As part of the Biden Administration’s broader efforts to bolster international student mobility, including increasing the number of American students who study abroad, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), announced today that 44 U.S. colleges and universities were awarded nearly $1.5 million in grants through the 2022 Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students (IDEAS) Program grant competition.

Through IDEAS grants, these institutions, which represent both public and private colleges and universities, as well as 10 community colleges and 18 minority serving institutions from 32 states and Puerto Rico, will develop and expand study abroad programs around the world that are aligned with U.S. foreign policy goals and provide international experiences for U.S. students.  For example, the Department’s IDEAS grants will support such activities as: developing new international partnerships and programs, training faculty and staff in program development and implementation, creating resources to engage diverse student groups in study abroad, and developing virtual and hybrid exchanges.

The 2022 IDEAS grants were awarded to the following colleges and universities: Albany State University, GA; Austin Community College District, TX; Bennett College, NC; California State University, Bakersfield, CA; Central College, IA; Central State University, OH; College of Southern Nevada, NV; Elizabeth City State University, NC; Fox Valley Technical College, WI; Heartland Community College, IL; Hollins University, VA; Indiana University, Bloomington, IN; James Madison University, VA; Lindenwood University, MO; Lone Star College, TX; Marian University, IN; Mott Community College, MI; Nebraska Wesleyan University, NE; New College of Florida, FL; North Carolina State University, NC; North Dakota State University, ND; North Park University, IL; Northern Arizona University, AZ; Oklahoma City Community College, OK; Pacific University, OR; Riverside Community College District, CA; St. Norbert College, WI; SUNY Erie Community College, NY; The College of New Jersey, NJ; University of California Education Abroad Program, CA; University of Colorado, CO; University of Hawai’i – Kapi’olani Community College, HI; University of Maine, ME; University of Memphis, TN; University of Minnesota, MN; University of Puerto Rico, PR; University of South Alabama, AL; University of Southern California Annenberg, CA; University of Texas, Arlington, TX; University of Washington, WA; University of Wyoming, WY; West Virginia University, WV; Widener University, PA; and Xavier University of Louisiana, LA.

IDEAS grants increase the capacity of accredited U.S. colleges and universities to create, expand, and diversify study abroad programs for U.S. students. In addition to the IDEAS grant competition, the program, which is implemented by World Learning, also offers opportunities for faculty, staff, and administrators at U.S. colleges and universities to participate in a series of free virtual and in-person study abroad capacity building activities. For more information, including details on a free IDEAS webinar series on maximizing study abroad resources, please visit http://www.studyabroadcapacitybuilding.org/.

U.S. Department of State

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