Alliance Commentary
Analysis of the latest news around Washington, D.C. and the exchange community from Alliance staff and members.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.
Reflections from #NAFSA75
Reflections from a first-time NAFSA attendee.
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.
Reflections from the Future: Angela Zheng, Global Ties U.S.
Angela was first exposed to international exchange as a Gilman Critical Language scholar in 2019. That interest blossomed she learned more about public and citizen diplomacy during her internship with Global Ties U.S. in 2022. She first learned about the Alliance as part of her advocacy onboarding training in 2022 and had her first in-person interaction at the Alliance Annual Conference. It was eye-opening to meet with representatives from such a wide spectrum of international exchange organizations.
Reflections from the Future: Jacob Gandolfi, FHI 360
“How are we fostering the next generation of international exchange leaders?” Jacob Gandolfi, Program Officer at FHI 360, reflects on what the next 30 years of our field will look like and how we can continue to grow as a community.
International Education by the Numbers: 2022 SEVP Data shows programs in recovery
A new SEVIS by the Numbers report shows that there were 276,723 active J-1 exchange visitors came to the U.S. in 2022, an increase of 15% from the previous year’s figure of 240,479. This report from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) also highlights other key data illustrating information and trends on F and M international students studying in the United States.
Biden Administration’s FY24 Budget Request: Proposed Exchanges Funding Explained
The Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) appropriations cycle is officially in full swing with the release of the Biden Administration’s proposed budget late last week. The President’s $6.8 trillion request, while unlikely to be enacted in the current divided Congress, presents a starting point for the negotiations to come.
Statement regarding proposed reforms to the federal Au Pair cultural exchange program
Statement of the Alliance for International Exchange Regarding Proposed Reforms to the Federal Au Pair Cultural Exchange Program Washington, D.C. – February 23, 2023 – On behalf of our members designated by the U.S. Department of State to administer the federal au...
Member Op-Ed: With Virtual Exchange, Young People are Changing the World
How much better off would our world be if we could harness the passion and potential of the world’s youth? Through virtual exchange, children in New York City’s public schools have learned game design in lockstep with peers in Bahrain. Latino high school students in San Antonio have partnered with fellow students in Libya to create actionable pollution solutions for India’s Ganges River, and rural community college students have had worldview-expanding experiences getting to know peers in Iraq.