Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and otherwise revises international education programs. These programs provide grants to institutions of higher education and related entities to (1) enhance instruction in international and foreign language studies, and (2) promote international business skills and education.
First, the bill reauthorizes programs related to international and foreign language studies. Specifically, it extends (1) the Graduate and Undergraduate Language and Area Centers and Programs, which include the National Resource Centers program; (2) the Language Resource Centers; (3) the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Programs; and (4) the American Overseas Research Centers.
Next, the bill revises the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships program to permit graduate students to receive a stipend for the beginning, intermediate, or advanced study of a foreign language related to the student's area of specialization.
Further, the bill replaces the existing Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access program with an international research and innovation program.
Additionally, the bill reauthorizes programs related to international business skills and education. Specifically, it reauthorizes the Centers for International Business Education program. It also reauthorizes the Education and Training program and otherwise makes changes to the program, including by (1) renaming the program; and (2) mandating certain program activities, such as the incorporation of specified programs and studies into professional education and technical training curricula.
Finally, the bill permits the Department of Education to prioritize grant applications from minority-serving institutions.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2940 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2940
To reauthorize title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 30, 2021
Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. Young, and Mr. Levin of
Michigan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and Labor
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing International and Foreign
Language Education Act''.
SEC. 2. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Graduate and Undergraduate Language and Area Centers and
Programs.--Section 602(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Higher Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 1122(b)(2)(B)(ii)) is amended--
(1) in subclause (III), by striking ``or'';
(2) in subclause (IV), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(V) the beginning, intermediate, or
advanced study of a foreign language related to
the area of specialization.''.
(b) International Research and Innovation.--Section 605 of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1125) is amended to read as
follows:
``SEC. 605. INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION.
``(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this section to support
essential international and foreign language education research and
innovation projects with the goal of assessing and strengthening
international education capacity, coordination, delivery, and outcomes
to meet national needs.
``(b) Authority.--
``(1) In general.--From the amount provided to carry out
this section, the Secretary shall carry out the following
activities:
``(A) Conduct research and studies that contribute
to the purpose described in subsection (a) and include
research to provide a systematic understanding of our
nation's international and foreign language education
capacity, structures, and effectiveness in meeting
growing demands by education, government, and the
private sector (including business and other
professions).
``(B) Create innovative paradigms or enhance or
scale up proven strategies and practices that address
systemic challenges to developing and delivering
international and foreign language education resources
and expertise across educational disciplines and
institutions, and for employers and other stakeholders.
``(C) Develop and manage a national standardized
database that includes the strengths, gaps, and trends
in the nation's international and foreign language
education capacity, and document the outcomes of
programs funded under this title for every grant cycle.
``(2) Grants or contracts.--The Secretary shall carry out
activities to achieve the outcomes described in paragraph (1)--
``(A) directly; or
``(B) through grants awarded under subsection (d)
or (e).
``(c) Eligible Entities Defined.--In this section, the term
`eligible entity' means--
``(1) an institution of higher education;
``(2) a public or private nonprofit library;
``(3) a nonprofit educational organization;
``(4) an entity that--
``(A) received a grant under this title for a
preceding fiscal year; or
``(B) as of the date of application for a grant
under this section is receiving a grant under this
title; or
``(5) a partnership of two or more entities described in
paragraphs (1) through (4).
``(d) Research Grants.--
``(1) Program authorized.--For any fiscal year for which
the Secretary carries out activities to achieve the outcomes
described in subsection (b)(1) through research grants under
this subsection, the Secretary shall award such grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities.
``(2) Required activities.--An eligible entity that
receives a grant under this subsection shall use the grant
funds for the systematic development, collection, analysis,
publication, and dissemination of data, and other information
resources in a manner that is easily understandable, made
publicly available, and that contributes to achieving the
purposes of subsection (a) and achieves at least 1 of the
outcomes described in subsection (b)(1).
