[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 171 (Friday, September 3, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54087-54089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22136]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Education Trade Mission to Indonesia and Vietnam
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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Mission Description
The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS) is organizing
an education trade mission to Indonesia and Vietnam, April 3-8, 2011.
Led by a senior Department of Commerce official, the mission to these
two countries is intended to include representatives from a variety of
accredited U.S. education institutions. However, the emphasis will be
on community colleges, intensive English language programs, and
undergraduate programs. English language programs seeking to
participate should be accredited by CEA (Commission on English Language
Program Accreditation) or ACCET (Accrediting Council for Continuing
Education and Training); community colleges and undergraduate programs
seeking to participate should be accredited by one of the six regional
institutional accreditors in the United States.
The mission will introduce participants to potential students and
prospective partners. Participating in the Education Trade Mission,
rather than traveling to these markets independently, will enhance the
schools' ability to secure the appropriate meetings, especially in
light of the high level engagement and support of U.S. education by the
U.S. ambassadors in each of these countries. The mission will include
education sector briefings, and a student fair at each stop with the
options of matchmaking sessions with potential recruitment partners, or
networking sessions with local schools. Trade mission participants will
interact with CS education specialists as well as other State
Department advisors and officers to discuss opportunities, challenges
and marketing strategies for each market.
Commercial Setting
Vietnam
With a population of 86 million, a steadily increasing per capita
income, a booming private sector, and the high value the Vietnamese
place on education, Vietnam offers significant opportunities to U.S.
providers of education services. Vietnam presently has over 20,000
students studying abroad, paying about $200 million in tuition and fees
every year. Of those, 13,000 are studying in the U.S. With an increase
of 46% over last year, Vietnam ranks 9th among countries sending
students to the U.S. This increase is the 6th consecutive double-digit
increase in Vietnamese students going to the U.S. Notably, Vietnam
ranks 3rd among countries sending international students to the U.S. to
study at community colleges. English as a Second Language and English
immersion programs and majors such as business management, engineering,
information technologies, and sciences are popular among Vietnamese
students.
Education reform has not kept pace with economic development in
Vietnam, and improving the education system will be crucial to
sustaining long-term growth. Education has become a key feature in
bilateral cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S. The U.S. Embassy in
Hanoi has made the development of education in Vietnam a top priority,
including dramatically increasing the number of Vietnamese students
studying at U.S. institutions of higher learning and encouraging
greater educational exchange between the U.S. and Vietnam.
Indonesia
Indonesia, as the world's fourth largest nation and one of the G-
20's strongest economies, is a tremendous potential market for U.S.
educational institutions. There are numerous State-owned and private
national and international high schools and prospects for the higher
education market are good. Most Indonesian students are keen to study
abroad and the U.S. has been one of the most desired destinations.
Under President Obama's U.S.-Indonesia Comprehensive Partnership,
the education sector is the number one priority. The U.S. Embassy in
Jakarta has a goal to double the current number of Indonesian students
studying at U.S. educational institutions by 2014 to 15,000.
At present, there are over 50,000 Indonesian students overseas,
including, 7,692 students in the United States. Of these, approximately
64 percent are pursuing undergraduate degrees. Indonesia ranks 16th
among countries sending students to the U.S.
[[Page 54088]]
Indonesia is also a leading market for U.S. community colleges. In
addition to two-and-four year programs, Indonesia offers a promising
market for ESL. While English-language is commonly taught in most high
schools, most Indonesian students need to attend an intensive English-
language preparation class before being qualified for admission to
undergraduate studies.
Mission Goals
The short term goals of the education trade mission to Vietnam and
Indonesia are to (1) introduce accredited U.S. schools to potential
students in each market (2) introduce these U.S. schools to potential
partners and other industry representatives, and (3) inform mission
members of local cultural, political and economic factors in Indonesia
and Vietnam that will affect both student recruitment strategies and
the opportunities/challenges related to establishing partnerships.
Mission Scenario
In Jakarta, the trade mission participants will be presented with a
briefing by the U.S. Embassy's Counselor for Commercial Affairs, the
Senior Commercial Specialist for the education sector and other key
U.S. Government and corporate officials. Participants will take part in
an education fair. Participants will also have the option to take part
in a matchmaking session with student recruitment agents or attend a
roundtable presentation by local schools that wish to partner with U.S.
schools.
In Ho Chi Minh City, participants will take part in education
sector briefings by Consulate officers, corporate executives and local
education sector experts, and exhibit at an education fair for parents
and students. Participants will also have the option to take part in a
matchmaking session with student recruitment agents or attend a
roundtable presentation by local schools that wish to partner with U.S.
schools.
In Hanoi, the U.S. mission members will be briefed by the U.S.
Embassy's Counselor for Commercial Affairs, the Senior Commercial
Specialist for the education sector and other key U.S. Government
officials, corporate executives and education experts. Participants
will exhibit at an education fair for parents and students.
Participants will also have the option to take part in a matchmaking
session with student recruitment agents or attend a roundtable
presentation by local schools that wish to partner with U.S. schools.
