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International Education:
Policies, Merits, Purposes
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by Carolyn Maude White*

Reprinted here from EduServe Excellence, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 2000. Revised & reprinted January 2010.
Article copyright 2000 & 2010 by Carolyn Maude White. All Rights Reserved.
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What is "international education"? Why is it relevant? How does it benefit people and society, families and communities, the environment, agriculture, health and medicine, labor and employment, business, economy and technology, cultural arts and architecture, journalism, education, public and private cooperation, law and justice, international relations, religion and spirituality? How does it benefit America and the world? In the following article, the author draws upon extensive knowledge and experience to respond to these and related questions.

Policies

From North and South America to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia and Pacific to the Atlantic and worldwide, it has become increasingly apparent that domestic and national issues are also international and global issues. From energy policies to the global environment, terrorism to natural disasters, food shortages and famines to global health problems, economy at home to commerce and economy abroad and other issues, the interconnectedness of all persons with local- to- global environments, economies, societies, politics, and faiths is an integral part of the individual's human experience.

At the outset of the 21st century, a U.S. White House statement issued an alert, "To continue to compete successfully in the global economy and to maintain our role as a world leader," the United States needs to support an international education strategy that prepares its citizens for a global environment and that builds relationships with future leaders from abroad. A decade later, the current U.S. President stated, "We know that more is to be gained when great powers cooperate. ... It must be rooted in our people .... That is why ... the United States will dramatically expand the number of our students who study [abroad]."

Throughout most of the twentieth century, it has been the continuing policy of the U.S. government to promote international educational exchange on behalf of increased understanding and cooperation among and between peoples and nations. A U.S. Advisory Commission on International Educational and Cultural Affairs stated, “There is no other international activity of our government that enjoys so much spontaneous public approval, elicits such extensive citizen participation, and yields such impressive evidence of success” as international educational exchange. Its success has been called a "beacon of hope."

As leaders, scholars, educators, parents, students, and institutions pursue, debate, and fulfill the continuing and evolving international education strategy, one can be aided by an understanding of the 1) accomplishments of international education and international educational exchange to date, and 2) reasons why these are urgent requirements for America, Americans, and her neighbors.

Defining International Education

International educational exchange can be defined as the just and peaceable exchange of persons, information, media, education, and in certain cases related products and services that enhance and enrich the international education process and resulting greater understanding among and between participating persons, institutions, and nations. This exchange among and between persons and nations normally pertains to international students, teachers, scholars, specialists, and others who become actively engaged in education at an educational institution abroad, and/or through educational travel and visits to related specialists and institutions abroad, in order to advance in a specific academic field of study and/or professional field or fields of work or service.

This includes just and peaceable visitors between communities, institutions, and local, state, and national governments for the purpose of informational, cultural, and/or educational exchange, as well as independent students, scholars, and others who travel to a foreign country for the purpose of studying a foreign language, teaching, and/or carrying out independent research in their respective academic disciplines. (Other exchanges of people such as tourists, business persons, scientists, etc. pertain to international tourism, business, and science, etc. and are not a part of the international educational exchange process, unless specifically so involved.)

Thus, it is reasonable to state that international education and international educational exchange are the content and experience of study abroad at established and recognized educational institutions (i.e., schools, colleges, universities) that are specifically dedicated to the education of individuals and well-being of indigenous and other persons, nations, and civilizations. Both international education and international educational exchange of long-term and short-term visitors are sanctioned by, and authorized in cooperation with, participating governmental, educational, cultural, business and economic institutions and are conducted in harmony with multiple constituencies.

More briefly, international education is the totality of what is learned and experienced abroad in a foreign educational institution and foreign national environment and the product or results derived therefrom. International educational exchange, although related to educational experience abroad, may also pertain to long-term and short-time visitors and involve reciprocal study of a host country national to the country, and often institution, of origin of the original study abroad grantee, hence the word "exchange." In current common usage, however, the two terms italicized above are often used interchangeably.

Achievements

Some significant accomplishments of both international education and international educational exchange (called herein "International Education and Exchange"), from numerous perspectives and specialized fields, are the following.

With respect to People and Society, International Education and Exchange
- have contributed to knowledge, experience, and mutual understanding among and between people/s, cultures, and societies internationally;
- have enriched the specific skills and capabilities of foreign students and visitors through education, work experience, and personal contacts with students, teachers, people and cultures in host and visited communities;
- have fostered unprecedented exchanges among and between people/s, cultures, and societies with respect to most every field of interest relative to the human person and society;
- have facilitated the passage, protection, and advancement of human rights agreements;
- have contributed to an appreciation of the unity-in-diversity of all peoples, cultures, and societies at home and abroad;
- have increased understanding, cooperation, and friendship among and between persons, cultures, and societies worldwide.

