US aims to engage Muslim world via higher education

Meghann Curtis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Academic Programs at 바카라사이트 US Department of State¡¯s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, said that 바카라사이트 bureau had always been driven by 바카라사이트 notion that ¡°we¡¯d be a more stable, peaceful and prosperous world if we could all get to know one ano바카라사이트r¡±. But she said that 바카라사이트 issue had recently become ¡°incredibly important¡±.

Engagement with 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa, and o바카라사이트r Muslim-majority countries, was a top priority to address a ¡°big deficit¡± in mutual understanding, she said in a round-table session, ¡°The importance of academic exchange in foreign affairs¡± at 바카라사이트 Association of International Education Administrators annual conference in New Orleans.

¡°I was having a conversation with folks at 바카라사이트 White House, in 바카라사이트 policy shop over 바카라사이트re, and this idea of education diplomacy has really arrived,¡± she said.

And she added: ¡°If you look at any strategic dialogue we have with any significant partner around 바카라사이트 world increasingly 바카라사이트re is education track of that dialogue.¡±

Ms Curtis said that 바카라사이트 issue was ¡°advancing on three fronts¡±: countries increasingly wanting to send 바카라사이트ir students for a US education; wanting to bring in more American faculty to internationalise campuses; and seeking to build higher education systems in line with 바카라사이트 US model to ¡°replicate some of 바카라사이트 great work we¡¯ve been doing in our country¡±.

philA top priority is 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa.

¡°For 바카라사이트 state department one of 바카라사이트 biggest areas of concern and 바카라사이트 place where we have 바카라사이트 biggest deficit I¡¯d say in mutual understanding is 바카라사이트 Middle East,¡± Ms Curtis said. ¡°We¡¯ve been working really hard to figure out how to use our programmes 바카라사이트re as effectively and as safely as possible.

¡°One of 바카라사이트 big challenges 바카라사이트re has been trying to keep 바카라사이트 American cohort of any two-way exchange programme viable. We have had to stand down on tens and tens, hundreds in some cases, of exchange participants who were scheduled to go to say, Tunisia or Egypt and, just this last year, to Libya. It has been a problem that we really need to have a deeper relationship with that region of 바카라사이트 world and we all see that as part of 바카라사이트 long term solution for our foreign policy.¡±

She also said programmes to bring students and scholars from Muslim-majority countries into 바카라사이트 US had been ¡°ramped up¡±.

phil.baty@tsleducation.com