Citizen Exchanges Citizen exchange programs, such as Sister Cities, Partners of the Americas, American Council of Young Political Leaders, and others, help create new trading partners, build understanding Page 23 and cooperation between Americans and future foreign leaders and advance democracy and economic growth. They create opportunities for Americans to learn, prosper, and work with others to solve shared problems and make the future more secure. The programs are designed to give Americans an international and cross-cultural perspective and increased understanding of foreign needs and priorities. This partnership benefits thousands of Americans and foreign visitors taking part in exchanges at the grassroots level, both in the U.S. and abroad. An issue of fundamental importance to our nation's interests is ensuring the continued flow of foreign students to the United States.
Foreign students bring hundreds of millions of dollars into the U.S. economy every year.
One of the best tools the United States has to maintain America s leading role in international education is overseas educational advising. Foreign students who choose to study in the United States take American values and perspectives home with them, promote democratic institutions and market-based economies, make major purchasing decisions involving American products, and create partnerships with American enterprises and academic institutions. Many become leaders in their societies. These foreign students have a profound, positive impact on our own security and prosperity. To ensure that the U.S. maintains its leadership, the State Department should increase funding for overseas educational advising to develop and implement a coordinated international student marketing and recruitment strategy and improve technology at overseas advising centers.