At all stops, participants will have networking opportunities with
various multipliers such as Education USA, education consultants, U.S.
Indonesia Society, Institute of Education Exchange, school counselors,
etc. U.S. participants will be counseled before and after the mission
by a domestic mission coordinator. Participation in the mission will
include the following:
Pre-travel briefings/webinar on subjects ranging from
opportunities in the education sectors to security;
A student fair in Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi;
Education sector briefings in each city;
Participants will have the option of networking meetings
with student recruitment agents or a roundtable with local universities
that are interested in foreign partnerships in each city;
Airport transfers in Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi;
Meetings with CS education industry specialists in
Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi.
Proposed Mission Timetable
Mission participants will be encouraged to arrive April 2, 2011 and
the mission program will proceed from April 3 through April 8, 2011.
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April 2.............................................. Jakarta
Arrive in
Jakarta.
April 3.............................................. Jakarta
Education Fair.
April 4.............................................. Jakarta
Education Seminar/
briefings by
U.S. Embassy
officials.
Option A:
Matchmaking
Session with
student
recruitment
agents.
Option B: Visit
to 2-3 high
schools (feeder
schools) and
meet with
student
counselors.
April 5.............................................. Ho Chi Minh City.
Travel to Ho Chi
Minh City.
April 6.............................................. Ho Chi Minh City
Market briefings
by U.S.
Consulate
officials/
Education Sector
Executives.
Option A:
Matchmaking
Session with
student
recruitment
agents.
Option B:
Roundtable with
local schools
that wish to
partner with
U.S. schools.
Education Fair.
April 7.............................................. Hanoi
Travel to Hanoi.
April 8.............................................. Hanoi
Market briefings
by U.S. Embassy
officials.
Option A:
Matchmaking
Session with
student
recruitment
agents.
Option B:
Roundtable with
local schools
that wish to
partner with
U.S. schools.
Education Fair.
April 9.............................................. Depart Hanoi.
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Participation Requirements
All parties interested in participating in the Education Mission to
Indonesia and Vietnam must complete and submit an application for
consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be
evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy
the selection criteria as outlined below. A minimum of 40 and a maximum
of 70 educational institutions will be selected to participate in the
mission from the applicant pool. U.S. education institutions already
providing training to Indonesian and Vietnamese students as well as
U.S. educational institutions seeking to enter the market for the first
time are encouraged to apply.
Fees and Expenses
After an educational institution has been selected to participate
on the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of
a participation fee is required. The participation fee will be $2,930
to cover one representative. The fee for each additional representative
is $600. Expenses for travel, lodging, most
[[Page 54089]]
meals, interpreters, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each
mission participant.
Conditions for Participation
Applicants must submit a completed and signed mission
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate
information on the schools accreditation, primary market objectives,
and goals for participation. If the U.S. Department of Commerce
receives an incomplete application, the Department may reject the
application, request additional information, or take the lack of
information into account when evaluating the applications.
Applicants must provide detailed information on their
mission objectives, and specify their options for matchmaking with
agents and/or meetings with local schools in each city.
Each applicant must also certify that the services it
seeks to export through the mission benefit a U.S. based institution.
Selection Criteria for Participation
Selection will be based on the following criteria:
Applicant must be appropriately accredited as per
paragraph one.
Suitability of the education institution to the mission's
goals
Applicant's potential for business in Vietnam and
Indonesia, including likelihood of exports resulting from the trade
mission
Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with
the stated scope of the trade mission (as an example--be in the
education sectors indicated in the mission description)
Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing
references to partisan political activities (including political
contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and not
considered during the selection process.
Timeframe for Recruitment and Applications
Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner,
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce
Department trade mission calendar (http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and
trade media, direct mail, notices by industry trade associations and
other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia,
conferences, and trade shows.
Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no
later than Friday, January 14, 2011. The U.S. Department of Commerce
will review all applications immediately after the deadline. We will
inform applicants of selection decisions as soon as possible after
January 14, 2011. Applications received after that date will be
considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.
Contacts
U.S. Commercial Service Domestic Contact
Debra Rogers, 312-353-6988, [email protected].
Gabriela Zelaya, (408) 535-2757, x107, [email protected].
Bernadette Rojas, (216) 522-4740, [email protected].
Greg Thompson, 214-712-1932, [email protected].
U.S. Commercial Service Vietnam Contacts
Ho Chi Minh City:
Dave Averne, Commercial Officer, [email protected].
Le Anh, Commercial Specialist, [email protected].
Hanoi:
Yasue Pai, Commercial Officer, [email protected].
Tuyet Trees, [email protected].
Ngo Anh, [email protected].
U.S. Commercial Service Indonesia Contacts
Jakarta:
Joe Kaesshaefer, Senior Commercial Officer, [email protected].
Henry Sutanto, Commercial Specialist, [email protected].
Sean Timmins,
Trade Promotion Programs, Commercial Service Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-22136 Filed 9-2-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P