[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 21875-21876]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK

  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, in honor of the seventh annual 
International Education Week, November 13 to 17, 2006, I would like to 
talk about the importance that international education and exchange 
programs play in establishing closer relations between the United 
States and the world.
  The U.S. Government has a proud tradition of supporting international 
education and exchange programs, and we must continue that tradition. 
Why? First of all, international education is necessary for our 
children to remain competitive in the increasingly global economy. 
Second, exchange programs also attract future leaders from abroad, 
exposing them to the opportunities and freedoms afforded by our 
democratic system. Third, international education and exchange programs 
expand horizons and change the lives of the participants for the 
better. Finally, international education builds bridges between 
communities and improves understanding of cultures different from our 
own--something that has perhaps never been as important as it is today.
  International Education Week will be observed in all 50 States and in 
over 100 countries. I encourage my colleagues to take a moment during 
International Education Week to acknowledge the work the citizens of 
their States are doing to ensure the successful future of the United 
States through the promotion of international education.
  In Wisconsin, schools such as Fox Valley Technical College in 
Appleton, Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, and the University 
of Wisconsin system, to name a few, will hold events recognizing the 
importance of international education in higher education. Community 
organizations will be recognizing the week as well; the International 
Institute of Wisconsin will be hosting a Community Summit on Citizen 
Diplomacy to discuss the important role citizen diplomacy--including 
international education--plays in today's world. I am proud that these 
and many other Wisconsin institutions and organizations are working to 
recognize the important role of international education and exchanges.
  I am a strong supporter of international education and exchange 
programming. On April 12, 2005, I introduced S. Res. 104, the ``People-
to-People Engagement in World Affairs'' resolution. My resolution 
recognized the importance of international programs and exchanges and 
called on Americans to strive to become more engaged in international 
affairs and more aware of peoples and developments outside the United 
States--including studying abroad. I have also cosponsored resolutions 
making 2005 the Year of Foreign Language Study and 2006 as the Year of 
Study Abroad.
  I would like to take a moment to lay out in more detail the reasons 
international education is so important.
  First and foremost, we need to be preparing our children to compete 
in a global economy. Because the United States is increasingly 
connected to foreign economies, international education and exchanges 
are critical for the United States workforce to remain competitive--
especially to fulfill the increased need for foreign language 
proficiency. We cannot compete globally if we are unable to promote and 
sell our goods and services, and we will hinder ourselves if we do not 
provide opportunities for American students to learn foreign languages 
or about other cultures and societies.
  In 2006, a University of Wisconsin--Platteville alum, triple majoring 
in criminal justice, Spanish, and biology, participated on a study-
abroad program in Merida, Venezuela. During her studies in Merida, she 
was able to hone her Spanish language skills and take a specialized 
course in law. She now works in Wisconsin as a correctional officer and 
is called upon regularly to assist with translation services. This 
student--like many others who study abroad--honed her foreign language 
proficiency through her international education experience and is 
directly applying the skills she obtained overseas in her employment. 
She is a greater asset to her employer because she can provide 
translation services. International education and exchange programs are 
crucial components for the United States and must continue to be 
supported in order to maintain a healthy economy.
  International education advances the global economic interests of the 
United States and has been shown to give students an advantage over 
their peers in the United States who have not been exposed to 
international experiences. Most students realize this fact. The 
Department of State has noted that 88 percent of American college 
students believe international education will give them a competitive 
advantage in the workplace.
  While international education and exchange programs improve America's 
competitiveness globally, they also attract current and future leaders 
from other countries to the United States. According to the Department 
of State, more than 565,000 international students from over 200 
countries study in the United States each year--some of whom will 
return home to become leaders of their countries. The more they know 
about the United States and the more connections they have with 
American citizens, the better.
  Emmanuel Sanon of Haiti was a recent participant in the Northcentral 
Technical College's CASS, Cooperative Association of States for 
Scholarships, program. CASS is a USAID funded scholarship program for 
students from

[[Page 21876]]

countries in the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico to study at a 
2-year college in the United States with hopes of gaining technical and 
leadership skills in order to return home to become agents for change 
in their countries.
  Bonnie Bissonette, director of international education at 
Northcentral Technical College, wrote me about Emmanuel's experience 
and said:

       Emmanuel studied Electromechanical Technology and 
     Leadership at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau from 
     2003-2005 and returned home to Haiti with high hopes for his 
     future. Since returning home, he has had 5 contractual jobs 
     with the U.N. in Haiti and is looking to start a tech school 
     for the youth of his community. He has already started to 
     provide some computer and English language training. 
     Wisconsin has taken a lead role in educating the economically 
     disadvantaged youth of our close neighbors to the south so 
     that they can improve the standard of living and slow the 
     tide of economic emmigration. Fox Valley Technical College 
     and NTC are two of only 13 community colleges in the United 
     States that host this highly successful program.

