Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act - FAQ's

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The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act creates a program to significantly enhance the global competitiveness and international knowledge base of the United States by ensuring that more undergraduate students have the opportunity to acquire foreign language skills and international knowledge through significantly expanded study abroad.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's at stake in terms of U.S. national security, leadership, and economic competitiveness?
What is the significance of sending 1 million students abroad?
What is the significance of increasing the diversity of participants who study abroad?
Why nontraditional destinations?

How will the program achieve a balance between quality and quantity?
What is the leveraging concept?
What are the advantages of establishing a small new government foundation to administer the program?
How does the Foundation get its name?

How does the Simon program supplement existing programs?
How much will it cost?
In today's economy, is this still a priority?

What's at stake in terms of U.S. national security, leadership, and economic competitiveness?
Studies consistently show that United States students score below their counterparts in other advanced countries on indicators of international knowledge. This lack of global literacy is a national liability in an age of global trade and business, global interdependence, and global terror. Recent congressional hearings have highlighted the negative perception other countries hold of the United States, in part due to our lack of knowledge about the rest of the world, and a recent Zogby poll of American voters found that 69% believe our lack of knowledge is a major cause of our declining reputation in the world. In today's world, it is more important than ever for the United States to be a responsible, constructive leader that other countries are willing to follow. Such leadership cannot be sustained without an informed citizenry with much more knowledge and awareness of the world than most Americans currently possess. Study abroad helps to build mutual understanding among nations and serves to promote national leadership in the United States, international effectiveness, and economic competitiveness by helping to create a globally literate citizenry. The Zogby poll found that over half of respondents believe that encouraging more Americans to learn foreign languages is an important part of the solution to repairing America's damaged reputation in the world. Study abroad has proven to be a very effective means of imparting international and foreign-language competency to students, yet in any given year, only approximately 1 percent of all students enrolled in United States institutions of higher education study abroad. If American college students are to be able to function effectively in the world into which they will graduate, it must become the routine, not the exception, for them to study abroad in high-quality programs in diverse locations around the world. For that to happen, a national initiative is needed to provide them with opportunities to acquire the skills, attitudes, and perceptions that allow them to be globally and cross-culturally competent.

What's at stake in terms of U.S. national security, leadership, and economic competitiveness?

Studies consistently show that United States students score below their counterparts in other advanced countries on indicators of international knowledge. This lack of global literacy is a national liability in an age of global trade and business, global interdependence, and global terror. Recent congressional hearings have highlighted the negative perception other countries hold of the United States, in part due to our lack of knowledge about the rest of the world, and a recent Zogby poll of American voters found that 69% believe our lack of knowledge is a major cause of our declining reputation in the world. In today's world, it is more important than ever for the United States to be a responsible, constructive leader that other countries are willing to follow. Such leadership cannot be sustained without an informed citizenry with much more knowledge and awareness of the world than most Americans currently possess.

Study abroad helps to build mutual understanding among nations and serves to promote national leadership in the United States, international effectiveness, and economic competitiveness by helping to create a globally literate citizenry. The Zogby poll found that over half of respondents believe that encouraging more Americans to learn foreign languages is an important part of the solution to repairing America's damaged reputation in the world. Study abroad has proven to be a very effective means of imparting international and foreign-language competency to students, yet in any given year, only approximately 1 percent of all students enrolled in United States institutions of higher education study abroad.

If American college students are to be able to function effectively in the world into which they will graduate, it must become the routine, not the exception, for them to study abroad in high-quality programs in diverse locations around the world. For that to happen, a national initiative is needed to provide them with opportunities to acquire the skills, attitudes, and perceptions that allow them to be globally and cross-culturally competent.

What is the significance of sending 1 million students abroad?
One million students represent approximately half of U.S. college students graduating annually. Achieving the objective of sending 1 million students abroad would represent a sea change for higher education and would revolutionalize post-secondary education by exposing students to the international and cross-cultural skills they will need to succeed in today's global age.

What is the significance of increasing the diversity of participants who study abroad?
The percentages of African-American and Hispanic-American students among individuals studying abroad are extremely low and underrepresentative of the numbers of those students in the general student population. The majority of students who study abroad are students in the social sciences, humanities, and foreign languages, while students who major in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or education are underrepresented in study abroad programs. Within the total enrolled United States undergraduate population, approximately 10.7 percent of United States students majoring in business have studied abroad, 8 percent of United States students majoring in engineering have studied abroad, and 5.9 percent of United States students majoring in education have studied abroad. Nontraditional students and students at two-year and minority-serving institutions have very low study-abroad participation rates. In order to improve America's image abroad and to equalize opportunities for American students to succeed, we must ensure that the diversity of our nation is represented by those who study abroad.

