Exchange Programs in the U.S.

World Learning is proud to be part of the Alliance for International Exchange, an association of 90 nongovernmental organizations comprising the international educational and cultural exchange community in the United States. The Alliance serves as the only collective public policy voice of the exchange community.

Several World Learning staff members recently participated in the Alliance’s Advocacy Day that brings the importance of international exchange to members of the U.S. Congress. During this time, staff learned some great statistics about the measurable impact of international exchange on the United States – for example, that international students contributed $32.8 billion to the U.S. economy and supported over 400,000 jobs during the 2015-16 academic year.  Additionally, students completed over 1.6 million hours of community service.

Global UGRAD participants are in great company, as exchange alumni include 565 current or former heads of foreign government, 82 Nobel Prize winners, 58 ambassadors to the United Nations, 26 heads of international organizations, and 89 members of the U.S. Congress.  This all goes to prove that international exchange does have an impact!