``(3) Discretionary activities.--An eligible entity that
receives a grant under this subsection may use the grant to
carry out the following activities:
``(A) Assess and document international and foreign
language education capacity and supply through studies
or surveys that--
``(i) determine the number of foreign
language courses, programs, and enrollments at
all levels of education and in all languages,
including a determination of gaps in those
deemed critical to the national interest;
``(ii) measure the number and types of
degrees or certificates awarded in area
studies, global studies, foreign language
studies, and international business and
professional studies, including identification
of gaps in those deemed critical to the
national interest;
``(iii) measure the number of foreign
language, area or international studies
faculty, including international business
faculty, and elementary school and secondary
school foreign language teachers by language,
degree, and world area; or
``(iv) measure the number of undergraduate
and graduate students engaging in long- or
short-term education or internship abroad
programs as part of their curriculum, including
countries of destination.
``(B) Assess the demands for, and outcomes of,
international and foreign language education and their
alignment, through studies, surveys, and conferences
to--
``(i) determine demands for increased or
improved instruction in foreign language, area
or global studies, or other international
fields, and the demand for employees with such
skills and knowledge in the education,
government, and private sectors (including
business and other professions);
``(ii) assess the employment or utilization
of graduates of programs supported under this
title by educational, governmental, and private
sector organizations (including business and
other professions); or
``(iii) assess standardized outcomes and
effectiveness and benchmarking of programs
supported under this title.
``(C) Develop and publish specialized materials for
use in foreign language, area, global, or other
international studies, including in international
business or other professional education or technical
training, as appropriate.
``(D) Conduct studies or surveys that identify and
document systemic challenges and changes needed in
higher education and elementary school and secondary
school systems to make international and foreign
language education available to all students as part of
the basic curriculum, including challenges in current
evaluation standards, entrance and graduation
requirements, program accreditation, student degree
requirements, or teacher and faculty legal workplace
barriers to education and research abroad.
``(E) With respect to underrepresented institutions
of higher education (including minority-serving
institutions or community colleges), carry out studies
or surveys that identify and document--
``(i) systemic challenges and changes and
incentives and partnerships needed to
comprehensively and sustainably
internationalize educational programming; or
``(ii) short- and long-term outcomes of
successful internationalization strategies and
funding models.
``(F) Evaluate the extent to which programs
assisted under this title reflect diverse perspectives
and a wide range of views and generate debate on world
regions and international affairs.
``(e) Innovation Grants.--
``(1) Program authorized.--For any fiscal year for which
the Secretary carries out activities to achieve the outcomes
described in subsection (b)(1) through innovation grants under
this subsection, the Secretary shall award such grants, on a
competitive basis, to eligible entities.
``(2) Uses of funds.--An eligible entity that receives an
innovation grant under this subsection shall use the grant
funds to fund projects consistent with the purposes described
in subsection (a) that establish and conduct innovative
strategies, or scale up proven strategies, and that achieve at
least 1 of the outcomes described in subsection (b)(1), which
may include one or more of the following:
``(A) Innovative paradigms to improve
communication, sharing, and delivery of resources that
further the purposes described in subsection (a)
including the following:
``(i) Networking structures and systems to
more effectively match graduates with
international and foreign language education
skills with employment needs.
``(ii) Sharing international specialist
expertise across institutions of higher
education or in the workforce to pursue
specialization or learning opportunities not
available at any single institution of higher
education, such as shared courses for studying
less commonly taught languages, world areas or
regions, international business or other
professional areas, or specialized research
topics of national strategic interest.
``(iii) Producing, collecting, organizing,
preserving, and widely disseminating
international and foreign language education
expertise, resources, courses, and other
information through the use of electronic
technologies and other techniques.
``(iv) Collaborative initiatives to
identify, capture, and provide consistent
access to, and creation of, digital global
library resources that are beyond the capacity
of any single eligible entity receiving a grant
under this section or any single institution of
higher education, including the professional
development of library staff.
