[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78170-78172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31584]


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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S. Education Mission to Africa: South Africa and Ghana 
(Optional Stop to Cote d'Ivoire); March 6-12, 2016

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, is organizing an education mission to South Africa and 
Ghana with an optional stop in the C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. Department of 
Commerce is partnering with the Department of State's EducationUSA 
Advising Centers in each location. This trade mission will be led by a 
senior Department of Commerce official and the emphasis will be on 
higher education programs, community college programs and summer, 
undergraduate and graduate programs, or consortia/associations of U.S. 
educational institutions offering said programs.
    This mission will seek to connect U.S. higher education 
institutions to potential students and university/institution partners 
in these three African countries. The mission will include student 
fairs organized by Education USA, embassy briefings, site visits, and 
networking events in our target cities of Johannesburg, Accra, and 
Abidjan. Participation in the Education Mission to these nations, 
rather than traveling independently to each market, will enhance the 
ability of participants to secure appropriate meetings with productive 
contacts in the target markets.

[[Page 78171]]

    This mission is intended to include representatives from a variety 
of accredited U.S. education institutions and consortia/associations 
representing groupings of U.S. accredited education institutions.
    Summer programs seeking to participate should be appropriately 
accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Department 
of Education. Community colleges, undergraduate and graduate programs 
seeking to participate should be accredited by a recognized 
accreditation body listed in Council for Higher Education Accreditation 
(CHEA) or Accrediting Council for Education and Training (ACCET), in 
the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA), or 
any accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
    The delegation will include representatives from approximately 25 
different educational institutions or consortia/associations.

                                Schedule
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday March 6, 2016...................   Arrive in Johannesburg
                                          Check into hotel
Monday March 7, 2016...................   Welcome and Briefing
                                          from the U.S. and Foreign
                                          Commercial Service
                                          Meeting with South
                                          African Government Education
                                          Leaders
                                          Visit to Schools
                                          Networking Reception
Tuesday March 8, 2016..................   Education Fair
Wednesday March 9, 2016................   Visit to Africa
                                          Leadership Academy
                                          Additional Meetings
                                          with Schools
                                          Travel to Accra
Thursday March 10, 2016................   Travel Recovery
                                          Welcome and Briefing
                                          from the U.S. and Foreign
                                          Commercial Service
                                          Education Fair
                                          Reception at U.S.
                                          Ambassador's Residence
Friday March 11, 2016..................   Visit to Schools
                                          (Accra)
                                          Depart for Abidjan,
                                          Cote d'Ivoire for optional
                                          stop or return to United
                                          States on own itinerary
                                          Arrive in Abidjan in
                                          afternoon
                                          Evening Reception
Saturday March 12, 2016................   Welcome and Briefing
                                          from the U.S. Department of
                                          State (EducationUSA)
                                          Brunch with Local
                                          Schools and University
                                          Directors
                                          Education Fair: 12:30-
                                          6:00 PM
                                          Reception with Dinner
                                          and Cultural Show
Monday March 13, 2016..................   Optional cultural
                                          excursion for those who can
                                          stay
                                          Departure to the
                                          United States (most flights
                                          depart in the afternoon or
                                          evening)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Web site: Please visit our official mission Web site for more 
information: http://www.export.gov/trademissions/.

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the Education Trade 
Mission to Africa must complete and submit an application package 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. The mission will open on a 
rolling basis to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 25 appropriately 
accredited U.S. educational institutions. U.S. educational institutions 
(or associations/consortia thereof) already recruiting in Africa, as 
well as U.S. education institutions seeking to enter the African market 
for the first time, may apply.

Fees and Expenses

    After an 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 is $2,800 for one 
principal representative from each non-profit educational institution 
or educational institution with fewer than 500 employees and $3,300 for 
for-profit universities with over 500 employees. An institution can 
choose to participate in the optional stop in Cote d'Ivoire for an 
additional $1,800 for one principal representative from each non-profit 
educational institution or educational institution with fewer than 500 
employees and $1,900 for for-profit universities with over 500 
employees. The fee for each additional representative is $600. Expenses 
for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and all travel (except for 
transportation to and from airports in-country, previously noted) will 
be the responsibility of each mission participant. The U.S. Department 
of Commerce can facilitate government rates in some hotels.

Application

    All interested firms and associations may register via the 
following link: http://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/TM/6R0R.

Exclusions

    The mission fee does not include any personal travel expenses such 
as lodging, most meals, local ground transportation, except as stated 
in the proposed agenda, and air transportation from the United States 
to the mission site and return to the United States.

Timeline 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://export.gov/industry/education/) 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 January 15, 2016. Applications 
for the mission will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications 
received after January 15, 2016, will be considered only if space and 
scheduling constraints permit.

Conditions for Participation

    An applicant must submit a timely, completed and signed mission 
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate 
information on course offerings, primary market objectives, and goals 
for participation. The institution or institutional members of 
consortia/associations must have appropriate accreditation as specified 
per paragraph one above.
    The institution/consortium/association must be represented at the 
student fair by an employee of an accredited U.S. educational 
institution or association/consortium. No agents will be allowed to 
represent a school on the mission or participate at the student fair. 
Agents will also not be allowed into the fairs to solicit new 
partnerships. If the 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.
    Participants must travel to both stops in South Africa and Ghana on 
the mission. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is the only optional stop.
    Each applicant must certify that the services it seeks to export 
through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if 
not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51 
percent U.S. content of the value of the service.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Jennifer Woods, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S 
Commercial

[[Page 78172]]

Service, Portland, Oregon, Tel: (503) 326-5290, Email: 
[email protected].
    Jeffrey Goldberg, Industry & Analysis, Office of Trade Promotion 
Programs, Washington, DC, Tel: (202) 482-1706, Email: 
[email protected].

Frank Spector,
Acting Director, Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-31584 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P