Advancing International Education at the State-Level
Spotlight: West Virginia
West Virginia is quickly establishing itself as a model for advancing international education at
the state level, recognizing the need to prepare its citizenry to succeed in a globalized economy.
Despite its demographic challenges – only a small percentage of its population is either foreignborn or speaks a second language, and it ranks second-to-last in percentage of adults holding a
bachelor’s degree or higher – the state, led by its elected leaders and higher education
institutions, has moved purposefully to expand international education at the postsecondary
level.
General Facts*
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Population: 1,819,777 (2009); ranks 37th out of 50 states
Percentage of population that is foreign-born: 1.3% (vs. 12.5% nationally)
Higher education statistics (2008-09, unless noted otherwise):
 Number of accredited institutions: 44
 Total enrollment: 125,333
 Total student participation in study abroad (2007-08): 1,022 (0.87%)
 Total international student enrollment: 2,732 (2.2%)
 Net contribution to economy by international students: $59,678,000
State Leadership on International Education
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In 2003, Governor Robert Wise established one of the first state commissions on
international education in the country, charged with reviewing the state of international
education in West Virginia and making specific recommendations for future action.
The commission's final report, “Preparing Citizenry for the Global Age” (2004), declared
"the urgency of increasing the international competence of our citizens so they can live and
work in a world where the rapid pace of change has made earlier educational norms
obsolete."
Recommendations included increasing international awareness and exchanges in academic
and community settings, incorporating greater use of technology, and strengthening of
foreign language, international business, and cultural studies. It also recommended creating
linkages between educational institutions in support of international education.
The state also established the Cyrus Vance Award for International Education to recognize
West Virginia educators who have “helped enhance West Virginia’s appreciation and respect
for international issues and cultures.” The award is named for West Virginia native Cyrus R.
Vance, who led a distinguished career in public service and diplomacy, most notably serving
as secretary of state during the Carter administration. Awards have been presented annually
since 2001.
*Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Migration Policy Institute; Institute of International Education; NAFSA: Association
of International Educators.
Consortium for Internationalizing Higher Education
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In implementing the report recommendations, the West Virginia Higher Education
Commission, which oversees the public policy agenda for the state’s four-year colleges and
universities, established the Consortium for Internationalizing Higher Education (CIHE) in
2006.
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CIHE seeks to:
 Combine the strengths and efforts of every public and private higher education
institution in West Virginia in order to facilitate and enhance the globalization of the
respective campuses;
 Provide assistance and mentoring to those institutions to help them internationalize
majors, core curricula and foreign language programs to better prepare West Virginia
students for global competency;
 Facilitate partnerships between educational institutions in West Virginia and those in
other states and countries;
 Increase the number of international students in the state by promoting West Virginia
as a study destination for international students;
 Increase the number of students going abroad by establishing a statewide study
abroad consortium.
CIHE has succeeded in offering competitive grant awards to help higher education
institutions internationalize, and increasing low-cost study abroad opportunities for students
attending in-state institutions, vital given the challenges the state faces in fostering global
awareness.
The consortium created a “West Virginia in the World” website to help promote the state’s
higher education offerings globally and to share information about best practices and
international education opportunities.
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State Legislators Show Support
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Unlike other states, West Virginia legislators enacted a state-level international education
policy resolution to reaffirm efforts already being undertaken in the state, rather than to spur
action.
Passed in 2008, SCR 64 states that “economic development depends upon a deliberate
strategic development plan that includes recognition of the role of international education in
all its facets.”
The resolution applauds the efforts of the state’s higher education institutions to increase
students' understanding of global issues and cultural differences, and specifically recognizes
the work of the Governor’s Commission on International Education and the CIHE, among
other initiatives.
Internationalizing Curriculum
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Since 1980, the West Virginia Faculty and Course Development in International Studies
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(FACDIS) has sought to enrich international studies and foreign language courses, increase
student and faculty participation in study abroad, and provide professional development
international education opportunities for public school teachers.
FACDIS receives dedicated funding from the state higher education board and from
participating institutions, further illustrating the investment and dedication of both elected
leaders and colleges and universities to enriching the international education experience of
West Virginia students.
More recently, the Higher Education Policy Commission added international education
benchmarks to its 2007-2012 strategic plan, leading every state university to establish goals
and strategies for promoting global awareness in their institutional compacts.
"Bucks for Brains"
In a related effort, under Governor Joe Manchin’s current leadership, the state is actively
promoting West Virginia as a destination for international business and cutting-edge research.
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Sparked by similar initiatives in other states, the state legislature established the West
Virginia Research Trust Fund ("Bucks for Brains") in 2008 to attract and retain talented
faculty to conduct research benefitting the state.
The $50 million public/private endowment fund allows the state's two leading research
universities, West Virginia University and Marshall University, to better compete for talent
globally.
The West Virginia Development Office reports that as of 2009, the state has attracted
business investment from more than 23 countries around the world.
As illustrated above, West Virginia is on its way to establishing a solid foundation toward
preparing its citizenry for a 21st century global economy, thanks in large part to a strong support
of international education by its elected leaders and institutions of higher education.
KEY LINKS:
West Virginia Commission on International Education Report: “Preparing Citizenry for the
Global Age” (2004): http://studywv.org/links/WVReport.pdf
Cyrus Vance Award for International Education: http://www.wvosea.org/cyrusvance.html
Consortium for Internationalizing Higher Education/“West Virginia in the World” (2006):
http://www.studywv.org/
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 64 (2008):
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2008_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/scr64%20org.htm
West Virginia Faculty and Course Development in International Studies (FACDIS):
http://www.wvu.edu/~facdis/index.htm
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West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission: http://wvhepcnew.wvnet.edu/
2007-2012 Strategic Plan:
http://wvhepcnew.wvnet.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=0
International Investment in West Virginia:
http://wvcommerce.org/business/businessassistance/investinginwestvirginia/international.aspx
September 2010
With nearly 10,000 members, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world’s
largest nonprofit professional association dedicated to international education.
Visit us online at www.nafsa.org.
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