2:00 P.M. EST
Real Audio of Briefing
MR. DENIG: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the Washington Foreign Press Center. Welcome also to journalists in our New York Foreign Press Center.
As you know, this week marks International Education Week, and we're very pleased that we have with us today, to mark this occasion, Secretary of Education Rod Paige, who will be briefing us on International Education Week and the Department of Education's role in promoting an exchange of ideas around the globe.
Secretary Paige will have an opening statement to make, and after that, will be glad to take your questions.
Secretary Paige.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Thank you. Good evening. Good afternoon.
Thank you and welcome. I'm pleased to join with the Department of State and schools and communities across the nation and across the world in celebrating International Education Week.
As the world grows smaller -- thanks to the global media, the Internet, and multinational business -- our students have new opportunities to significantly enhance their international knowledge. They have an unprecedented chance to be educated citizens of the world.
For this they'll need knowledge. Whether in rural Mississippi or urban Manhattan, students must be fully prepared for a global future, must compete with languages and skills, cultural understanding, and the ability to use technology, and a desire to work with colleagues scattered around the world. Those who are unprepared greatly risk their economic security and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
As our horizons expand, those unprepared are funneled into increasingly narrow choices. If we are serious about our nation's future global leadership, our citizens must be fully engaged citizens of the world.
So as educators, policy makers and parents, we significantly enhance international study and language acquisition in our schools in the U.S. This knowledge is essential for the future of our students and our country. In the U.S. we must do a better job of exposing our students to other languages and to other cultures and to other people -- not as an add-on, but as an integral part of every child's education.
International Education Week provides us with an opportunity to focus on individual components of a real world-class education. For example, this week we have spotlighted important themes: First, that a global education is necessary for the future; second, that an international education is for everyone, including students with disabilities, and students with limited language proficiency in our country; three, that higher education must work with K-12 schools to teach international knowledge and skills; and finally, that learning foreign languages must be a vital part of our education.
Yesterday I participated in a classroom discussion with students in the U.S. These discussions were with our friends in Mexico and our friends in South Africa and our friends in Egypt -- four countries, one conversation -- all four countries participating. This amazing thing was able to take place because of technology. These students were able to be a part of the world without even leaving their classrooms.
They may be united by videoconferencing technology now or simply by telephone, but the world now is a smaller place for them. It was a powerful display of the potential of technology to transform the classroom if we have the vision and the will to make education international.
Later this week, I'll be signing a renewal of the U.S.-Ireland Understanding on Education with Noel Dempsey, Ireland's Education Minister. We intend to improve cooperation between our countries, especially in the fields of special education and rehabilitation. I'll also address the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and World Affairs Council.
In my meeting with education leaders in this hemisphere and around the world, I've been impressed with the wealth of experiences and opportunities for sharing and learning together. When I led our country's delegation upon rejoining UNESCO, I was overwhelmed by the strong friendship and engaging hope from other countries.
As a nation, we do have much to share. But we also have much to learn. I hope you'll join me in celebrating International Education Week and promoting the need for International Education.
International Education is the means for respecting, understanding, and unifying people. I'm delighted that my department has a role to play. We may highlight international education this week, but it must be a constant part of a quality education program throughout the year.
Thank you, and I'll be pleased to answer your questions. First, though, let me introduce a colleague. I am joined by Joe Esposito. Joe Esposito is Associate Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs for the U.S. Department of Education.
MR. DENIG: Okay, let me remind you to please use the microphone and identify yourself and your news organization.
QUESTION: Hi, Mr. Secretary. My name is Wei Tan from Chinese Radio International's Washington bureau. I would like to share two numbers with you, if I could.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Thank you.
QUESTION: One is that the number of Chinese students who took the TOEFL test this year has dropped dramatically. In Beijing area, for example, they're only one-third of the number of last year -- compared to last year.
And the other number I would like to share to you is that 60 percent of Chinese students who apply for a visa to study in the United States have been denied. That's 60, six-zero. Many Chinese see a link between these two numbers. I would what is the response from you? And if I can, I have a follow-up for that. Thank you.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Well, I'm just getting the first number, the decrease in the TOEFL --
QUESTION: And the second number is -- and the second number is about Chinese students who apply for a visa to study here.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Yes.
QUESTION: Sixty percent were denied for this year.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Yes. I'm saying that I'm a little surprised at the first number. I have some familiarity with the fact that, internationally -- not specific to China -- there has been a decline in the number of visas approved for the United States. This is an issue on which our State Department would have to give you a more specific answer.
We have only an advisory role in implementation of U.S. visa and entry policies. But we do cooperate with the Department of State and Homeland Security with that.