``(v) Utilization of technology to create
open-source resources in international, area,
global, and foreign language studies that are
adaptable to multiple educational settings and
promote interdisciplinary partnerships between
technologists, curriculum designers,
international and foreign language education
experts, language teachers, and librarians.
``(B) Innovative curriculum, teaching, and learning
strategies, including the following:
``(i) New initiatives for collaborations of
disciplinary programs with foreign language,
area, global, and international studies, and
education abroad programs that address the
internationalization of such disciplinary
studies with the purpose of producing globally
competent graduates.
``(ii) Innovative collaborations between
established centers of international and
foreign language education excellence and
underrepresented institutions and populations
seeking to further their goals for
strengthening international, area, global, and
foreign language studies, including at
minority-serving institutions or community
colleges.
``(iii) Teaching and learning
collaborations among foreign language, area,
global, or other international studies with
diaspora communities, including heritage
students.
``(iv) New approaches and methods to
teaching emerging global issues, cross-regional
interactions, and underrepresented regions or
countries, such as project- and team-based
learning.
``(C) Innovative assessment and outcome tools and
techniques that further the purposes described in
subsection (a), including the following:
``(i) International and foreign language
education assessment techniques that are
coupled with outcome-focused training modules,
such as certificates or badges, immersion
learning, or e-portfolio systems.
``(ii) Effective and easily accessible
methods of assessing professionally useful
levels of proficiency in foreign languages or
competencies in area, culture, and global
knowledge or other international fields in
programs under this title, which may include
use of open access online and other cost-
effective tools for students and educators at
all educational levels and in the workplace.
``(f) Application.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant under
this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time,
in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary shall
require, including--
``(1) a description of each proposed project the eligible
entity plans to carry out under this section and how such
project meets the purposes described in subsection (a);
``(2) if applicable, a demonstration of why the entity
needs a waiver or reduction of the matching requirement under
subsection (g); and
``(3) an assurance that each such proposed project will be
self-sustainable after the project is completed.
``(g) Matching Requirement.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal share of the total cost for
carrying out a project supported by a grant under this section
shall be no more than 66.66 percent.
``(2) Non-federal share contributions.--The non-Federal
share of such cost may be provided either in-kind or in cash,
from institutional and non-institutional funds, including
contributions from State or private sector corporations,
nonprofits, or foundations.
``(3) Special rule.--The Secretary may waive or reduce the
share required under paragraph (1) for eligible entities that--
``(A) are minority-serving institutions or are
community colleges; or
``(B) have submitted a grant application as
required by subsection (f) that demonstrates a need for
such a waiver or reduction.
``(h) Database and Reporting.--The Secretary shall directly, or
through grants or contracts with an eligible grant recipient--
``(1) establish, curate, maintain, and update at least
every grant cycle a web-based site which shall showcase the
results of this section and serve as a user-friendly repository
of the information, resources, and best practices generated
through activities conducted under this section; and
``(2) prepare, publish, and disseminate to Congress and the
public at least once every 5 years, a report that summarizes
key findings and policy issues from the activities conducted
under this section, especially as such activities relate to
international and foreign language education and outcomes.''.
(c) Discontinuation of Foreign Information Access Program.--Part A
of title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1121 et
seq.) is further amended by striking sections 606 and 610, and
redesignating sections 607, 608, and 609 as sections 606, 607, and 608,
respectively.
