Michael Nizich Presents on the Importance of International Education

Pictured: Michael Nizich, far right, presented on the ETIC and the important role that international students play in both U.S. higher education and the U.S. economy at the 2019 NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo.

Michael Nizich, Ph.D., director of New York Institute of Technology’s Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC), presented on a panel at the 2019 NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Advisors) Annual Conference & Expo in Washington D.C., May 28 through 31. NAFSA: Association of International Educators is dedicated to international education and exchange. The annual conference is an opportunity for international educators and organizations to learn, exchange ideas, and network.

The panel discussion, “U.S. Competitiveness in International Education: An Economic and Diplomatic Dialogue,” addressed the importance of international education for U.S. competitiveness and engagement. Guest speakers also included:

• Sarah Kemp, deputy undersecretary of commerce for international trade, U.S. Department of Commerce
• Roland Stephen, Ph.D., director, Center for Innovation Strategy and Policy, SRI International
• Caroline Casagrande, deputy assistant secretary for academic programs, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

Nizich spoke about the various ETIC programs that engage international students, including the Cybersecurity Hackathon Series the TIPP program and the Design Challenge Series, which tasks students with creating tech-based solutions for global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. These challenges help students utilize their skills while allowing them to learn about how technology could help global society.

“At the ETIC, we are highly aware of the important role that international students play in both U.S. higher education as well as the U.S. economy,” said Nizich. “We are even more aware of the importance these students have in global innovation, how they enrich the educational experience of our domestic students, and how they help to foster world changing ideas through multi-national design teams that naturally emerge at the ETIC through our programs and activities.”

Nizich also presented various case studies on international students who joined the ETIC and were subsequently hired by regional organizations, including IBM, J.P. Morgan, and Long Island Technology Group.