The main reasons for the falloff in visas, we think, would be: application problems, increased cost and the financial difficulties for the application process, and overseas competition from other countries: Australia, Canada and the UK.
The U.S. visa policy, as I understand it, has also had some application process refinements, which includes an interview in many cases, and in some cases, as I understand it, this process might not be well understood by many of the students who are applying. And because of the timelines imposed by the beginning of school for the first semester in September and a lack of familiarity with the changes in the visa policy, which requires an interview, many students were unable to get the interviews completed in time to be enrolled for the fall semester.
There may be other causes, but for us, I think that explains our view of it. I would ask you to get more specific information from the U.S. State Department.
Joe, would you add anything to that?
MR. ESPOSITO: Yes, I would, Mr. Secretary.
I would say specifically on China, refer you to a statement that Charles Bennett, the chief of the visa section at the American Embassy in Beijing, made in June of this year. And again, it's really a State Department issue here, but we follow the Department of State's direction on this. And he cited at that time four myths, and I'd just like to mention that here.
The first is that we don't issue visas to Chinese students. That's categorically not true. 8,000 visas were issued to Chinese students last year.
A second myth that he discussed was that we have a quota for Chinese students. That's not correct. There are no quotas.
Third, that we have a special law or policy regarding visas for Chinese students. That's not true. There's just one law.
And then finally, [the fourth myth,] that many visas we issue depend on the current state of political relations between the two countries; in this case, for instance, the United States and China. That's not true. There are no politics involved with this.
And I would just add in a broader context about the issue of visas that the fall foreign student enrollment for 2003 is slightly above what it was last year. There are declines in enrollment at the undergraduate level, but not at the graduate level.
New patterns are emerging. Some countries are up, and some countries are down. Korea and India, for instance, are markedly up. Kenya is up. Malaysia is slightly up. So it is somewhat of a mixed picture. And as the Secretary said, we are working toward refining the system to make it more effective and efficient wherever we can.
QUESTION: If I may just have a follow-up. I think this is not the issue just of concern to foreign students, but also the universities and research institutes over here. There is a rising concern as I have talked to some people there. I just wonder what, Mr. Secretary, what do you see as the competitive advantage of the higher education here compared to other countries, especially this year, or in the recent years, in the future?
SECRETARY PAIGE: Well, that question would be better answered by students who prefer the higher education system in the U.S. You know, how they are making those judgments would be a question I think you would probably have to refer to them.
The U.S. is quite proud of the quality of its higher education system, and it is a very attractive system for international students. And we, by the way, are greatly benefited from international students as well because we have the richness of their diversity, and we think that adds a lot to our system.
We are going to continue to try to elevate the excellence of the U.S. higher education system. And we hope it continues to be attractive to international students so that it can be their first choice.
QUESTION: Andrei Filatov, ITAR-TASS News Agency. Washington Post wrote that there is a nationwide loss of interest in Russian culture, politics, and language since the collapse of the Soviet Union. How can you comment that, sir? I mean, is that true, and if it is so, what are the reasons?
SECRETARY PAIGE: Well, I'll ask Joe to be more specific on that, but I think, categorically, we'd say that that is not true -- that there is no lack of interest. In fact, if there were anything, there would be an elevated interest because as the world grows smaller because of the convergence of technology and telecommunications, where information is so speedily moved around the world and also more advanced opportunities to learn more about all parts of the world, in the U.S., and especially from the leadership of the United States Department of Education, our interest in international affairs is elevating, not decreasing.
MR. ESPOSITO: I would just add to that that we have been meeting with various delegations representing countries from Eastern Europe and the former states of the Soviet Union, and I had an opportunity to meet with a Ukrainian delegation recently. We have some Baltic State representatives coming in this week, actually, as part of our International Education Week, and we certainly welcome the opportunity to meet with Russian officials, as well as, as the Secretary said, with representatives from governments around the world because we find that we learn from them as well as having the opportunity to, perhaps, make known some of the successes that we've had in this country.
QUESTION: I'm Hiro Aida with Kyodo News, Japan's Kyodo News. Could you just tell us what are implications of the U.S. rejoining the UNESCO and what kind things would you like to achieve through the membership there after two decades of hiatus of your membership? Particularly, specifically in terms of, there is a proposal made by the Iranian president for this dialogue among civilizations which the head of UNESCO, who happens to be a Japanese, holds very dear and seems to be a -- maybe juxtaposed against this idea of conflict among civilizations, well, some U.S. officials -- I mean the academicians are saying these days. So what's your views about those things?
SECRETARY PAIGE: I'll begin by stating what I've stated before, which is our high respect for Director General Matsuura. In fact, we believe that much of that credit is due him and his leadership in making the environment in UNESCO such that it would be possible for the U.S. to rejoin.
When President Reagan made the decision to withdraw from UNESCO, there was a good deal of disappointment in UNESCO, its conduct and its operations. We have noticed, with considerable admiration, the leadership of Director General Matsuura and we're greatly appreciative of that.
When we were in Paris to rejoin just recently, the first lady laid out four reasons, or four specific concerns that we would have in working with UNESCO. The first one was world literacy. She is the honorary chairperson of the Decade of Literacy for UNESCO. The second one was aiding states where there was conflict in rebuilding education systems -- that was in specific interests, such as in Afghanistan and in Iraq. The fourth one was AIDS, and being involved in finding solutions to what we consider to be a worldwide epidemic that threatens health for the entire world, not just specific to one nation. And this terrible disease is not going to be confined inside borders of a state. We see this as an international issue.
And what was the third one?
MR. ESPOSITO: Development of tolerance and peace.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Tolerance and peace. We want to be involved in efforts to promote tolerance and peace. And by the way, we think that education is the main vehicle for that. We're deeply appreciative of the Education for All initiative that UNESCO has undertaken. We want to be a part of that. We've come to UNESCO as team players to be part of the solution to those specific problems that the first lady laid out, but also to just world peace, in general.
QUESTION: My name is Xinnu Tan. I'm from China's Xinghua News Agency. I just want to follow-up with a question. Just now Mr. Secretary list several reasons behind the dramatic drop of the visa -- the number of visa granted. A few of them was the increased cost, and the application process. And the Assistant Secretary said, actually, the mixed picture, and some -- the number of students from the other countries, from India or Pakistan is increasing, but -- while the students in China are -- is declining.
So I assume that all the reasons behind the decline: the cost, the process should be the same for all the international students. So I'm wondering why, specifically, the number of Chinese students who are granted visa declined while other countries increased. What's behind the inconsistency?
SECRETARY PAIGE: Before Joe responds to that, let me make sure that I was clear. When I offered those explanations, I said, "not specific to China, but from a world point of view, these are some of the issues that we think would be impeding some of the process." But we also said that overall, there is a slight increase. Specific to China, I'm not sure that I have an answer to that. So, Joe, do you have an answer to that?
MR. ESPOSITO: No, I really don't.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Other than the statements you made?
MR. ESPOSITO: No, no. I really don't. I mean, there are all different factors that impinge on these enrollment figures from country to country, and we're certainly -- as I said, 8,000 students were processed this past year in China and we're looking to work with Chinese officials to expedite things in whatever a manner we can. We're just getting a new system off the ground. I think it will eventually become much more efficient and effective.
But I just want to repeat what I said before that there is no effort here whatsoever to single out the Chinese students or students from any country. Overall, we're looking at a challenge to balance our interest in expanding international visitors and international students with the understanding that our -- just generally, we have a different situation in homeland security, as a result of September 11th, so the process has just become more complex.
SECRETARY PAIGE: And I would just add to that statement that the [visa] process for our nation has undergone -- and is in the process of undergoing -- some improvement. This system needed improvement. And so the activities that you witness are activities designed to have a more effective and coherent process. There is no specific intention to impose difficulties for any country -- China, or any other country.
As we look back and go more specifically into the specific causes of any particular difficulty that any particular country's experiencing, I bet that you will find that there are some unintended consequences or something there that is not at all related to any preference that we have among nations.
Probably, the thing that explains most of the problems that I've noticed has been the process now including the interview, and the students not being aware of this interview process in time to get the interview done in time to meet the enrollment dates for universities, which started in September.
But I think that's something that can be worked out.
QUESTION: Samir Nader with Radio Sawa. The number of students from the Arab world decreased largely after the September 11 attacks. Are you having any specific program to encourage students in the Arab countries to apply to American schools and universities?
SECRETARY PAIGE: I'm not aware of any specific efforts to encourage any specific country or any specific region. I think there are efforts to improve the system worldwide without reference to any particular place in the world.
Joe.
MR. ESPOSITO: I would just add that although we don't have specific programs in that area, we do work closely with the Agency for International Development and with the State Department on a number of issues, and work with them on policy related matters. And I know that in the State Department the Middle East Partnership Initiative, MEPI, is one vehicle in which the United States is looking to create an environment where we can help with education within the Middle East, and we've had discussions with them. And I would refer you to the Bureau for Near Eastern Affairs for more detailed information on that.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, I'm Naichian Mo with Hong Kong Phoenix Television. It's understandable after 9/11 the U.S. has to implement tightened security check and have the new visa regulation, but some people argue that the new rules basically deprive American university of vital source of diversity, intellectual energy and even tuition. Does it ever concerns you? And do you -- I mean, your department work with Homeland Security or State Department directly to see the better way to expedite the visa process?