With respect to Families and Communities, International Education and Exchange
- have facilitated a growing consciousness across all borders of the meaning, relevance, and importance of the family;
- have contributed to a greater understanding across all national borders of the basic-to-optimal norms required for the safety, well-being, and flourishment of families and communities;
- have stimulated a growing knowledge, consciousness, and understanding of the unity-in-diversity of the human family and community across all national borders;
- have enabled the required international literacy and understanding set forth in international jurisprudence that recognizes that the "family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State";
- have contributed to knowledge, understanding, respect, and cooperation among and between people and communities at home and abroad, along with the recognition that "Everyone has duties to the community ...." -- Universal Declaration of Human Rights

With respect to the Environment, International Education and Exchange
- have stimulated a growing international and global consciousness that has enabled leaders, environmentalists, and people in general to become more conscious of the local-to-global implications of environmental, and environmentally related, policies;
- have contributed to international and global linguistic literacy and cultural understanding, knowledge, harmony and friendship that have enabled the free flow of environmental data across national borders;
- have contributed to international, regional, and global understanding and cooperation among and between peoples and nations that have enabled the creation, passage, and signing of international environmental treaties, such as the Law of the Sea Convention;
- have contributed to international understanding and cooperation among and between peoples and nations that have enabled the creation and passage of the World Charter for Nature;
- have stimulated scientific and technological exchange and progress that have led to the creation and production of global weather satellites.

With respect to Agriculture, International Education and Exchange
- have facilitated the trade, exchange, and enjoyment of agricultural produce internationally;
- have facilitated the sharing of farming knowledge and techniques worldwide;
- have facilitated informational exchange and transfer of agricultural techniques and advancements;
- have facilitated the development and accessibility of agricultural standards and resulting practices;
- have enabled the international advancement of scientific disciplines in regard to agriculture;
- have facilitated international research, production, and distribution of agricultural knowledge and products;
- have enabled the establishment of international agricultural standards worldwide;
- have facilitated "revolutions" in food research, production, and practices that have contributed to higher productivity (e.g. rice) and higher nutritional value (e.g., corn) in foods farmed worldwide, thereby contributing to the reduction and elimination of world hunger and malnourishment;
- have contributed to the advancement of comparative, regional, international, and global agriculture.

With respect to Health and Medicine, International Education and Exchange
- have facilitated the exchange of knowledge with respect to healthy life styles and practices worldwide;
- have facilitated the exchange of knowledge and experience pertaining to health and healthcare on every continent;
- have facilitated exchange and advancement of knowledge pertaining medical treatments and medicine internationally;
- have facilitated international training and educaton of physicians at home and abroad;
- have facilitated the advancement of medical technology, medical research, and related information across most national borders;
- have facilitated informational exchange and tracking of international, regional, and global epidemics and diseases;
- have increased the availability of knowledge- and materials-transfer to diseased and disaster-ridden individuals, sectors, and nations;
- have facilitated the advancement of personal and public health solutions worldwide.

With respect to Labor and Employment, International Education and Exchange
- have stimulated the creation of jobs at home and abroad;
- have encouraged the employment of foreign students studying in America and of American students studying abroad;
- have facilitated and provided international education reimbursement or subsidies for employees in academic fields related to their respective employment;
- have facilitated informational exchange with respect to labor and employment practices and standards across all national borders;
- have contributed to fairness and solidarity in labor standards and practices worldwide;
- have facilitated preparedness and access to just and equal safety and employment practices worldwide;
- have facilitated mutual understanding and thereby contributed to cooperation among and between employees and employers worldwide;
- have contributed to the advancement of international and global labor and employment.

With respect to the Business, Economy and Technology, International Education and Exchange
- have facilitated the creation of jobs at home and abroad;
- have facilitated informational exchange, learning, and cooperation among and between persons of competing national economies and technological sciences;
- have contributed to the economy, balance of trade, and economic development of nations;
- have facilitated competitiveness of participating economies and technological sciences that promote the common welfare and prosperity;
- have stimulated dialogue, inventiveness, and new products and services that have promoted economic productivity, inventions, and advancements;
- have facilitated the flow of fair trade and free market products and services that have contributed to the building of peace and prosperity within, among, and between persons and nations;
- have facilitated the advancement of local-to-national, international and global business, economy and technological sciences;
- have contributed to the advancement of economic and technological scientific knowledge across national, regional, and international borders.

