Recognizing a growing demand for internationally-experienced engineering graduates, a consortium of leading universities around the world have established the Global Engineering Education Exchange (Global Eł). Administered in the United States by the Institute of International Education (IIE),this program provides opportunities for students at member institutions to receive academic credit for courses taken at an overseas institution, and practical training in a foreign setting for a summer, semester, or academic year. Through participation in the program, Global Eł graduates gain the necessary foreign language ability, cross-cultural skills, and professional experience to excel in the multinational/multicultural business environment of the 21st century. The importance of this unique program has been recognized by the National Science Foundation, AT&T Foundation, and the US Department of Education, all of which provided the start-up funds for the program. The program will be sustained over time by membership fees from participating universities and from corporations.

The US-based Global Eł consortium is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York, and currently consists of approximately over 30 American member universities, with additional U.S. members to be added on a gradual basis to widen the diversity of the participating student pool. Overseas members include a consortium of western European universities plus selected individual institutions in other world regions, including Asia, central and eastern Europe, and Latin America. Over time, additional institutions will be invited from these regions as well.

Participating students are nominated by their home institution and receive credit at home for academic work completed abroad. They study overseas in a member institution for one or two semesters, typically in their junior year. Integral to the program is intensive language instruction and the opportunity for students to undertake a practical, paid internship in an industrial setting or laboratory in the host country. The internship component is an especially valuable element in strengthening the international and professional competency of the students, as well as a unique opportunity for host companies to become acquainted with these talented young people at an early stage in their careers.

The program is competitive, selecting only the most promising students with sufficient language ability to successfully complete coursework overseas and engage in a meaningful work experience in industry. In order to expand the opportunities for outstanding students with minimal foreign language ability, we have added some overseas institutions that can provide instruction in English as well as the home country language.