USAID Support of the Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education

During International Education Week, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announces its renewed commitment to international education in support of the Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education. USAID is proud to work in partnership with U.S. government departments and agencies, using the core principles outlined in the statement to guide the Agency’s approach to international education efforts, particularly USAID’s work in higher education.

International educational exchange, faculty collaboration, university partnerships, virtual exchanges, and broader international education efforts, help prepare local workforces. They raise industry standards, build research and evidence, promote democratic values and civic responsibility, advance intercultural and global competencies, and increase overall gross domestic products to reduce extreme poverty.

Higher education institutions are valuable partners in meeting these goals and building country-level educational capacity abroad. USAID’s work in the higher education sector has great impact: Supporting more than 12,000 learners annually through scholarships to pursue higher education opportunities in the United States, their home countries, and in third countries. USAID also supports more than 600 higher education institutions in partner countries to improve their capacity to provide quality education for thousands of learners.

In partnership with host country and U.S. higher education institutions, USAID develops relevant curricula, evidence-building research agendas, and increased community engagement. USAID funds scholarships that expose learners to American values and culture through study in the United States or experiences at American-style universities abroad. Partnerships with U.S. higher education institutions have also been a cornerstone of USAID's cross-sectoral work. These opportunities for collaboration with U.S. faculty and students contribute to strengthening all sectors of the U.S. and host country economies—from agriculture to energy, from business services to technology, and from health to engineering, among others.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the education sector worldwide. Recognizing the critical role of international education to build back better education systems at home and abroad, USAID is working with U.S. government partners in response to COVID-19. In Vietnam, the USAID Improving Access, Curriculum and Teaching in Medical Education and Emerging Diseases (IMPACT-MED) Alliance partnered with global healthcare company Novartis to train over 5,000 senior medical students from ten universities on COVID-19 testing procedures, care and treatment, and 520 of them were deployed to aid in COVID-19 response efforts. This effort helped strengthen Vietnam’s response to COVID-19 and the country’s resilience for future health crises.

USAID is proud to be part of the U.S. government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders who will help the continent sustainably grow and prosper. USAID launched four Africa-based Regional Leadership Centers in 2015, which have graduated over 20,000 young leaders working in civil society, the private sector, and government institutions.

USAID works from pre-primary to post-secondary higher education to ensure all children and youth have equal access to quality education. We look forward to continuing to engage and collaborate with youth and higher education systems across the globe to advance development.

These drivers of change—in addition to partnering with U.S. government agencies and departments—support international education and further the Joint Statement of Principles in Support of International Education.