[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 241 (Wednesday, December 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78170-78172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-31584]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
U.S. Education Mission to Africa: South Africa and Ghana
(Optional Stop to Cote d'Ivoire); March 6-12, 2016
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, is organizing an education mission to South Africa and
Ghana with an optional stop in the C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. Department of
Commerce is partnering with the Department of State's EducationUSA
Advising Centers in each location. This trade mission will be led by a
senior Department of Commerce official and the emphasis will be on
higher education programs, community college programs and summer,
undergraduate and graduate programs, or consortia/associations of U.S.
educational institutions offering said programs.
This mission will seek to connect U.S. higher education
institutions to potential students and university/institution partners
in these three African countries. The mission will include student
fairs organized by Education USA, embassy briefings, site visits, and
networking events in our target cities of Johannesburg, Accra, and
Abidjan. Participation in the Education Mission to these nations,
rather than traveling independently to each market, will enhance the
ability of participants to secure appropriate meetings with productive
contacts in the target markets.
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This mission is intended to include representatives from a variety
of accredited U.S. education institutions and consortia/associations
representing groupings of U.S. accredited education institutions.
Summer programs seeking to participate should be appropriately
accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Department
of Education. Community colleges, undergraduate and graduate programs
seeking to participate should be accredited by a recognized
accreditation body listed in Council for Higher Education Accreditation
(CHEA) or Accrediting Council for Education and Training (ACCET), in
the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors (ASPA), or
any accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
The delegation will include representatives from approximately 25
different educational institutions or consortia/associations.
Schedule
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Sunday March 6, 2016................... Arrive in Johannesburg
Check into hotel
Monday March 7, 2016................... Welcome and Briefing
from the U.S. and Foreign
Commercial Service
Meeting with South
African Government Education
Leaders
Visit to Schools
Networking Reception
Tuesday March 8, 2016.................. Education Fair
Wednesday March 9, 2016................ Visit to Africa
Leadership Academy
Additional Meetings
with Schools
Travel to Accra
Thursday March 10, 2016................ Travel Recovery
Welcome and Briefing
from the U.S. and Foreign
Commercial Service
Education Fair
Reception at U.S.
Ambassador's Residence
Friday March 11, 2016.................. Visit to Schools
(Accra)
Depart for Abidjan,
Cote d'Ivoire for optional
stop or return to United
States on own itinerary
Arrive in Abidjan in
afternoon
Evening Reception
Saturday March 12, 2016................ Welcome and Briefing
from the U.S. Department of
State (EducationUSA)
Brunch with Local
Schools and University
Directors
Education Fair: 12:30-
6:00 PM
Reception with Dinner
and Cultural Show
Monday March 13, 2016.................. Optional cultural
excursion for those who can
stay
Departure to the
United States (most flights
depart in the afternoon or
evening)
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Web site: Please visit our official mission Web site for more
information: http://www.export.gov/trademissions/.
Participation Requirements
All parties interested in participating in the Education Trade
Mission to Africa must complete and submit an application package for
consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be
evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy
the selection criteria as outlined below. The mission will open on a
rolling basis to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 25 appropriately
accredited U.S. educational institutions. U.S. educational institutions
(or associations/consortia thereof) already recruiting in Africa, as
well as U.S. education institutions seeking to enter the African market
for the first time, may apply.
Fees and Expenses
After an institution has been selected to participate on the
mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a
participation fee is required. The participation fee is $2,800 for one
principal representative from each non-profit educational institution
or educational institution with fewer than 500 employees and $3,300 for
for-profit universities with over 500 employees. An institution can
choose to participate in the optional stop in Cote d'Ivoire for an
additional $1,800 for one principal representative from each non-profit
educational institution or educational institution with fewer than 500
employees and $1,900 for for-profit universities with over 500
employees. The fee for each additional representative is $600. Expenses
for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and all travel (except for
transportation to and from airports in-country, previously noted) will
be the responsibility of each mission participant. The U.S. Department
of Commerce can facilitate government rates in some hotels.
Application
All interested firms and associations may register via the
following link: http://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/TM/6R0R.
Exclusions
The mission fee does not include any personal travel expenses such
as lodging, most meals, local ground transportation, except as stated
in the proposed agenda, and air transportation from the United States
to the mission site and return to the United States.
Timeline for Recruitment and Applications
Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner,
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce
Department trade mission calendar (http://export.gov/industry/education/) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and
trade media, direct mail, notices by industry trade associations and
other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia,
conferences, and trade shows. Recruitment for the mission will begin
immediately and conclude no later than January 15, 2016. Applications
for the mission will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications
received after January 15, 2016, will be considered only if space and
scheduling constraints permit.
Conditions for Participation
An applicant must submit a timely, completed and signed mission
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate
information on course offerings, primary market objectives, and goals
for participation. The institution or institutional members of
consortia/associations must have appropriate accreditation as specified
per paragraph one above.
The institution/consortium/association must be represented at the
student fair by an employee of an accredited U.S. educational
institution or association/consortium. No agents will be allowed to
represent a school on the mission or participate at the student fair.
Agents will also not be allowed into the fairs to solicit new
partnerships. If the Department of Commerce receives an incomplete
application, the Department may reject the application, request
additional information, or take the lack of information into account
when evaluating the applications.
Participants must travel to both stops in South Africa and Ghana on
the mission. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire is the only optional stop.
Each applicant must certify that the services it seeks to export
through the mission are either produced in the United States, or, if
not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51
percent U.S. content of the value of the service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Woods, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S
Commercial
[[Page 78172]]
Service, Portland, Oregon, Tel: (503) 326-5290, Email:
[email protected].
Jeffrey Goldberg, Industry & Analysis, Office of Trade Promotion
Programs, Washington, DC, Tel: (202) 482-1706, Email:
[email protected].
Frank Spector,
Acting Director, Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2015-31584 Filed 12-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P