The Power and Impact of International Education
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International education has long been central to the mission of American University and its law school (AUWCL). On November 16, 2020, during the International Education Week, AUWCL hosted two panel discussions on the state of affairs of international education in the U.S., and the benefits international education and exchanges create for the U.S.
The first panel was titled “The Power and Impact of International Education.” It featured a panel of AUWCL alumni whose international education experiences while at AUWCL impacted their professional lives. The event, moderated by Professor Padideh Ala’i and Dr. Fanta Aw, featured Simone dos Santos Lemos Fernandes, Federal Judge, Superior Court of Justice (Brazil); Enzo de Laurentis, Chief Procurement Officer, Operations Policy & Country Services, The World Bank; Akhmet Ishmukhamedov, Founder & Executive Director, Sauwat Strategy; and Founder & CEO, Suwat Education; Rodah Kirera, Chief of Staff at Booz Allen Hamilton; and Drew Nickels, Deputy Director of the Nuclear Materials Information Program at the U.S. Department of Energy.
The positive experiences and excellent professional trajectories formed the ideal context for the second panel, on “International Education at Crossroads.” This panel featured distinguished speakers with decades of experience in international education discuss the past, present, and future of international education in the U.S. Panelists included Dr. Fanta Aw, Vice President of Campus Life & Inclusive Experience at AU, Senem Bakar, Director of ISSS at AU, Esther Benjamin, CEO & Executive Director of World Education Services (WES), Dr. Allan Goodman, President of the Institute of International Education (IIE), and moderated by Professor Padideh Ala’i, Director of International & Comparative Legal Studies.
The panelists highlighted the importance of international education and the benefits for students, as the exchange with foreign ideas and cultures helps broadening horizons both for those who go abroad as well as those who receive foreign students in their classrooms and campuses. It was pointed out that a substantial part of the young start-up entrepreneurs who launch successful companies in the U.S. come here as exchange students.
Despite the obvious benefits of international education, the panelists also pointed out the challenges ahead.
Some are political, as the U.S. government has adopted since early 2017 several measures restricting access to the U.S. for foreign students. These restrictive measures range from travel bans to limitations for OPT. Other challenges are sociological, and have to do with an enduring and systematic racism in many parts of the U.S., particularly the more rural areas. Finally, an added layer of challenges comes from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has curtailed mobility to historic lows. However, the panelists also pointed to empirical data that shows that students consider the health-related obstacles to traveling and studying in the U.S. as less relevant than the first two. Overall, about two-thirds of students interested in international education continue with strong interest in studying in the U.S. This shows that the U.S. continues to be a favorite destination for college or university education, despite the many apparent challenges.
Going forward, the panelists recommended to reassess and strengthen institutional partnerships, intensify advocacy in favor of international education on several fronts, and to set clear messages by the colleges and universities to express that they strive towards greater equality, non-discrimination, and more equitable partnerships.
In sum, the panelists concluded that the value proposition for better international education in the U.S. should be providing excellence in three areas: education, service, and student experience.