Renewing a commitment to international understanding

Fostering international understanding through higher education could have many facets. Two important dimensions of what should be a broader comprehensive effort to internationalize include; 1) hosting international students and 2) encouraging greater international experience among domestic students.

I have previously posted about the importance of deepening the commitment to serving international students in the U.S.A. Serving international students during the COVID-19 pandemic has been complicated, a sentiment echoed in the U.K. as well. This view contrasts with what has all too often been a financial gain model - attract international students who pay top price for their educations and then are expected to adjust to U.S.A. cultural and other expectations.

In order to renew the U.S. commitment to international students, the Biden administration is being urged to take policy actions that will send a renewed welcoming signal to international students. The proposal is justified on not only the economic impact of international students enrolling in U.S. institutions but based on what they add to the scientific, intellectual, and social environment of campuses. Some international students have appealed for assistance through COVID-19 relief funding, with a particular focus on the devastation to international students' home country economies and the fact that travel restrictions resulted in their being stranded in the U.S. without adequate support. More recent help from the Biden administration came in exempting international students from travel restrictions and by not changing guidance for international students for online learning. However, many international students still face logistical challenges in securing visa and travel assistance necessary for them to pursue their aspirations and panic has struck many international students who now face short timelines.

The American Council on Education's report, "Toward greater inclusion and success: a new compact for international students," proposes a commitment to more support for international students "with a focus on building lifelong relationships between students and institutions from the first point of contact to their postgraduate careers." This "lifecycle approach" is a game changer and could help U.S.A. higher education return to the place of being the world's most desirable destination for education.

In order to encourage U.S. domestic students to engage in some type of international experience, a Civic Engagement Corps within the Peace Corps could include a proposed 8-12 weeks in domestic and international communities focused on immersion with local projects or concerns. Such a Civic Engagement Corps would "allow students to build upon and put to practical use their academic learning in order to work with others on an important public issue, and to develop in them the intercultural and democratic skills necessary for long-term success."