NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt Chancellor Gordon Gee is among 70 college and university presidents invited to a meeting in Washington next week to discuss issues related to international relations and U.S. higher education.
Hosted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, the Jan. 5-6 University Presidents Summit on International Education “will focus on invigorating the U.S. government and higher education partnership on international higher education in the national interest,” according to the State Department website.
"International education is both our greatest opportunity and our greatest challenge," said Gee. "There is no question that America’s colleges and universities play a critical role in enhancing understanding. That’s why it is imperative for the government and higher education to acknowledge and address the barriers that have made it more difficult for students and scholars to participate in global initiatives. This meeting is an important step in the right direction."
Among the topics likely to be discussed at the meeting at State Department headquarters are preparing globally competitive U.S. students, identifying and attracting foreign talent, strategies for U.S. international education, foreign language and areas of study, and the regulatory environment affecting international students.
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Contact: Elizabeth Latt, 615-322-NEWS
elizabeth.p.latt@vanderbilt.edu