  Emmanuel's experience is only one of several success stories I could 
share about the useful skills exchange students gain while studying in 
the United States which are later used to improve the lives of others 
in their home countries.
  Which brings me to my next point--international education and 
exchange programs expand horizons and change lives by exposing the 
participants and programmers to new ways of thinking and living. Those 
who study abroad are forced to live outside of their comfort zones and 
as a result they learn a vast amount about themselves and other 
cultures. They often return home as different people with greater 
awareness and appreciation for others.
  A University of Wisconsin--Whitewater professor wrote to me recently 
and said:

       For about ten years now, I have been the coordinator of a 
     student exchange between UW--Whitewater and Arnhem Business 
     School in the Netherlands. My students change dramatically 
     during their experience. They even `look' different when they 
     return. At first they are tentative and worried, and by the 
     time they leave, they are truly citizens of the world . . . 
     Working as a coordinator is one of the most rewarding things 
     I do as a professor.

  This example drives home the fact that in Wisconsin, and also across 
the United States, students who choose to engage in international 
education and exchange opportunities are truly changed forever.
  The deeper understanding of other cultures is a two-way street and is 
vital to enhancing the image of the United States abroad and our 
national security. Citizen-to-citizen exchanges improve perceptions of 
the United States: a 2006 study published by the Pew Research Center 
found that ``publics around the world continue to have a more positive 
opinion of the American people than they do of the United States. In 
seven of the 14 foreign countries surveyed, at least half of 
respondents have a favorable impression of Americans; in contrast, four 
countries give the U.S. positive marks.''
  Through their international experiences, exchange participants are 
able to demonstrate American values, listen to different viewpoints, 
and speak about the similarities they share with populations around the 
world. Increasing international understanding of America will improve 
the image of the United States--and an improved perception of the 
United States will serve to also improve our national security.
  International education and exchange programs also have great 
potential to create beneficial relationships between communities on 
opposite sides of the world. These relationships can lead to increased 
opportunities for commerce and development for everyone.
  Let me give you an example. For the first time this year, the 
University of Wisconsin--Green Bay was awarded a Department of State 
grant to take college students to Jordan to study for 2 weeks. The 
program, called Journey to Jordan, gave students the opportunity to 
spend 6 weeks in Jordan learning Arabic, living with host families, 
volunteering at civil service organizations, and learning firsthand 
about Jordanian culture. These students returned with exposure to 
another language and a greater understanding of another culture.
  Just as important, however, is that the program itself built a bridge 
between Jordan and the United States. Earlier this month, the vice 
president of the University of Jordan, along with members of the North 
American Jordanian Association, NAJA, and the American MidEast 
Leadership Network, traveled to the University of Wisconsin--Green Bay, 
at their own expense, to discuss future partnership opportunities.
  These individuals chose to travel to the United States because they 
want to maintain a relationship with the University of Wisconsin--Green 
Bay. This is a wonderful connection between universities and countries 
that I hope will continue to grow.
  I commend those who work every day to promote international education 
and exchange programs, but we need to work even harder to engage more 
Americans in international education and exchange programs. To start, 
we should be following the lead of those who have begun this process. 
The University of Wisconsin--Oshkosh has a global education certificate 
program that educates teachers on how to introduce global perspectives 
in the classroom. Wisconsin's own State superintendent, Elizabeth 
Burmaster, has worked to encourage K-12 schools to introduce students 
to global perspectives in the classroom at an earlier age.
  But we can do more. I was a strong supporter of the creation of the 
Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, an 
independent commission created in 2004 for the purpose of recommending 
a program to greatly expand the opportunity for students at 
institutions of higher education in the United States to study abroad, 
with special emphasis on studying in developing countries. One of my 
colleagues--Senator Durbin--has taken the first step in working to 
implement the commission's published recommendations by introducing the 
Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Act, S. 3744.
  The purpose of S. 3744 is to encourage at least 1 million 
undergraduate students in the United States to participate in study 
abroad programs academic credit within 10 years, including students in 
technical and scientific fields of study. The program also seeks to 
ensure that an increasing portion of study abroad takes place in 
nontraditional destinations, with substantial increases in developing 
countries.
  The bill would specifically authorize the Secretary of State to 
establish an Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Program to facilitate 
undergraduate study abroad for academic credit through the creation of 
undergraduate fellowships and grants to institutions of higher 
education to reform academic programs and institutional policies that 
inhibit participation by students in study abroad.
  Senator Durbin's bill--along with other international education and 
exchange legislative initiatives is an important step to one day having 
all American students engaged in some type of international education 
or exchange program, and we need to continue to take the necessary 
steps to provide our children every opportunity to learn about new 
cultures and to speak a second, or even third, language.
  As we recognize and celebrate International Education Week, I call on 
all Americans to take a few minutes to learn something new this week 
about another culture, and I encourage all Americans to recognize and 
support international education and exchange throughout the year.

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