Study Abroad
An increasing number of South Korean parents are sending their children to study in the U.S. at young ages, leading to a large number of “split families,” according to a recent AP article.
Public diplomacy programs, including exchanges, are “a critical and indispensible component” of U.S. foreign policy and U.S. relations with China, Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO) stated at a recent hearing examining “The Price of Public Diplomacy with China.”
During his opening remarks at this gathering of the House Foreign Affairs Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, Rep. Carnahan said:
“Study abroad can change your life – and your country,” Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Fabiola Rodriguez-Ciampoli proclaimed in a recent post on the Department of State’s DipNote blog.
An increasing number of public schools in rural areas throughout the U.S. are recruiting international students to fill empty classroom seats and boost revenue, Reuters recently reported.
Back in January, writing in the New York Times, former Harvard President and Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers asserted that “English’s emergence as the global language…make it less clear that the substantial investment necessary to speak a foreign tongue is universally worthwhile.” A variety of voices wholeheartedly disagreed, arguing that learning a foreign language makes an English speaker more globally competent and thus more attractive to employers; improves cognitive ability; and generally makes life a lot more interesting.
The recently released book Making a Difference: Australian International Education details the “global context, history, development and outcomes of international education in Australia”:
International education experience is immensely valuable and makes students more attractive to potential employers, according to a new study recently presented by the British Council, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, and Ipsos Public Affairs.
As businesses continue to expand globally, many business professionals are seeking to prepare themselves to succeed in the global marketplace. To get such preparation, they are demanding internationally focused courses and degree programs that offer region and country-specific instruction on business practices, social norms, and customer preferences, not to mention the local language. And continuing education programs, the New York Times reports, are working to meet these demands:
Reacting to former Harvard University President Lawrence Summer’s assertion that “English’s emergence as the global language…make it less clear that the substantial investment necessary to speak a foreign tongue is universally worthwhile,” a variety of voices take to the New York Times to debate whether learning another language is necessary or useful.
Travel writer Rick Steves recently penned an op-ed in USA Today, sharing his belief that study abroad is not a “luxury” for American students, but rather a “necessity”:
