State Department to Lead Additional International Education Programs Under New Interagency Partnership

The U.S. Department of State today announced that, under a new interagency partnership, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) will lead several programs previously managed by the Department of Education. The partnership, formalized through an interagency agreement, leverages the State Department’s global reach and international education and public diplomacy expertise to advance U.S. national security and America First foreign policy priorities. 

Under this agreement, the State Department will assume administration of programs established by Title VI of the Higher Education Act and the Fulbright-Hays Act, including: 

• American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) 
• Business and International Education (BIE) Program 
• Centers for International Business Education (CIBE) 
• Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships 
• International Research and Studies (IRS) Program 
• Language Resource Centers (LRC) Program 
• National Resource Centers (NRC) Program 
• Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) Program 
• Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowships 
• Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowships 
• Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program 
• Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad Program 

Integrating these programs with the State Department’s existing international education framework will streamline program management, enhance efficiencies, and ensure alignment with U.S. national security and foreign policy priorities. Learn more here .