SEC. 3. GLOBAL BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
(a) Findings; Purpose.--Section 611 of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1130) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
``(1) the future welfare of the United States will depend
substantially on increasing international and global skills in
business, educational, and other professional communities and
creating an awareness among the American public of the
internationalization of our economy and numerous other
professional areas important to the national interest in the
21st century;'';
(B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) concerted efforts are necessary to engage business
and other professional education and technical training
programs, language, area, and global study programs,
professional international affairs education programs, public
and private sector organizations, and United States business in
a mutually productive relationship which benefits the Nation's
future economic and security interests;'';
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and the
international'' and inserting ``and other professional
fields and the international and global''; and
(D) in paragraph (4)--
(i) by inserting ``, as well as other
professional organizations'' after
``departments of commerce''; and
(ii) by inserting ``or other professions''
after ``business''; and
(2) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``and economic enterprise''
and inserting ``, economic enterprise, and
security''; and
(ii) by inserting ``and other
professional'' before ``personnel''; and
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``to prosper in
an international'' and inserting ``and other
professional fields to prosper in a global''.
(b) Professional and Technical Education for Global
Competitiveness.--Section 613 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1130a) is amended to read as follows:
``SEC. 613. PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR GLOBAL
COMPETITIVENESS.
``(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to support
innovative strategies that provide undergraduate and graduate students
with the global professional competencies, perspectives, and skills
needed to strengthen and enrich global engagement and competitiveness
in a wide variety of professional and technical fields important to the
national interest in the 21st Century.
``(b) Program Authorized.--The Secretary shall make grants to, or
enter into contracts with eligible entities to pay the Federal share of
the cost of programs designed to--
``(1) establish an interdisciplinary global focus in the
undergraduate and graduate curricula of business, science,
technology, engineering, and other professional education and
technical training programs to be determined by the Secretary
based on national needs;
``(2) produce graduates with proficiencies in both the
global aspects of their professional education or technical
training fields and international, cross-cultural, and foreign
language skills; and
``(3) provide appropriate services to or partnerships with
the corporate, government, and nonprofit communities in order
to expand knowledge and capacity for global engagement and
competitiveness and provide internship or employment
opportunities for students and graduates with international
skills.
``(c) Mandatory Activities.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section shall use the grant to carry out the
following:
``(1) With respect to undergraduate or graduate
professional education and technical training curricula,
incorporating--
``(A) foreign language programs that lead to
proficiency, including immersion opportunities;
``(B) international, area, or global studies
programs;
``(C) education, internships, or other innovative
or technological linkages abroad; and
``(D) global business, economic, and trade studies,
where appropriate.
``(2) Innovating and improving international, global, and
foreign language education curricula to serve the needs of
business and other professional and non-profit communities,
including development of new programs for nontraditional, mid-
career, or part-time students.
``(3) Establishing education or internship abroad programs,
domestic globally-focused internships, or other innovative
approaches to enable undergraduate or graduate students in
professional education or technical training to develop foreign
language skills and knowledge of foreign cultures, societies,
and global dimensions of their professional fields.
``(4) Developing collaborations between institutions of
higher education and corporations or non-profit organizations
in order to strengthen engagement and competitiveness in global
business, trade, or other global professional activities.
``(d) Discretionary Activities.--An eligible entity that receives a
grant under this section may use the grant to carry out the following:
``(1) Developing specialized teaching materials and
courses, including foreign language and area or global studies
materials, and innovative technological delivery systems
appropriate for professionally-oriented students.
``(2) Establishing student fellowships or other innovative
support opportunities, including for underrepresented
populations, first generation college students (defined in
section 402A), and heritage learners, for education and
training in global professional development activities.
``(3) Developing opportunities or fellowships for faculty
or junior faculty of professional education or technical
training (including the faculty of minority-serving
institutions or community colleges) to acquire or strengthen
international and global skills and perspectives.
``(4) Creating institutes that take place over academic
breaks, like the summer, including through technological means,
and cover foreign language, world area, global, or other
international studies in learning areas of global business,
science, technology, engineering, or other professional
education and training fields.
``(5) Internationalizing curricula at minority-serving
institutions or community colleges to further the purposes of
this section.
``(6) Establishing international linkages or partnerships
with institutions of higher education, corporations, or
organizations that contribute to the objectives of this
section.
``(7) Developing programs to inform the public of
increasing global interdependence in professional education and
technical training fields.
