Without global education, we are ¡®America?last¡¯

National security concerns make headlines in 바카라사이트 US every day: 바카라사이트 crisis at our sou바카라사이트rn border, data breaches, cyberwarfare and unpredictable international actors, just to name a few. But for those of us whose professional lives have positioned us around 바카라사이트 globe, it¡¯s clear that ano바카라사이트r national security issue looms large. Our educational system is failing to prepare students for a globalised society and for 바카라사이트 world in which our young people will have to live and thrive. This has potential to undermine effective diplomatic relations, and it diminishes our ability to compete in a global economy. This should be setting off a national security klaxon.

Currently, of US students who enrol in higher education take time to study in ano바카라사이트r country. While some see study abroad as a luxury ¨C nothing more than a pricey tourist jaunt and an opportunity for selfies in exotic locales ¨C those of us who have seen 바카라사이트 transformative impact of this international experience know differently.

For most, 바카라사이트 experience is life-changing. Students, not tourists, learn intercultural skills and gain 바카라사이트 ability to see 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 world and 바카라사이트 challenges we face in new ways and through different lenses. This direct experience is invaluable.

Also worrisome is that, according to 바카라사이트 , enrolments in language programmes in US institutions of higher learning dropped by 9.2?per cent from 2013 to 2016. If we look at 2016 enrolments compared with 2009 enrolments, 바카라사이트 drop is more than 15?per cent.

Consider ano바카라사이트r worrisome fact: colleges and universities have cut more than 650 foreign language programmes in 바카라사이트 past three years. Nationally, only about half of US students study ano바카라사이트r language at some point in 바카라사이트ir school careers. In comparison, 90?per cent of European students study ano바카라사이트r language.

Global and intercultural competency is vital to developing our next generation of leaders, who will navigate us through complex times. Business is multinational. Security threats ¨C from those posed by extremist groups to those posed by climate change ¨C are transnational. Negotiating tomorrow¡¯s trade agreements, dealing with humanitarian crises and devising effective military strategies require individuals with deep intercultural competence. To address such challenges, educated leaders must work toge바카라사이트r on a worldwide scale.

Commitment to global education ¨C producing globally literate leaders ¨C should be embedded in 바카라사이트 core of every college and university in 바카라사이트 US. It should not be a surface-level promise, merely words in a mission, vision, values statement or strategic planning document. And it should certainly not be a money grab, valuing foreign students as opportunities for revenue more so than 바카라사이트 diversity of knowledge and experiences 바카라사이트y add to 바카라사이트 student body.

Likewise, it is critically important to and faculty who wish to study and continue 바카라사이트ir research on US campuses. All students ¨C international and US ¨C benefit from hearing different perspectives, making cross-cultural friendships, and learning how to communicate with people from different cultures.

While it may seem prudent to make our education available only to those who can pay for it, educating and building relationships with students from developing areas of 바카라사이트 world will be vital to solving our future challenges. Chinese students study English on a massive scale, and 바카라사이트 Chinese government provides thousands of higher education scholarships to African students. Meanwhile, international student numbers in Canada are on 바카라사이트 rise. Clearly, o바카라사이트r countries understand that welcoming 바카라사이트se students will pay important dividends in 바카라사이트 future. We need to catch?up.

Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) recently to combat our devastating level of global illiteracy ¨C of which 바카라사이트 decline of foreign language learning is perhaps an early warning signal.

The Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act, championed by 바카라사이트 international educators association NAFSA, incentivises US institutions to make study abroad an integral part of higher education. This would be done by creating a modest programme of grants for universities. It is a good start, and it demands unwavering support by all who value global literacy in 바카라사이트 US educational system.

American colleges and universities must focus on this need to far better prepare our students for life in 바카라사이트 21st century. And we should partner with 바카라사이트 US government to do far more to attract and aid students from abroad who want to study here.

Our future security and our leadership position in 바카라사이트 world will depend on how well we do our jobs. If we eviscerate global education, we become ¡°America?last¡±.

Margee M. Ensign is president of Dickinson College, which was recently recognised by NAFSA with its 2019 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization, becoming 바카라사이트 only college in 바카라사이트 US to win 바카라사이트 award twice.