Alliance Commentary
Analysis of the latest news around Washington, D.C. and the exchange community from Alliance staff and members.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.
The Power of International Exchange: Congressional Lunch & Learn
On January 25, 2023, the Alliance held a Lunch and Learn on Capitol Hill for congressional staff to discuss the power of international educational and cultural exchange programs. Special thanks to Joel Colony at World Learning, Alliance Board member Christine Shiau at...
Advocacy Day – March 8 & 9
Advocacy Day is a unique opportunity for Alliance members to come together and engage with Congress on the positive impact international exchange has at the state and local level. Attendees will have the opportunity to directly interact with relevant representatives...
2022 Midterm Election Analysis
After weeks of counting, the majority of races in the 2022 midterms have been decided, allowing for a clearer picture of what the 118th Congress will look like come January. What follows are our thoughts on the election results and their implications for the international exchange community.
2022 Stevens Initiative Report: A Survey of Virtual Exchange
As part of International Education Week, the Stevens Initiative at the Aspen Institute released a comprehensive report on their survey of the virtual exchange field. Before diving into the data, the report highlights some of the Stevens Initiative’s overarching best practices in virtual exchange, which include intentionality and a focus on collaboration and reciprocity of knowledge and learning.
2022 Open Doors Report: What’s Next for International Education?
Every year at the beginning of International Education Week, the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange is released by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the Institute of International Education (IIE). This report provides an in-depth examination of the international student and study abroad landscape. As we amplify international education and exchange stories throughout the week, the Open Doors data grounds these narratives and speaks to the larger trends in the field.
What the Biden National Security Strategy Means for Exchanges
By Mark Overmann Speaking at the Alliance Annual Conference in October, Scott Weinhold, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), gave us a strong clue as to where ECA’s focus will be in the...
What the Biden National Security Strategy Means for Exchanges
PDAS Weinhold drew attention to the Biden Administration’s recently-released National Security Strategy. This strategy, he noted, will act as “a guiding document for ECA priorities.” The strategy is broad ranging, touching on an array of U.S. foreign policy and “national power” elements, from diplomacy to defense, development to intelligence. There are three key elements of the strategy that jump out as most related to, and most important for the growth of, international exchange programs.