With respect to Cultural Arts and Architecture, International Education and Exchange
- have facilitated international exchanges pertaining to the creative arts and architecture;
- have increased understanding of foreign peoples, cultures, and civilizations through exchanges of the cultural arts and preservation of architectural treasures;
- have facilitated understanding of international cultural arts and practices and related practitioners and societies;
- have increased international exchange of media products pertaining to cultural arts and architectural treasures to participating nations;
- have facilitated the development of new media pertaining to the cultural arts worldwide;
- have stimulated exchanges of architectural knowledge among and between persons and nations;
- have increased understanding of peoples and cultures through the influence of indigenous cultural arts and architecture;
- have facilitated appreciation and understanding of human nature across national boundaries that becomes evident through exposure to indigenous cultural arts and architecture of the world's peoples, nations, and civilizations;
- have contributed to the advancement of comparative, international, and world arts and culture studies.

With respect to Journalism, International Education and Exchange
- have contributed to additional and expanded markets and readership for journalism and related products and services at home and abroad;
- have stimulated expansion of reporting in and about people/s, nations, and regions abroad;
- have increased professional requirements of journalists for international and global literacy pertaining to foreign persons, languages, cultures, societies, civilizations, environments, and news related thereto;
- have facilitated greater understanding, fairness, accuracy, and ethics in the interpretation of foreign individuals, peoples, cultures, societies, and nations;
- have stimulated the sharing and free flow of public information and journalism worldwide;
- have facilitated advancement in standards of international journalistic responsibility;
- have facilitated journalistic responses to human tragedies and natural and man-made disasters;
- have contributed to the advancement of comparative, international, and world journalism.

With respect to Education, International Education and Exchange
- have become established services of the United States government to qualified students, teachers, and scholars;
- have become integral parts of the United States education system at numerous levels;
- have made foreign knowledge more available and more expected as preparation for a career in teaching, scholarship, and other fields;
- have stimulated the development of American studies abroad and reciprocal foreign and regional studies in America;
- are recognized as prime effective means of internationalizing American education;
- have advanced knowledge, practices, and research pertaining to comparative, regional, and international education worldwide;
- have contributed to the advancement of knowledge and global understanding pertaining to the role of education across all national boundaries and its impact upon the development and advancement of people, families, communities, institutions, cities, states, and nations worldwide.

With respect to Public and Private Cooperation, International Education and Exchange
- have created a worldwide bi-national exchange mechanism built upon private and public cooperation;
- have created scholarships to assist outstanding students from local sectors for study abroad;
- have stimulated the creation of executive service programs to assist developing sectors and nations;
- have encouraged growth of advisory and related services for foreigners;
- have encouraged local hospitality and other visitors' services;
- have stimulated development of housing and food, beverage, tourism and related services for foreign students and related visitors;
- have encouraged sharing of libraries and art museum programs tailored to the needs, interests, and languages of foreign visitors;
- have stimulated a contribution by the American people in general, including countless volunteers, providing a unique example of private-public cooperation;
- have contributed to the advancement of international, regional, and global public and private partnerships and cooperation.

With respect to Law and Justice, International Education and Exchange
- have facilitated international expansion of informational exchange, learning, and cooperation among and between legal persons, communities, and institutions;
- have facilitated international training, preparation, education, and practices of legal and justice students and personnel worldwide;
- have facilitated the increased flow of legal information, knowledge and education worldwide;
- have contributed to international cooperation and understanding pertaining to legal policies and practices in nations worldwide;
- have facilitated knowledge and informational exchange that advance law and justice worldwide;
- have contributed to learning, research, legislation, and international legal statutes that promote the preservation of peace and justice within, among, and between persons, societies, and nations worldwide;
- have contributed to public knowledge of the world’s diverse legal systems, laws, statutes, treaties;
- have contributed to the advancement of comparative, regional, international, "foreign," and global law.

With respect to International Relations, International Education and Exchange
- have become an established, important, and effective component of relations with foreign countries;
- are increasing understanding, cooperation, and friendship among and between persons and nations;
- are reciprocal benefits extended by nearly all countries to one another;
- are established as a valuable means of assisting developing countries in educational development;
- are today nationally recognized and supported as essential means of strengthening the competence of the United States and its citizens to meet responsibilities in other parts of the world;
- have facilitated the advancement of international peace and better relations among and between peoples and nations;
- have enabled an intelligent, interested, open, and promising student diplomacy and new generation of future leadership within, among and between nations;
- have supplied and developed qualified living reminders of the hope and promise of young people, who while being themselves and pursuing their own educations and interests abroad, exemplify one of the surest solutions for increased international peace, understanding, and friendship among and between nations.