``(8) Establishing trade education programs through
agreements with regional, national, global, bilateral, or
multilateral trade centers, councils, or associations.
``(e) Application.--Each eligible entity desiring a grant under
this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time,
in such manner, and including such information as the Secretary may
reasonably require, including assurances that--
``(1) each proposed project have reasonable and
demonstrable plans for sustainability and replicability upon
completion of the project;
``(2) the institution of higher education will use the
assistance provided under this section to supplement and not
supplant activities conducted by institutions of higher
education described in (b);
``(3) in the case of eligible entities that are consortia
of institutions of higher education, or partnership described
in subsection (g)(1)(C), a copy of their partnership agreement
that demonstrates compliance with subsection (b) will be
provided to the Secretary;
``(4) the activities funded by the grant will reflect
diverse perspectives and a wide range of views of world regions
and international affairs where applicable; and
``(5) if applicable, a demonstration of why the eligible
entity needs a waiver or reduction of the matching requirement
under subsection (f).
``(f) Matching Requirement.--
``(1) In general.--The Federal share of the total cost for
carrying out a program supported by a grant under this section
shall be not more than 50 percent.
``(2) Non-federal share contributions.--The non-Federal
share of such cost may be provided either in-kind or in cash,
from institutional and non-institutional funds, including
contributions from State and private sector corporations,
nonprofits, or foundations.
``(3) Special rule.--The Secretary may waive or reduce the
share required under paragraph (1) for eligible entities that--
``(A) are minority-serving institutions or are
community colleges; or
``(B) have submitted a grant application as
required by subsection (e) that demonstrates a need for
such a waiver or reduction.
``(g) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
``(A) an institution of higher education;
``(B) a consortia of such institutions; or
``(C) a partnership between--
``(i) an institution of higher education or
a consortia of such institutions; and
``(ii) at least one corporate or nonprofit
entity.
``(2) Professional education and technical training.--The
term `professional education and technical training' means a
program at an institution of higher education that offers
undergraduate, graduate, or post-graduate level education in a
professional or technical field that is determined by the
Secretary as meeting a national need for global or
international competency (which may include business, science,
technology, engineering, law, health, energy, environment,
agriculture, transportation, or education).''.
(c) Discontinuation of Certain Authorizations of Appropriations.--
Part B of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1130 et seq.) is
further amended by striking section 614.
SEC. 4. REPEAL OF ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL
PUBLIC POLICY.
Part C of title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1131 et seq.) is repealed.
SEC. 5. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
(a) Definitions.--Section 631(a) of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (9), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end
and inserting a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(11) the term `community college' means a public
institution of higher education at which the highest degree
that is predominantly awarded to students is an associate
degree, including a 2-year Tribal College or University (as
defined in section 316);
``(12) the term `heritage student' means a postsecondary
student who--
``(A) was born in the United States to immigrant
parents or immigrated to the United States at an early
age;
``(B) is proficient in English, but raised in a
family primarily speaking 1 or more languages of the
country of origin; and
``(C) maintains a close affinity with the family's
culture and language of origin; and
``(13) the term `minority-serving institution' means an
institution of higher education that is eligible to receive a
grant under part A or B of title III or title V.''.
(b) Minority-Serving Institutions.--Part D of title VI of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by striking sections 637 and 638; and
(2) by inserting after section 636, the following:
``SEC. 637. PRIORITY TO MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
``(a) Priority.--In seeking applications and awarding grants under
this title, the Secretary, may give priority to--
``(1) minority-serving institutions; or
``(2) institutions of higher education that apply for such
grants that propose significant and sustained collaborative
activities with one or more minority-serving institutions.
``(b) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance to minority-serving institutions to ensure maximum
distribution of grants to eligible minority-serving institutions and
among each category of such institutions.''.
(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--Part D of title VI of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132 et seq.) is further
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 638. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2022 and for each
succeeding fiscal year.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.
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