Will We See A Spike in Study Abroad Interest and Participation to the United Kingdom Due to the Royal Wedding?

I'm approaching this question from a U.S. student and programming perspective.  I don't know the answer but I suspect yes.  The folks that can best track study abroad  interest to the UK are those at GoAbroad.com, StudyAbroad.com and IIEPassport (anyone want to share traffic data to London & other UK programs?).  The folks that can best track study abroad participation are those at IIE compiling Open Doors data.  We shall see...

As I was searching Twitter during lunch for my daily "Study abroad related tweet of the day" I came across many tweets from students who were talking about studying in England and London and this got me thinking about the question.  The Amanda Knox situation has had an impact on study abroad interest to Italy which makes me wonder what impact the Royal Wedding will have on U.S. student interest on studying in London.So I thought it would be interesting to conduct a brief search through Twitter and to copy and paste any posts related to studying abroad in the United Kingdom and they follow:

Dreaming about London on this special day... Can't wait to be there for Fall semester 2011!!! @royalwedding #London #fb#studyabroad

Why Prince William and Catherine Middleton Should Inspire All Students http://ow.ly/4JFor #StudyAbroad #GlobalEd #IntlEd

Just saw Peter Alexander on @Todayinterviewing #studyabroad students for their reaction at the#royalwedding!"

I have decided in order to go to London this fall, I need to purchase a royally perfect hat. #royalwedding #studyabroad

Shove me in a suitcase and send me to Oxford, already. The anticipation is killin' me. #excited #england #studyabroad #yay

What a coincidence that I get an email about applying to studyabroad in England...

i WILL study abroad in london, and i WILL meet prince harry, and i WILL be the next princess. #dreams

Close to dropping everything and running off to London. The things that Study Abroad meetings will do to you..

Are there any princes left in the world? Because listen ima studyabroad, meet one, and have my own royal wedding. Okay.

Did any UK study abroad students make it to the Royal Wedding? Feel free to post photos!

I wana study abroad in England.

when I study abroad I will meet a royal and get married #obsessed

My dad called me at 6:12 am to tell me to study abroad to meet and marry prince harry...

Oh! I want to study abroad in UK. Fighting for my dream come true. First step study English language now!!!

Can't wait to study abroad aka hit up London and have #princeharryfall in love with me. #itwillhappen

I'm going to study abroad in London and then stay there to become apart of the royal family. Do you approve, though?

I am strategically planning my study abroad in college to coincide with Prince Harry's wedding.

Of special note: This snapshot of Twitter posts related to study abroad and the United Kingdom was conducted at 12:30pm Chicago time which was several hours after the Royal Wedding coverage concluded. It would have been interesting to see related posts during the live coverage.

New Global Ed Listserv for Consultants

Following is a message my colleague Missy Gluckman of Melibee Global sent yesterday to the SECUSS-L listserv.  I'm copying and pasting the message here on IHEC Blog as I'm involved in this new initiative.  I should note that Missy is the driving force behind this effort and she deserves all of the credit as I'm really just coming along for the ride.  Many many thanks Missy!!  I'll be posting more soon about what Missy is doing for the field as it is really exciting.  Visit her website and blog at http://melibeeglobal.com/ when you have a chance.  Here is our message:


Greetings,

We invite international ed consultants to join a newly formed discussion group on google: Global Ed Consultants

The purpose of this group is to share information about our consulting services, to network, and to discuss the joy (and surprises!) of the  consulting field. Our philosophy is that collaboration is MUCH more effective than competition, so we hope to support each other and provide an outlet for discussion, especially since many of us work from home and cannot  physically travel to every conference.

Please note that you should be an international education consultant to join this group.

Here is the link to join: http://groups.google.com/group/Globaledconsult/about

Feel free to email should you have any questions or comments!

Best,
Missy and David

Missy Gluckmann, Founder
Melibee Global
www.melibeeglobal.com/book-a-speaker
info@melibeeglobal.com

David Comp
International Higher Education Consulting Blog
http://davidcomp.wordpress.com/
international.ed.consulting@gmail.com

Judith McHale remarks at the The Exchange 2.0 Summit this morning

Following are the remarks by Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, at The Exchange 2.0 Summit hosted by the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C.: 




You can also read Secretary McHale's remarks here.

My Twitter and IHEC Blog's Facebook posts in support of Earth Day

Last Friday I went on a Twitter and Facebook posting binge in support of Earth Day.  Below are my posts that contain some excellent resources and information that I hope you find helpful:


GlobaLinks Learning Abroad's Green Initiative at http://tinyurl.com/3z9l7sk


"Sustainability in Study Abroad" resource on @NAFSA website at http://bit.ly/f3qELf


Many of the study abroad offices/programs/providers are posting about their Green Initiatives today! What are the Int'l Ed. orgs doing?


