United States International Education Policy History

Since 1999, NAFSA has been advocating for the establishment of a U.S. International Education Policy. Below is a chronological history of important milestones toward the establishment of such a policy.

Update: NAFSA's Agenda Paper on Renewing America's Global Leadership

2008

The Secure Borders Open Doors Advisory Committee (SBODAC) issued a report, Secure Borders and Open Doors: Preserving our Welcome to the World in an Age of Terrorism, citing international education as a key component of public diplomacy and urging the U.S. government to undertake specific actions to leverage international education in an effort to build ties of understanding and collaboration between the United State and other countries.

The report specifically states that, "America is losing competitiveness for international students for one primary reason: because our competitors have - and America lacks - a proactive national strategy that enables us to mobilize all the tools and assets at our disposal, and that enables the federal bureaucracy to work together in a coherent fashion, to attract international students."

The report also points out that 'the United States simply cannot conduct effective diplomacy - public or otherwise - if our citizenry does not have an understanding of the people we are trying to influence.' To address this need, SBODAC recommends that Congress enact the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act, which would greatly increase the number of American college students studying abroad in diverse destinations around the world.

2007

Update of NAFSA's Policy Statement entitled "An International Education Policy For U.S. Leadership, Competitiveness, and Security. This paper is an update of the 2003 version of the NAFSA/Alliance statement.

2006

Many of the following sponsors were secured as a result of advocacy efforts taken by NAFSAns during Advocacy Day, held March 29-30, 2006. The bill's current co-sponsors are:

• Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]
• Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3]
• Rep Brown, Sherrod [OH-13]
• Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8]
• Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8]
• Rep Pickering, Charles W. (Chip) [MS-3]
• Rep Snyder, Vic [AR-2]

2005

, an international education policy resolution.

2003

Update of NAFSA's Policy Statement entitled "Toward an International Education Policy for the United States", co-written with the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange. This paper is an update of the December 2000 version of the NAFSA/Alliance statement.

2001

, calling for an international education policy for the United States.

April 6, 2001 and February 1, 2001
Senators John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) introduce senate resolution calling for an international education policy for the United States. The resolution passes the Senate by unanimous consent.

Read the text of the resolution, Sen. Lugar's speeches, and Sen. Kerry's floor statement

2000

NAFSA's Policy Statement entitled "Toward an International Education Policy for the United States", co-written with the Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange, is a condensed and updated version of the NAFSA/Alliance February 22, 2000 policy statement.

April 19, 2000
President Clinton's Executive Memorandum on international education, released to the heads of executive departments and agencies

1999

presented at the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)