EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 400 international student advising centers in more than 170 countries, which promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States.
EducationUSA conducts a training institute annually to provide intensive training and professional development for EducationUSA advisers with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance their effectiveness and build professional competency. Each two-week EducationUSA Training Institute is comprised of a Washington, DC-based workshop, including sessions at the U.S. Department of State and an on-campus training element with site visits to public and private institutions. The Training Institute is a core activity of EducationUSA’s Professional Development Program and is offered multiple times each year, targeting different levels of advising.
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) staff, who work on the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) project, sponsored by the U.S Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), were invited to speak on a panel for “Disability Inclusion and Support”. The panel inlcuded Alex Stone, an American student with a disability who has studied and interned abroad, and Tal Lev, a representative from the University of Washington-Seattle Disability Resource Center.
The panel discussed:
- Utilizing NCDE resources and services
- Disability 101
- Disability culture
- Strategies for recruiting and supporting international students with disabilities
- Highlights from EducationUSA advisers across the world working towards inclusion
The EducationUSA advisers were excited to learn about the resources available at their finger tips and look forward to returning to their offices to start:
- Sharing the knowledge
- Reviewing accessibility around their office, materials, and events
- Advising students with disabilities more confidently
- Staying connected with Mobility International USA
