International Education & Exchange: Past, Present and Future By Karen Gladbach

Having worked in the international education and training field for nearly 40 years, I was surprised to learn that international exchange has a 400-year history in the United States. That and many more relevant historical facts were revealed at the October 5 PDCA First Monday Forum held at GWU's Elliott School of International Affairs.

More than 100 in-person and virtual attendees heard from two stellar voices in the field: Dr. Allan E. Goodman, President Emeritus of the Institute of International Education (IIE) and Clare K. Overmann, CEO of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA). We were taken on a journey through the history and evolution of international exchanges in an enlightening conversation with reflections from their upcoming book, aptly titled, American Odyssey: Past, Present, and Future of International Education in the United States.

It all started with private colleges and universities in the American colonies. As early as the mid-1600s, Harvard (founded in 1636) attempted a cross-cultural initiative, the Harvard Indian College, to educate Native and English students together. While that program didn't survive, it developed a concept that grew with the increase of higher education institutions in the United States By the 1800s, there were more than 700 colleges and universities in the United States, far surpassing the number in Europe. Academia had become a component of U.S. foreign relations. 

The 1900s brought World War I and the realization that isolationism was not working, and alternate forms of conflict resolution were needed. Cross-cultural understanding emerged as an ideal to help prevent future global conflicts through international exchanges. Thus, the Institute of International Education (IIE) was born. Chartered in 1919 with a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace grant, its inception and development are intertwined with the history of international education. As a former IIE employee, I felt a sense of pride listening to Goodman and Overmann’s account of the Institute’s historical and sustainable impact on international education and public diplomacy. 

Goodman highlighted some of IIE's salient stepping stones along the journey, starting in its early days with its influence on the U.S. government to create non-immigrant student visas in a post-WW I era of restrictive immigration laws. The initial years focused on efforts to rescue Russian students and scholars during the country’s civil war. IIE administered emergency assistance to help them escape the turmoil and continue their education. Later, these efforts expanded to include students escaping the Nazi regime in Europe.

When the U.S. Department of State opened its first Office of Cultural Relations in 1938 with three staffers and no program budget, IIE collaborated with the team to secure funding from private and public sources. At the U.S. government’s request, IIE provided vital statistics on international exchange of students and scholars to and from the United States, which eventually evolved into its flagship Open Doors annual census report on exchanges. Perhaps most importantly, IIE advocated for public and private support of international education, lobbying U.S. Congress and creating partnerships with Foundations and governments around the world. 

Championing international education was a key aspect of Goodman’s role at the helm of IIE for 28 years. He spent much of his time on The Hill meeting with members of the Appropriations Committees to advocate for funding and share real-life stories of how international exchange impacts the community beyond its cultural value, including the economic, business, and diplomatic benefits. Observing that the local touch was missing, he collaborated with the National Governors Association and traveled the country to introduce governors and mayors to Fulbright and other exchange program alumni to hear how their experiences influenced those in their local communities.

Goodman and Overmann closed the session on an optimistic note. They reminded us how we have survived and thrived through many challenges in the past, noting that today's challenges too will pass. Current funding for signature programs such as Fulbright and Gilman has remained stable. Today we have a solid network of more than 4000 accredited colleges and universities in the United States and Goodman believes the late 20's and early 30's will once again see an increase in exchanges.

Asked by a participant how we can bring the message of public diplomacy’s value to the average American, Overmann noted that there are many “factoids” out there to share, available through NAFSA: Association of International Educators and the Alliance for International Exchange. Goodman responded that it’s up to us to continue the advocacy work and share the stories that demonstrate the impact of international exchange and the value of public diplomacy, from the global to the local level. And to that, I would add that their forthcoming book will be a valuable asset for the task at hand. 

Karen Gladbach has over 35 years of experience managing international training and fellowship programs within the United Nations system and non-profit organizations.