What is the significance of increasing the diversity of participants who study abroad?

The percentages of African-American and Hispanic-American students among individuals studying abroad are extremely low and underrepresentative of the numbers of those students in the general student population. The majority of students who study abroad are students in the social sciences, humanities, and foreign languages, while students who major in engineering, mathematics, computer science, or education are underrepresented in study abroad programs. Within the total enrolled United States undergraduate population, approximately 10.7 percent of United States students majoring in business have studied abroad, 8 percent of United States students majoring in engineering have studied abroad, and 5.9 percent of United States students majoring in education have studied abroad. Nontraditional students and students at two-year and minority-serving institutions have very low study-abroad participation rates. In order to improve America's image abroad and to equalize opportunities for American students to succeed, we must ensure that the diversity of our nation is represented by those who study abroad.

Why nontraditional destinations?
Ninety-five percent of the world's population growth over the next 50 years will occur outside of Europe. Yet in the academic year 2004-2005, 60 percent of United States students studying abroad studied in Europe, and 45 percent studied in four countries—the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, and France. Far more study abroad must take place in the developing countries.

How will the program achieve a balance between quality and quantity?
These things are not mutually exclusive. The quality of the students' academic experiences is important to the overall success of the program. Students will receive scholarships only for study abroad programs that carry academic credit towards graduation. A balance of short- and long-term study abroad grants is important to achieving the program's mandate, as the short term scholarships widen access to study abroad for nontraditional students while the long-term scholarships open opportunity to maximize foreign-language learning and intercultural understanding. The foundation will be subject to audits by the Government Accountability Office to ensure that the quality and effectiveness of the program is maintained.

How will the program achieve a balance between quality and quantity?

These things are not mutually exclusive. The quality of the students' academic experiences is important to the overall success of the program. Students will receive scholarships only for study abroad programs that carry academic credit towards graduation. A balance of short- and long-term study abroad grants is important to achieving the program's mandate, as the short term scholarships widen access to study abroad for nontraditional students while the long-term scholarships open opportunity to maximize foreign-language learning and intercultural understanding. The foundation will be subject to audits by the Government Accountability Office to ensure that the quality and effectiveness of the program is maintained.

How do we know the program will achieve its objectives?
The legislation takes a unique approach that will give the program the support needed to meet its ambitious mandate that, within 10 years time: At least 1 million undergraduate students will study abroad annually for academic credit; the demographics of study-abroad participation will reflect the demographics of the American undergraduate population; and an increasing portion of study abroad will take place in nontraditional locations. The program model provides scholarships to students while at the same time leveraging institutions of higher education to address the on-campus factors that impede study abroad participation.

How do we know the program will achieve its objectives?

The legislation takes a unique approach that will give the program the support needed to meet its ambitious mandate that, within 10 years time: At least 1 million undergraduate students will study abroad annually for academic credit; the demographics of study-abroad participation will reflect the demographics of the American undergraduate population; and an increasing portion of study abroad will take place in nontraditional locations. The program model provides scholarships to students while at the same time leveraging institutions of higher education to address the on-campus factors that impede study abroad participation.

What is the leveraging concept?
By making colleges' and universities' commitment to the advancement of study abroad a prerequisite for access to federal funds, the program will leverage institutional resources and bring about necessary reforms to address the various barriers – curriculum, faculty involvement, institutional leadership, and programming – that currently exist on many campuses. Such a dramatic increase in the number of students studying abroad each year cannot be accomplished unless changes are made at the campus level to make study abroad more accessible to each student. This concept is not only essential to achieving the program's mandate, but it also helps control the cost of the program.

What is the leveraging concept?

By making colleges' and universities' commitment to the advancement of study abroad a prerequisite for access to federal funds, the program will leverage institutional resources and bring about necessary reforms to address the various barriers – curriculum, faculty involvement, institutional leadership, and programming – that currently exist on many campuses. Such a dramatic increase in the number of students studying abroad each year cannot be accomplished unless changes are made at the campus level to make study abroad more accessible to each student. This concept is not only essential to achieving the program's mandate, but it also helps control the cost of the program.

What are the advantages of establishing a small new government foundation to administer the program?
To administer this innovative program, the legislation creates a lean, mission-driven, independent government foundation, chaired by the Secretary of State. This approach will best enable the program to meet its bold objectives through creative and entrepreneurial grant making, and to serve long-term foreign policy and national security needs while operating independently of short-term political and foreign policy considerations. Moreover, the foundation will enable the program to leverage funds through support from the private sector.