Tips For Going Green Abroad via the IES Go Green Initiative at http://bit.ly/hRvPnT


Sustainable Study Abroad Grants at Middlebury College at http://bit.ly/fSKAQH


NAFSA 2011 Annual Conference Green Initiatives at http://acsearch.nafsa.org/ac11green.html


"20 Steps to Sustainable Study Abroad" by @GoGreenTraveler at http://bit.ly/dTQr3V


@ForumEA I'm having a hard time finding your Standards of Good Practice related to Sustainability & Education Abroad on your website. Help!!


‎"Sustaining Study Abroad" a March 12, 2009 article by Inside Higher Ed at http://bit.ly/g8QJrS


http://www.earthday.org/


Are you subscribed to Sustainabilityabroad -- Sustainability in Study Abroad listserv at http://bit.ly/eYlyhF


Just What is in API’s Carbon Reduction Project Portfolio Anyway? at http://bit.ly/eJgI5u


‎"5 Ways to Design Sustainable Study Abroad Programs" via Sustainability Education Blog at http://bit.ly/dScuWS


International Higher Education Consulting and Bury Book International Education Library & Archive are Greener and now "Save as WWF". More about this on IHEC Blog at http://bit.ly/eNk9Hb


Going Green: Sustainability in Study Abroad & Responsible Travel: Articles, Multi-Media, Websites, Books, Organisations via Abroad View at http://www.abroadview.org/green/


I think all international education programs should get involved with the Green Passport Program at http://greenpassport.ning.com/


Check out all the green things happening in international education from this Oct. 2009 IHEC Blog post "Internaitonal Education Exchange and Climate Change" at http://bit.ly/ajgGoi


Study abroad related tweet of the day: "Happy Earth Day! Do you have your Green Passport for #studyabroad? http://fb.me/tbiTWfIp"

Spam or Legitimate Wall Post on IHEC Blog's Facebook Page?

From time to time I receive some Spammy wall posts over on IHEC Blog's Facebook page (and a bunch here on IHEC Blog but I moderate comments so it's not too problematic).  Last night someone posted to the following to IHEC Blog's Facebook page and I'm trying to determine if it is Spam.  I think it is and I think most of the 569 followers would agree.  However, the content relates to what I post in this new media space so part of me thinks to let it stay.  What are your thoughts?

Exchange 2.0 Connected Youth: The Future of Peacebuilding and Problem Solving a Free Live Webcast on April 27th

The United States Institute of Peace will be hosting a free webcast focusing on the revitalization of international educational exchanges as a core pillar of public diplomacy.  Those in Washington, D.C. can register to attend in person of course. The following snippet is a description with agenda of the webcast:

"The orientation of U.S. public diplomacy is changing from telling America’s story to direct dialogue in an interconnected world. With this shift has come a need to revitalize a core pillar of public diplomacy strategy: international exchanges. Although traditional exchange programs have been effective in expanding access to cross-cultural educational opportunities beyond those that study-abroad programs reach, participation remains limited. Developing the next generation of Exchange 2.0 initiatives—that is, technology-enabled programs embedded in curricula and with a cross-cultural educational purpose—will improve the number, diversity, and experience of international exchange participants."  You can read more here.

AGENDA

9:00 a.m. Welcome to the New USIP

Ambassador Richard H. Solomon, President, USIP

9:10 a.m. Framing the Day: What Is Exchange 2.0 and Why Does It Matter?

Sheldon Himelfarb, Director, Center of Innovation: Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding, USIP

9:30 a.m. Keynote Address

Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. Department of State

10:00 a.m. Impact of Exchange 2.0 Programs

Moderator: Tara Sonenshine, Executive Vice President, USIP

Personal Stories:

Ingrid Inema, Rwanda, Global Nomads Group

Professor Osama Madany, Egypt, Soliya

Dmitry Savelau, Belarus, iEARN

11.00 a.m. Break

11:15 a.m. Next Generation International Exchanges

Moderator: Sheldon Himelfarb, Director, Center of Innovation: Media, Conflict and Peacebuilding, USIP

Allan Goodman, President & CEO, Institute of International Education

Edwin Gragert, Executive Director, iEARN-USA

J. Adam Ereli, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Michael Galvez, Product Manager, Google Translate

Shamil Idriss, CEO, Soliya

Matthew Taylor, ICT Strategist and Architect, World Ahead Program, Intel

12:45 p.m. Closing Remarks

(Logo/Photo Courtesy: USIP)

Japanese Magic Lantern: The Minwa-za Company of Tokyo and the Art of Utsushi-e

I've posted on IHEC Blog in the past about the exposure my daughter (and son) is getting in her school this academic year to countries, cultures and issues across the globe (see links below).  This exposure is not new as it has been happening since she entered the Nursery school.  My son is in Kindergarten and in his three years at the school he has learned about such things as Diwali and had Greek celebrations in his classroom.  


This morning her class will learn how to make lanterns and in the afternoon they will watch a traditional theatrical performance of Utsushi-e, a classical style of theater that uses lanterns and puppetry! 


More on this event today and additional performances this week through Saturday are available here.


Related posts:
The internationalization of Room 404 [a 3rd grade class at The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools]
Cranes of Hope For Japan Relief fundraiser