Thank you.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Well, this is a new process, as you would know. And so any new process has its little kinks and unintended consequences. But I know also that the universities and also the U.S. Department of Education are interested in continuing making available our premier universities, the universities all across our nation, to foreign students. Not only are the foreign students benefited, but we are greatly benefited by the diversity these students bring to our institutions.
So I think that this September -- see, the date September when school starts, schools have application process dates and school starts at a specific date. Those particular dates came at a time when the process was relatively new. But I think that once the world community gets more familiar with the process and students learn about the requirements, they'll be able to start the application process much earlier, and I doubt that many of these little kinks that we saw for September will be, will be experienced next year.
Joe.
MR. ESPOSITO: We certainly monitor this issue very carefully and we have several individuals on our staffs who work with education institutions, work with the associations to get their input, and we have constant discussions with Homeland Security and the State Department.
And we recognize that this has a ripple effect. There's no question; it does affect our universities. But again, it's a matter of balancing the interests of education of students, the interests of educational facilities, on the one hand, with Homeland Security, and, as the Secretary said, we are trying to work out a system, which will be more effective and efficient in the future.
QUESTION: Jianyou Wu from Guangming Daily. And China's -- education in China has been developing very fast and with a number of universities and college set up each year and like number of students increased. As far as I understand that, U.S. is always a big contributor to the educational development in China. Apart from the exchange of students program, do you have any idea to further promote educational cooperation between the two countries in the future?
MR. ESPOSITO: Yes, we have. We actually have been working with China, with the Education Ministry, on an E-Language project. One of our senior officials, the Counselor to Secretary Paige, Susan Sclafani, has been in China several times specifically discussing E-Language. We met with the Minister of Education in Paris. The Secretary met with him and had a very cordial discussion. This was in the last week of September, the first week of October, of this year.
We're looking forward to meeting with Chinese officials at the APEC meeting in April in Chile. And we think that the E-Language program, in particular, is an opportunity for us to engage in work that benefits both countries, and perhaps as a springboard for us doing additional work with the Chinese officials.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Joe, comment on the memorandum of understanding -- because it was done in China.
MR. ESPOSITO: Yes. And we -- indeed, we have a memorandum of understanding related to the E-Language.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Just recently updated and recently signed. We're very excited about our relationship with the Chinese education community. We've had any number of meetings with very high Chinese officials about cooperative problems and programs.
Just recently I attended an affair in New York City where I met again with the Chinese delegation to reaffirm our memorandum of understanding and our friendship. I think that you will see as we go into the future an elevated amount of activity between our governments.
QUESTION: [Hiro Aida, Kyodo News] Apparently you have emphasized the importance of language education, foreign language education, in your statement, and I just wondering, you know, that despite of the diversity of American culture and, you know, a lot of immigrants from overseas in this country, our impression is this society is quite monolingual and we don't see so many people -- well, except those, you know, foreign -- I mean, the State Department officials or, you know, the people here, it's quite monolingual. And that may be a kind of a stumbling block for a general public here to understand the foreign cultures.
And is there any specific target you have for a language, foreign language education, in a certain period of time to achieve -- to make this country more, how should I say, multicultural, you know?
SECRETARY PAIGE: Even as we speak, there are plans underway to develop such targets as you've indicated. As of now, we're not prepared to announce any targets, but suffice it to say that no one is more conscious of the concern that you express than we are.
In fact, we've had several speeches where we've set as a very high priority, public schools being able to offer more quality language courses to our students. This -- I think you're going to see in the future -- will manifest itself in some specific timelines and goals and strategies and tactics in order to accomplish that.
We are very much aware and sensitive to our needs to increase our language capabilities.
MR. DENIG: Let me just ask if New York has any questions.
No. Guess not. All right. Final question back there, please, way in the back.
QUESTION: Hi. I'm Jiu Zechi from Shanghai Wenhui News of China. I have heard of a program named TESL, that's Teach English as Second Language. I don't know if this program is from the Department of Education or how many teachers are in the abroad, specifically in China, what's the number it's increasing -- how, with which speed the number is increasing, those professors of English teaching outside America. Thank you.
SECRETARY PAIGE: I don't have an answer to that question. Do you know the answer to it?
MR. ESPOSITO: No, but we can certainly look into that for you.
SECRETARY PAIGE: Yes. If you'll give us a card, we'll get that information for you, but I don't have an answer to that question.
Thank you so much for your attention.
MR. DENIG: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.
