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Senator's Kerry Floor Statement
Mr. President, today I am honored to be joined by Senators Lugar,
Levin, Reid, Wellstone, and Graham in introducing a resolution focused
on the important issue of international education. My colleagues and I
strongly believe that the United States should continue to build a
vigorous international education policy. Former Secretary of Education
Richard Riley has noted that nations across the world are keen on
fostering greater faculty and student exchanges and suggested a series
of new steps to re-energize the cause of international education in the
United States. The conference report of the FY01 Commerce, Justice,
State Appropriations bill included language recognizing that
international education is a foreign policy priority. On November
11-17, 2000, campuses and schools across the country celebrated the
first-ever International Education Week, recognized by Presidential
Proclamation. I hope that this resolution will build on these efforts
to preserve and extend a proud tradition of support for U.S.
international education programs that dates back almost a half century.
Providing an excellent education to America´s children has always been vital in preserving U.S. leadership abroad. During the cold war, we demonstrated democracy´s strength by winning the space race, by possessing superior scientific knowledge, and by understanding the languages, cultures and history of regions where the defense of liberty and freedom was paramount. In 1958, in response to the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union, the Congress enacted the National Defense Education Act as a major tool of cold war policy. The NDEA focused on improving the teaching of science and math education, history, geography and foreign languages in all levels of education. The National Defense Education Act provided capital funds to colleges and universities so that they could make low-interest loans to students.
Today more than ever, in an environment of intense global economic, scientific and technological competition, a national education policy is crucial to America´s leadership in the world. I believe that we need a new national defense education policy that focuses on foreign languages and the history and cultures in other parts of the world, because we can not lead in a world we do not understand. Unfortunately, we are once again falling behind when it comes to providing our children the tools they need to compete on the global stage.
Less than one-tenth of graduating American college students have studied abroad. The reality of the global economy dictates that we cannot allow this rate to stand. In order for graduates to be effective in the increasingly international business community, they must better understand the world.
Secretary Richard Riley put it well last year when he argued that "college students [should] expect their education to give them a diverse global perspective that enriches their learning. More and more, international education will become the norm, not the exception, and students will routinely study abroad and know multiple languages."
Of course, international education works both ways. The resolution we are introducing today also recognizes the intrinsic value of bringing international students to study in this country. Today, the percentage of science and engineering doctoral recipients from abroad is declining. We must reverse this trend, because international students working in our universities make a valuable contribution to the research and study of their American counterparts and an invaluable contribution to global peace and stability when they return to their home nations imbued with all the possibilities democracy has to offer.
Providing an excellent education to America´s children has always been vital in preserving U.S. leadership abroad. During the cold war, we demonstrated democracy´s strength by winning the space race, by possessing superior scientific knowledge, and by understanding the languages, cultures and history of regions where the defense of liberty and freedom was paramount. In 1958, in response to the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union, the Congress enacted the National Defense Education Act as a major tool of cold war policy. The NDEA focused on improving the teaching of science and math education, history, geography and foreign languages in all levels of education. The National Defense Education Act provided capital funds to colleges and universities so that they could make low-interest loans to students.
Today more than ever, in an environment of intense global economic, scientific and technological competition, a national education policy is crucial to America´s leadership in the world. I believe that we need a new national defense education policy that focuses on foreign languages and the history and cultures in other parts of the world, because we can not lead in a world we do not understand. Unfortunately, we are once again falling behind when it comes to providing our children the tools they need to compete on the global stage.
Less than one-tenth of graduating American college students have studied abroad. The reality of the global economy dictates that we cannot allow this rate to stand. In order for graduates to be effective in the increasingly international business community, they must better understand the world.
Secretary Richard Riley put it well last year when he argued that "college students [should] expect their education to give them a diverse global perspective that enriches their learning. More and more, international education will become the norm, not the exception, and students will routinely study abroad and know multiple languages."
Of course, international education works both ways. The resolution we are introducing today also recognizes the intrinsic value of bringing international students to study in this country. Today, the percentage of science and engineering doctoral recipients from abroad is declining. We must reverse this trend, because international students working in our universities make a valuable contribution to the research and study of their American counterparts and an invaluable contribution to global peace and stability when they return to their home nations imbued with all the possibilities democracy has to offer.
