliance Staff | Feb 23, 2016 | Department of State News, Exchanges in the Media, Federal Register
In an effort to increase the diversity of its grantees, the Fulbright Program is increasing engagement with its alumni, according to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
International education experts agree that one-on-one conversations provide the best opportunity for underrepresented students to learn about the program, The Chronicle notes:
by Alliance Staff | Feb 9, 2016 | Barack Obama, Department of State News, Federal Register, Funding
In the last budget request of his presidency, President Obama requested $628.9 million for core Department of State educational and cultural exchange programs.
This request represents an approximately 6.4% increase over the FY16 funding level of $590.9 million—a robust number in difficult budget times (nearly $6 million higher than last year’s request of $623 million), and a concrete sign of the Obama administration’s support of exchanges.
