UNCF : Advocacy

International Initiatives

UNCF is working with the Department of State and Secretary Clinton to increase opportunities for more American students to study in China under the 100,000 STRONG INITIATIVE. Dr. Michael L. Lomax, President and CEO is serving on the One Hundred Thousand Strong Federal Advisory Committee. UNCF is playing a key role in ensuring that our Member institutions and the students they serve have opportunities to study in China.

About the Initiative

Citing the strategic importance of the U.S.-China relationship, in November 2009, President Barack Obama announced the 100,000 Strong Initiative, a national effort designed to increase dramatically the number, and diversify the composition, of American students studying in China. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton officially launched the Initiative in May 2010 in Beijing during the inaugural U.S.-China Consultation on People-to-People Exchange (CPE). The Chinese government strongly supports the Initiative and has committed 20,000 scholarships for American students to study in China over four years.

This Initiative seeks to prepare the next generation of American experts on China who will be charged with managing the growing political, economic, and cultural ties between the United States and China. The Initiative also seeks to develop specific opportunities and private sector funding sources for underrepresented students to study in China, including students from public high schools, community colleges, and minority-serving schools.

The need for Americans to gain greater exposure to and understanding of China is clear: there is perhaps no more important or complex relationship in the world than that between the United States and China in terms of securing global peace and security. Virtually no major international issue -- whether global economic recovery, climate change, or nuclear non-proliferation -- can be solved without the active engagement of both the United States and China, working in concert.

Yet Americans have much to learn about China. According to the Institute for International Education's 2010 Open Doors report, almost 10 times more Chinese students come to the United States for educational programs than Americans study in China. It is estimated that 600 times more Chinese study the English language than Americans study Mandarin. This imbalance in knowledge can undermine strategic trust between the two countries. Redressing this imbalance is essential to ensuring that Americans have the cultural understanding and language skills that underpin effective diplomacy and foreign policy. It will also enhance our students' ability to succeed academically and professionally in the global economy.

Interest in China is on the rise among Americans. The number of Americans studying in China grew 30 percent annually from 2001-2007. Numbers grew only four percent in 2008-09 (compared to a 30 percent increase in the number of Chinese studying in the United States), a lower-than-usual increase attributed to the financial crisis. While this organic growth is encouraging, the current trends may be insufficient to meet the real challenges and opportunities of this vitally important relationship.

The 100,000 Strong Initiative complements successful existing study abroad and language study efforts by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Unlike those programs, however, 100,000 Strong relies fully on private-sector financial support and is implemented by non-governmental organizations. Early estimates suggest that at least $68 million will be required to fund this ambitious effort.

Progress to Date

On May 10, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced that the Department of State has surpassed its year-one financial goal. Specifically, since January 2011, almost $10 million has been pledged in support of the 100,000 Strong Initiative. This money goes directly to schools and study abroad programs toward the goal of seeing 100,000 Americans study in China over four years. Developments to date include:

Almost $10 million in Private Funding Pledged: The 100,000 Strong Initiative has received pledges of financial support through major grants from Caterpillar, Citigroup, Coca Cola, and Laureate International Universities, as well as from other private organizations including Amway Corporation, Corning, Goldman Sachs Foundation, GreenPoint Group, the Ford Foundation, Motorola Solutions, Van Eck Global, and Zinch. The Li Ka-Shing Foundation, Swire Trust, and Wanxiang Corporation have also independently pledged to support the Initiative.

Major Support from the Chinese Government: The Chinese government has offered scholarships for 20,000 Americans to study in China. These scholarships will go to American high school, college, and graduate students, as well as teachers and educators.

Launch of 100,000 Strong Advisory Committee: Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and former Senator Chuck Hagel are co-chairing an Advisory Committee to provide guidance to the Department of State on the Initiative.

Launch of Pilot Projects for Underrepresented Groups: In a speech on the occasion of Chinese President Hu Jintao's state visit to Washington in January 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama announced two new pilot projects supported by the private sector for groups that are underrepresented in study abroad programs: high school and community college students.

Creation of Virtual Infrastructure to Support Initiative: In support of the 100,000 Strong Initiative, two non-governmental organizations have been inspired to launch online resources for American students. Golden Bridges Foundation launched a new online platform -- Project Pengyou -- to connect Americans that lived and studied in China ( www.projectpengyou.com). Zinch, a private U.S. information management company with operations in China, launched an independent and free website for American students looking to study in China ( www.zinch.com/studyinchina).

Concert to Celebrate U.S.-China Education Ties: Americans Promoting Study Abroad, with the support of the State Department, will organize a major concert to celebrate U.S.-China educational ties. The concert, which will take place in December 2011 in Beijing, will feature will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas as well as other American and Chinese artists. Proceeds will go to support organizations that help public high school students from underserved communities study in China for summer programs.

The United States and China are cooperating closely to achieve the goals of the 100,000 Strong Initiative: to increase dramatically the number, and diversify the composition, of American students studying in China as a means to enhance people-to-people ties between our two nations. For more information, contact 100kstrong@state.gov or go to www.state.gov/100000strong.

HBCU Facts

The first HBCU, Cheney University in Pennsylvania, was founded in 1837. All HBCUs play a critical role in the American higher education system.
While the 105 HBCUs represent just three percent of the nation's institutions of higher learning, they graduate nearly 20 percent of African Americans who earn undergraduate degrees.
UNCF supports minority students at many schools that are not HBCUs. However, UNCF directly supports 38 private HBCUs. Fifty percent of African Americans who graduate from HBCUs go on to graduate or professional schools.