What was the Biggest International Education News of the Decade?

Perhaps I'm getting caught up in all of the end of decade hoopla where everyone is making their "Top of the Decade" lists and I thought there is no reason why I can't jump on that cheesy train. I created my first IHEC Blog poll (top right of the blog) asking "What was the Biggest International Education News of the Decade?" Following are the top four news events of the decade that I could think of on my own and with the help of a colleague via IHEC Blog's Facebook page:

- Establishment of International Education Week
- September 11th (increasing international focus of U.S. students, immigration, image of U.S.)
- SEVIS
- Lincoln Commission/ Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act

The poll closes at 11:59p.m. (CST) on December 31st. If you have a moment to vote I would greatly appreciate it!

Video and Text of Judith A. McHale on Release of the Open Doors 2009 Report

At the end of my IHEC Blog post yesterday I asked where to find a transcript of Judith A. McHale’s, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, remarks at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Monday opening the tenth annual International Education Week and announcing the significant findings from Open Doors 2009. Well I found the transcript of her comments which you can read here but you may want to watch this video (6:54) of her remarks:

International Education Week, Economic Impact Statements & Open Doors 2009

If you are following international education offices, organizations or people in the field on Twitter or reading/receiving/google alerts feeds from any higher education publication it is hard to miss the fact today marks the start of International Education Week in the U.S. (thanks President Clinton!), that the Institute of International Education (IIE) released their annual 2009 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange and that NAFSA: Association of International Educators released their 2008-2009 Economic Impact Statements.

There is a lot of information to read, analyze and synthesize and I admit I haven’t had much time to do this yet. I do plan to post to IHEC Blog, to the IHEC Blog Facebook page, and to Twitter about these topics all this week.

Following are a few links to whet your appetite[i]. These are the main sites I will be visiting/using in my analysis of this data and to see what, if any, trouble I can stir up in an attempt to start discussions on how we perceive and/or report on the state of the field of international education.[ii]

International Education Week by U.S. Departments of State & Education

See which governors have issued International Education Week Proclamations

2008-2009 Economic Impact Statements by NAFSA (for the first time also broken down by Congressional District)

Open Doors 2009 by IIE

Fall 2009 International Student Enrollment Survey by AACC, AASCU, ACE, AAU, APLU, CGS, IIE & NAFSA

[i] Many thanks to Andy Amsler over at NAFSA his message this morning.
[ii] Please see this IHEC Blog post from March 20, 2007 to see an example of the type of discussion I like to see us international educators, as well as outsiders, participate in.

International Education Week 2009 Website Officially Launched

I just received an e-mail alerting me that the International Education Week (IEW) 2009 website has officially launched. Be one of the first to add your institutional activities and events to the site. To learn more about International Education Week please read the IEW Fact Sheet here.

One of things that I really like about the site is that it has information on the Flat Stanley Project as I think it’s a great activity for young children to begin learning about other people and lands across the globe. I really want to instill a love for international travel, intercultural understanding and mutual respect in my three young children and I plan to post to IHEC blog about Flat Stanley and Flat Stella, Toot & Puddle and Sesame Street in the future!