This week in Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed around 10,000 participants from higher education institutions, foreign governments, and other industry stakeholders to the 75th NAFSA: National Association of International Educators’ conference, one of the world’s largest conferences focused on international education.
Speaking via video to the opening plenary, Secretary Blinken emphasized the United States’ enduring commitment to international education and the direct link between education and foreign policy.
In addition to the Secretary, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), along with officials from the Bureaus of Consular Affairs (CA), the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), as well as other U.S. government agencies including the Departments of Commerce, Education, and Homeland Security, demonstrated the United States’ strengthened commitment to international education and enhanced coordination across the Biden Administration.
On Thursday, June 1, Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield met with stakeholders supporting Americans studying abroad through the Department’s IDEAS Program at the joint EducationUSA and Fulbright pavilion.
The Assistant Secretary reiterated the U.S. commitment to enabling future leaders to develop skills for solving shared global challenges, such as economic security, food security, global health, and climate change.
At the conference, Department officials highlighted U.S. exchanges and resources, including the Fulbright Program, the Gilman Scholarship Program, and EducationUSA, and discussed topics such as international education as part of the forthcoming U.S. National Export Strategy.
They also discussed recruiting international students to community colleges, the value of STEM and other fields of study in addressing shared global challenges, international student mobility, the Department’s continued prioritization of processing student visas, studying abroad safely, and promoting diversity and inclusion in the United States.
As emphasized in the Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education, the active exchange of students, researchers, scholars, and educators, as well as broader international education efforts between the U.S. and other countries, strengthen relationships among current and future leaders, creating new opportunities to enhance economic opportunity and foster full participation across societies.
The Biden Administration is taking a coordinated government approach to expand access to international education opportunities for Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum and attract the best international talent to study at U.S. colleges and universities, ensuring that the United States remains the premier global study destination.
Sources: THX News & US Dept. of State.