What are the advantages of establishing a small new government foundation to administer the program?

To administer this innovative program, the legislation creates a lean, mission-driven, independent government foundation, chaired by the Secretary of State. This approach will best enable the program to meet its bold objectives through creative and entrepreneurial grant making, and to serve long-term foreign policy and national security needs while operating independently of short-term political and foreign policy considerations. Moreover, the foundation will enable the program to leverage funds through support from the private sector.

How does the Foundation get its name?
The late Senator Paul Simon (D-Ill.) believed that a more internationally educated citizenry would make the United States "more understanding of the rest of the world" and create "a base of public opinion that would encourage responsible action." His vision to open wide the doors to study abroad for all U.S. students to travel to all parts of the world inspired the creation and work of the Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, whose report Global Competence and National Needs: One Million Americans Studying Abroad serves as the basis for the legislation. In promoting this vision before his untimely death, Senator Simon advocated "This major national initiative… can lift our vision and responsiveness to the rest of the world."

How does the Foundation get its name?

The late Senator Paul Simon (D-Ill.) believed that a more internationally educated citizenry would make the United States "more understanding of the rest of the world" and create "a base of public opinion that would encourage responsible action." His vision to open wide the doors to study abroad for all U.S. students to travel to all parts of the world inspired the creation and work of the Commission on the Abraham Lincoln Study Abroad Fellowship Program, whose report Global Competence and National Needs: One Million Americans Studying Abroad serves as the basis for the legislation. In promoting this vision before his untimely death, Senator Simon advocated "This major national initiative… can lift our vision and responsiveness to the rest of the world."

How does the Simon program supplement existing programs?
The Simon program does not replace existing programs. Small programs such as the Gilman study abroad scholarships for Pell grant recipients, and the National Security Education Program, which emphasizes less commonly taught languages and advanced language learning, will continue. This legislation proposes a much bigger and bolder program that would make study abroad broadly accessible for all college students. This can only be accomplished through the program's vision of leveraging institutions of higher education to change the way study abroad is done.

How does the Simon program supplement existing programs?

The Simon program does not replace existing programs. Small programs such as the Gilman study abroad scholarships for Pell grant recipients, and the National Security Education Program, which emphasizes less commonly taught languages and advanced language learning, will continue. This legislation proposes a much bigger and bolder program that would make study abroad broadly accessible for all college students. This can only be accomplished through the program's vision of leveraging institutions of higher education to change the way study abroad is done.

How much will it cost?
The most notable thing about this program is the cost-effective design built into the program model. Within 10 years' time, 1 million students will study abroad each year, yet through this innovative model, the program will not bear the cost of paying for each of those students to go abroad. By requiring a commitment from the schools to make study abroad more accessible, the Simon program will stimulate much greater study abroad participation than it is actually paying for. This is how the legislation can ultimately leverage study-abroad participation of 1 million students per year for an authorization of only $80 million per year. In advocating for a substantial program with government funding before his untimely death, the late Senator Paul Simon argued that "the payoff in international trade alone would more than compensate for the cost."

How much will it cost?

The most notable thing about this program is the cost-effective design built into the program model. Within 10 years' time, 1 million students will study abroad each year, yet through this innovative model, the program will not bear the cost of paying for each of those students to go abroad. By requiring a commitment from the schools to make study abroad more accessible, the Simon program will stimulate much greater study abroad participation than it is actually paying for. This is how the legislation can ultimately leverage study-abroad participation of 1 million students per year for an authorization of only $80 million per year. In advocating for a substantial program with government funding before his untimely death, the late Senator Paul Simon argued that "the payoff in international trade alone would more than compensate for the cost."

In today’s economy, is this still a priority?
Now more than ever, we need to be wise about our investments, but that does not mean that we should stop investing in areas of national need. The success of our public diplomacy and security efforts depend as much now as ever before Americans having a better understanding of and an ability to communicate with the rest of the world. The creation of this program is one of the most cost effective contributions Congress could make to address important U.S. foreign policy and national security needs.

In today’s economy, is this still a priority?

Now more than ever, we need to be wise about our investments, but that does not mean that we should stop investing in areas of national need. The success of our public diplomacy and security efforts depend as much now as ever before Americans having a better understanding of and an ability to communicate with the rest of the world. The creation of this program is one of the most cost effective contributions Congress could make to address important U.S. foreign policy and national security needs.