Transatlantic Conversation During the 11th International Education Week is a video clip edited by the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Mission to the EU in Brussels (2010).
U.S. Ambassador to the EU, William E. Kennard, and EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, Androulia Vassiliou, discuss the importance of education mobility programs for young people of the U.S. and the EU and how these programs strengthen the transatlantic dialogue and relationship.
More information:
The U.S. Mission to the EU: http://useu.usmission.gov
and http://www.facebook.com/useubrussels
Directorate General for Education and Culture: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/index_en.htm
Fulbright Schuman program: http://www.fulbright.be/fulbright-awards/fulbright-schuman/
TRANSCRIPTION EXCERPT:
Ambassador Kennard:
"(...) I was reading not long ago that more Americans go to the countries of the EU to study than any other place and at the same time more Europeans go to the U.S. than in any other place. (...) I think it's about 60 thousands EU citizens go to the U.S. and 135 (thousands) Americans go to Europe. So that's a lot of people you know and collectively we are building lots of relationships around these programs so it's very powerful."
Commissioner Vassiliou:
"Yes. But we have this program. The Schuman Fulbright joint grants which gives the possibility of course for young people, graduates, and professors to come to the EU, to any country of their choice or European academics and students to go to the U.S. and make specific studies about, let's say, European Union affairs, or EU-U.S. affairs, relations, and this of course builds up the relation."
Ambassador Kennard:
"This is the 11th International Education Week so this is an important time for us to be talking about this topic and it's important that we are talking about education now because we are coming out of the financial crisis, the world is changing, most of the people will have many more careers in their lives than our parents or even that we have and education is key to be successful in that environment. The world is changing, there will be many more opportunities but only if people prepare themselves to cease those opportunities and that's what education is all about."
Commissioner Vassiliou:
"It's the basis. they all acknowledge that without education we cannot give to our young people the opportunity to make a better life for themselves, a better future, a more fulfilling life for themselves. (...) And all our researches shows that young people who participate in mobility schemes get a lot of benefits out of it. They add to their skills and qualifications. They get something extra from the skills that they get through formal education. So we have made it our aim that by the year 2020 we should give to as many young people as possible, the opportunity to participate in mobility programs."
(...)
Ambassdor Kennard:
"And I wanted also publicly support, rather publicly thank you Commissioner for the support that you have given to the Fulbright program. it wouldn't have happened without the support of you and the European Commission, so thank you so much for that."
Commissioner Vassiliou:
"Well, it's a pleasure. (...) And I am so pleased that we have started a very very good and close cooperation with the United States of America. (...) So I can imagine in a few years time when we have thousands of young people participating in these programs, what would be the enrichment to our relations."
Ambassdor Kennard:
"Amazing, amazing. And you know education is so important. One of the joys of representing President Obama in Europe is that he is so committed not only to engaging with the rest of the world but committed to young people, making sure that young people have a better future. And young people get a better future through educations."
Commissioner Vassiliou:
"Europe is based on unity in diversity. so i think I am really encouraging all the young people from the U.S. to participate in these programs but equally to our people here to participate in these programs and visit and study in the U.S."
Ambassdor Kennard:
"I would say you are not alone in deciding what you want to do. You can get a lot of help. In every country of European Union you can find a USA education adviser and that person will help you sort through the various aptions that we have talked about today like the Fulbright Program, the Fulbright Schuman Program, the International Visitors Program. There is a lot of things to do and so I would just advise people to reach out, get good advise and get on a plane."
Loading...
3:15
Flashback - BVC International Education Week 2009by BowValleyCollege306 views
Link to this comment:
All Comments (0)