House Passes Simon Study Abroad Act
Law Encouraging Overseas Study will Raise Language Skills
Jun 22, 2009
This would be about one half of the students studying in US colleges and universities annually, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
Study abroad is a recognized ingredient in a quality education that prepares students for employment in today’s globalized economy. Yet at present, only about one percent of those studying in any given year attend any kind of an overseas study program.
Vision of the late Senator Simon
The Act, named for the late Senator Paul Simon, a recognized champion of international education and foreign study, will establish funding for direct grants to students as well as programs to enable institutions of higher learning to streamline and improve access to study abroad programs for all their current and future students.
These programs directed at colleges and universities throughout the USA will leverage the power of appropriated funds to lay the foundations for massive expansion of foreign study, with the overall goal of making international study and travel a normal part of the higher education of all Americans.
Currently the Simon Act is awaiting passage by the US Senate, followed by submission to the President to be signed into law. The Act has received broad, bipartisan support in Congress, and Americans generally support the concept of study abroad as an important part of a well-rounded education.
Study Abroad Participation Rates Low
Nonetheless, actual participation rates are not high. Most of those studying overseas are students in the social sciences, humanities and foreign language programs, while business, science, mathematics and other fields have much lower participation rates.
Moreover, African-American and Hispanic students are under-represented relative to their overall participation rates in higher education, and access to study abroad programs is often more difficult for non-traditional students and those enrolled in community colleges and other two-year programs.
The Simon Act includes provisions to increase the participation of under-represented groups in study abroad, and also encourages study in non-traditional locations outside of Europe and in developing nations. Such non-traditional study programs are a critical part of increasing the security and economic competitiveness of the United States in the increasingly internationalized environment of modern times.
Balance of Long-term and Short-term Study Abroad Programs
The Act also provides for a balance of types of programs, including longer-term programs of up to a year or more as against shorter programs that may be more affordable. Short term study abroad programs enable access to foreign study for non-traditional students who may not be able to spend large amounts of time in such programs.
On the other hand, longer term programs are of importance in maximizing the language learning and cultural immersion aspects of study abroad, which will enable students to gain skills that may be more useful in their future employment in business or government.
The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act aims to significantly increase the knowledge base and skills of US students for their future employment. This will give the United States an increased pool of talent and skill in international affairs which may be deployed in government agencies, legislative offices, and non-governmental work of all types. In particular, study in such previously less popular areas such as China, the Middle East, and developing countries will expand greatly, increasing and improving Americans’ knowledge of these areas and the knowledge of citizens of these countries about the United States and its people.
For more information, see:
Factors in Choosing a Study Abroad Program
Foreign Language Learning by Immersion
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