During International Education Week this year, institutions and associations in the field of education celebrated international students and their contributions to higher learning.
The topic of the week-long events, “International Education is the Future,” was introduced by a number of organisations.
Over the course of the five days, the US Department of State and the Department of Education also established daily themes. The first theme was “Open Doors to the Future,” which coincided with the release of the Open Doors data, which detailed the inbound and outward mobility figures for the US.
The statistics, which is made public every year around IEW in November, provided some much-needed optimism: over a million foreign students were admitted to the nation last year, marking the fastest growth rate in forty years.
The daily themes for Tuesday and Wednesday were “You are the Future,” which highlighted the variety of options available in international education, and “The Future is Global,” which examined exchange programmes.
The State Department’s themes for the remainder of the week were “Lead the Future,” which examined how international education is transforming society both now and in the future, and “Innovate the Future,” which emphasised that not every opportunity exists in a traditional classroom.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasised the value of education in a video addressed to the industry and students, emphasising study abroad in particular.
Studying overseas offers a unique experience. You become adept at viewing the world from a different perspective. and you create relationships and friendships that endure a lifetime,” he remarked.
The UK Council for International Student Affairs held its annual UKCISA fest during the week, allowing international students to share their lived experiences and inform policy and practise. The celebrations went on around the UK.
In preparation for overseas Education Day on November 17, Universities UK International marked the occasion by releasing a number of videos shot from the viewpoints of overseas students.
The human rights group on the continent, the Council of Europe, decided to honour the Week with the theme “Peace for the Planet.” A peaceful world.
In order to create a more just and sustainable society, the organisation stated that “it is a call to rethink our world together, using Global Education as a tool for solidarity and change.”
Institutions from all throughout the United States contributed with their unique celebration flavours.