With respect to Religion and Spirituality, International Education and Exchange
- have contributed to an appreciation of the world’s diverse cultures and ways in which these adapt to indigenous and world religious traditions and spiritual disciplines;
- have facilitated lingistic literacy that has enabled translations into and teaching of scriptures in the idomatic languages of common usages in host nations;
- have facilitated formal and informal education and evangelism of and by religious and spiritual persons and institutions through exchanges of clergy, theologians, and practitioners;
- have contributed to the advancement of understanding pertaining to the role of religious and spiritual disciplines across all boundaries and their impact upon the development of persons and nations;
- have facilitated understanding within, among and between diverse faiths that has advanced harmony and cooperation within, among and between the world's religious and spiritual communities;
- have facilitated progress toward goals espoused by religious and spiritual individuals and institutions, including, but not limited to, freedom of religion and conscience; and
- have facilitated progress toward goals espoused by religious and spiritual individuals and communities, including, but not limited to, salvation and other pure, holy, godly, and transcendent norms.
Surpassing Goals & Purposes

In light of the above , International Education and Exchange benefit every related field of human endeavor, facilitate and empower persons, institutions, and nations, and aid the preservation and advancement of international peace, prosperity, and friendship. As long as there are:
- information and knowledge about foreign peoples, lands, cultures, and societies;
- motivation of people to travel internationally and learn about the world and its people;
- freedom of lawful passage and trade across national borders; and
- peace and justice on a bi-national, international, regional, and/or global scale;
international education and exchange most probably will continue to grow and expand.

When people travel abroad to study in a foreign country, they observe and experience a foreign culture in depth. They learn to live with foreign people on an everyday basis. They learn to read foreign literature and read and listen to foreign news media written and produced from the perspectives of others. They learn, see, and experience through daily living and contacts a new culture and their own culture and country and people from others’ eyes. They become totally immersed in a new environment twenty-four hours a day, where they must either learn a new language, new culture, new society, new civilization, or remain as "outsiders."

Therefore, the incentives and environment for learning while abroad are optimal, offering endless opportunities for learning inside and outside the classroom, during which one can become aware as never before of the everyday--indeed, almost every moment--celebration of discovery, learning, knowledge, and truths all around one. Spontaneously, one learns to see one’s field/s of study, work, interests, and endeavors from new perspectives, which can lend new and enriching insights, and even unanticipated inventiveness, inspiration, and enlightenment.

Thus, one discovers that the individual, institutional, and/or national goals and purposes of international education and exchange can be and most often are surpassed by the actual experiences, benefits, rewards, and accomplishments resulting therefrom. When and wherever one inhabits a foreign environment, one becomes especially awake and observant, continually alert to learn and grow, and that can become positively habit-forming, refreshing to mind and heart and life, and encouraging to both individual and collective life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

To survive peaceably and amicably, to grow in knowledge and diverse cultural experience, to enjoy and benefit from life and to share happiness with others, one must look not only to critical nature and intelligence, but also to creative and unitive and/or transcendent nature and intelligence, wherein one looks for the "good" in others and expresses "good" in return. One is reminded to be a good and gracious guest in others' national home, always to abide by their public laws, live in harmony with their customs, respect them as honored hosts and/or teachers wherever one meets them.

International education and the international educational exchange process can be extraordinary human experiences of benefit to individuals, institutions, nations, and civilizations. In addition, their impact and benefits can bring new skills, knowledge, advancements, enlightenment, opportunities, and personal friendships that can last a lifetime or longer, and collectively contribute to the advancement of universal peace, cooperation, and friendship for all humankind. 
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*Carolyn Maude White is Chairperson, CEO, & Director of EduServe, Inc. "International Education: Policy, Merits, Purposes” is copyright 2000 and 2010 by Carolyn Maude White. It is reprinted here from EduServe Excellence, Vol. 1, No. 3, July 2000, pp. 2-4, revised and reprinted January 2010.
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EduServe
Excellence
quarterly
review
Vol. 1, No. 3,
July 2000.
Revised &
reprinted
January 2010.

Copyright 2000, 2010
by EduServe, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.












































EduServe
Excellence
quarterly
review
Vol. 1, No. 3,
July 2000.
Revised &
reprinted
January 2010.

Copyright 2000, 2010
by EduServe, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.





















































EduServe
Excellence
quarterly review
Vol. 1, No. 3,
July 2000
.Revised &
reprinted
January 2010.

Copyright 2000, 2010
by EduServe, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.






















































EduServe
Excellence
quarterly review
Vol. 1, No. 3,
July 2000 .
Revised &
reprinted
January 2010.

Copyright 2000, 2010
by EduServe, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.





















































EduServe
Excellence
quarterly
review
Vol. 1, No. 3,
July 2000.
Revised &
reprinted
January 2010.

Copyright 2000, 2010
by EduServe, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.