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Strengthening Global Connections through International Education

NAFSA USIP Symposium on International Education, Diplomacy, and Peace

Date: Thursday, November 16, 2017 / Time: 8:30am - 12:45pm 

Center: Applied Conflict Transformation Center

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As diplomacy struggles to overcome deep divides across the globe, international education plays an increasingly important role in fostering sustainable peace. Communication and understanding improve through educational exchanges, foreign study and the embrace of cultural differences. Last year, the number of American students abroad rose almost 3 percent to a record 313,000 while the international population at U.S. colleges and universities topped 1 million for the first time. On November 16, the U.S. Institute of Peace and NAFSA: Association of International Educators held a discussion of how international education can strengthen diplomacy and contribute to peacebuilding.

Global learning exchanges are designed to promote inclusivity, build cross-cultural dialogues and encourage critical thinking—important tools for diplomatic efforts and for building sustainable peace. Panelists, including experts from the diplomatic, peacebuilding and international education communities, considered how innovative approaches to learning and new ideas from the communications, business and scientific fields can be harnessed to strengthen ties between communities in conflict and contribute to more peaceful societies.

Continue the conversation on Twitter with #IEW2017.

Agenda

8:30am - 9:00am - Coffee, tea, and networking

9:00am - 9:15am - Welcome and Framing the Day

  • Ambassador William B. Taylor, Executive Vice President, U.S. Institute of Peace
  • Esther Brimmer, D.Phil., Executive Director and CEO, NAFSA

9:15am - 10:45am - Session I: International Education and Building a Transatlantic Community

  • Caroline Vicini, Deputy Ambassador to the USA, European Union Delegation 
  • Sharon Hudson-Dean, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Diplomacy, U.S. Department of State
  • Daniel S. Hamilton, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies SAIS
  • Moderator: Esther Brimmer, D.Phil., Executive Director and CEO, NAFSA

10:45am - 11:45am - Session II: Global Perspectives on International Education and Building Communities

  • Mark S. Langevin, Ph.D., Director, Brazil Initiative, George Washington University
  • John Holden, CEO, 100K Strong Foundation
  • Javier Botero, Higher Education Division, World Bank, invited
  • Moderator: Alison Milofsky, Director, Training & Curriculum Design, Academy, U.S. Institute of Peace

11:45am - 12:45pm - Session III: New Intersections between Education and Peacebuilding 

  • Julia Roig, President, PartnersGlobal
  • Bridget Moix, US Senior Representative, Peace Direct
  • Moderator: Jeffrey Helsing, Associate Vice President, Academy,  U.S. Institute of Peace

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