On February 28th, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) released the report, "America’s Languages: Investing in Language Learning for the 21st Century." This report was produced in response to a request made by a bipartisan group of Members of Congress seeking answers to the following questions:

• How does language learning influence economic growth, cultural diplomacy, the productivity of future generations, and the fulfillment of all Americans?
• What actions should the nation take to ensure excellence in all languages as well as international education and research, including how we may more effectively use current resources to advance language attainment?

The resulting report offers recommendations to improve access in order to meet the nation’s language education needs. Download the report and additional resources at the AAAS website linked below.

The Title VI International Research and Studies (IRS) program supports surveys and studies to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields. Grants are awarded to individuals, institutions of higher education, local education agencies, nonprofit organizations, other organizations and/or agencies, and state education agencies.

The International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE) office expects to hold a competition for new FY 2017 IRS grants in late spring or early summer 2017 and will announce the opening of the competition via the Federal Register, this newsletter, and the IFLE website.

In anticipation of the competition announcement, we invite interested parties to learn more about the types of IRS projects, eligibility requirements, and examples of past projects at the program website.

GET Exporting Program

UT-Austin's CIBE offers the Global Entrepreneurial Tools for Exporting (GET Exporting) Program, a practicum-based course that matches student teams with existing start-ups and small businesses. Business students study exporting concepts in the classroom and then apply this knowledge to help local businesses solve real-world issues relating to international business.

GET Exporting students learn about international marketing, channel development, transportation and logistics, and taxation/tariffs. In working with local companies, they build key project management and client relationship management skills that are transferable to other organizations when they enter the job market. At the same time, students deliver actionable export management plans to their client companies at the end of the semester, augmenting the exporting capabilities and future competitiveness of the local business community.

In the two semesters the course has been offered, 11 export plans have been prepared for 9 companies. Of those, 85% of business clients say they have received value from and/or intend to implement the export plans prepared by the students; 90% indicate a desire to partner again in the future. Beginning in 2017, the CIBE will track direct exports resulting from the GET Exporting program as companies implement the student plans. 

Next-Generation Cultural Resources for Businesspeople

The CIBE at UT-Austin also provides cultural analysis resources to help U.S. businesspeople learn quickly about cultural issues to develop effective strategies for building relationships and solving problems in the realm of international business.

The Cultural Analysis Executive Toolkit guides users in creating their own cultural profile and one for a new country, company or individual. Comparing the two profiles helps users identify differences that can lead to potential issues. Businesspeople can use the resource to anticipate challenges with international contacts, identify others’ perceptions of them, solve culture-based problems, and take advantage of the strengths offered by others’ cultural tendencies.

The Cultural Analysis Toolkit and supplemental materials are available at no cost on the center's website. In addition to downloading the toolkit itself, the website also features explanatory materials and a practice video that facilitates identifying cultural tendencies and predicting/solving problems. The center is currently planning a web-based version of the materials that will offer additional solutions to enhance international projects, teams, and partnerships.

There are 100 federally funded Title VI National Resource Centers (NRCs) at universities around the United States. One of their many functions is to provide curriculum materials, teacher education, travel opportunities for teachers, scholarly speakers, and more. Through the centers' websites, you can find a wide array of resources: lesson plans, culture boxes, Skype-based classroom speakers, and more.

Many NRCs also organize summer institutes for teachers. Some institutes have funding available to defray travel expenses for out-of-town participants. The University of California, Berkeley has compiled a list of summer institutes for teachers around the country. Information is posted as it becomes available.

The Title VI National Resource Center School of Global and International Studies and the Center for the Study of Global Change at Indiana University are hosting the upcoming Institute for Curriculum and Campus Internationalization (ICCI), May 21-24, 2017. Registration for this event is open through April 24th.

This institute is designed to help institutions of higher education prepare students, faculty, and staff to be effective scholars, practitioners, and citizens of the 21st century. ICCI provides a learning environment for institution staff members to think more deeply and productively about enhancing international knowledge and opportunities on their campuses and in their departments, programs, curricula, and courses. Learn more at the link below.

IFLE is on Twitter with the latest from the world of international and foreign language education. Follow us @GoGlobalED and tell your friends! We'll see you in the Twittersphere!

We're on YouTube with informative webinars and exciting grant program videos. Subscribe to IFLE's YouTube channel to enjoy the latest content!

Have you received a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship or participated in a Fulbright-Hays grant program? Join our alumni groups on LinkedIn!

FLAS Program Alumni          Fulbright-Hays Program Alumni

We want to hear from you! Do you have suggestions for webinar topics? Ideas for things to include in future newsletters? Send them to Carolyn Collins at carolyn.collins@ed.gov.