Economic Impact, Academic Mobility and Institutional Cooperation Are Main Themes
NEW YORK, May 14, 2012—The Institute of International Education (IIE) organized and convened the 2012 International Education Summit on the Occasion of the G8, entitled “International Education: A Global Economic Engine” on May 2 and 3 in Washington, DC. The Summit brought together 50 high level delegates from 15 countries and the European Union.
At the Summit, education leaders from G8 and other nations representing the major national exchange organizations and government agencies involved in international academic mobility engaged in a hands-on discussion of national priorities and educational cooperation among nations. The Summit provided a rare opportunity for education policy leaders from so many countries and world regions to work directly together to advance international education goals and practices.
The delegations involved in this year’s higher education summit represented Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Qatar, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Based on the deliberations of the 16 delegations, the Institute of International Education issued a call to action, calling for international education to be a pillar of all future bilateral strategic dialogues between world leaders, and a priority in multilateral diplomatic engagements.
“This Summit brought the education policy leaders from countries and regions that host 80% of the world’s 3.4 million globally mobile students to look at how we can best collaborate to meet future needs. The exchange of students and scholars helps foster economic and diplomatic engagement between countries, keeps our universities vibrant and competitive, and prepares the future workforce to meet global challenges,” said Allan Goodman, President and CEO of the Institute of International Education.
At the event, participants discussed specific areas of effective collaboration and examined current successes and obstacles in an effort to promote global academic mobility and raise awareness of the economic impact of international education among the G8 leaders, who will meet at Camp David for the official G8 Summit beginning on May 18.
Special guest speakers included Martha Kanter, Under Secretary of Education at the United States Department of Education, and Adam Ereli, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, who presented the U.S. perspective. Participants also had the opportunity to hear from Cheryl Mills, Counselor and Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and John Sexton, president of New York University, at a reception in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the U.S. Department of State.
The Summit focused on three major themes – Economic Impact, Academic Mobility, and Institutional Cooperation. Participants addressed various differences and obstacles to cooperation, while affirming that they shared the same overarching goals: to increase the movement of students across international borders, expand enrollment in postsecondary education, and produce graduates who are globally competent and culturally fluent.
IIE has issued a brief summary and key takeaways from each of the sessions, to assist educational policymakers and practitioners in advancing their internationalization goals and their efforts to build partnerships and advance academic cooperation among nations.
About the Summit
The International Education Summit is convened annually in the G8 host country to provide a platform for top-level policymakers and practitioners to meet and exchange experience and expertise. The 2012 International Education Summit was organized and convened by the Institute of International Education. The G8 Summit, a separate event hosted by the White House, will take place at Camp David on May 18 and 19, addressing a range of economic, political and security issues. This second annual International Education Summit follows a successful inaugural meeting in Paris in May 2011 hosted by Campus France. With the G8 Summit for 2013 scheduled to be held in the UK, the British Council has begun plans for an event to be held in the UK next year.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 17 offices worldwide and over 1,000 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.
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