Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act

This bill, titled the "Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act," reauthorizes and significantly amends Title VI of the Higher Education Act of 1965. Its primary goal is to improve and encourage innovation in international and foreign language education, thereby strengthening the United States' capacity and global competitiveness. The legislation introduces new programs and updates existing ones to better meet national needs in the 21st century.

A key provision establishes a new program for International Research and Innovation, replacing previous sections. This program authorizes competitive grants for research and studies to systematically understand and assess U.S. international and foreign language education capacity, including foreign language courses, degrees, and study abroad. It also supports grants for innovative projects designed to create new paradigms for resource sharing, curriculum development, and advanced assessment tools. The Secretary is mandated to develop a national standardized database and publish a five-year report summarizing key findings and policy issues.

The bill also renames and expands Global Business and Professional Education Programs, emphasizing global skills across professional fields like STEM, law, and health, beyond just business. It replaces the section on "Professional and Technical Education for Global Competitiveness" with a new framework. This framework authorizes grants to integrate interdisciplinary global dimensions into undergraduate and graduate professional curricula, aiming to produce graduates with international, cross-cultural, and foreign language skills. Mandatory activities include incorporating foreign language programs, international studies, and education abroad into professional training, with permissible activities extending to specialized teaching materials and internationalization efforts at community colleges and minority-serving institutions.

To support these initiatives, the bill outlines federal and non-federal cost-sharing requirements for grants, with waivers available for minority-serving institutions and community colleges. It adds specific definitions for these institutions and "heritage students." Finally, the legislation authorizes necessary appropriations for fiscal year 2027 and the subsequent five fiscal years, ensuring sustained investment in these vital international education programs.