Last Friday, the international education community cheered when the White House took decisive action to expand academic travel to Cuba. President Obama has directed changes to regulations and policies – expected in the next couple of weeks – to “increase people-to-people contact; support civil society in Cuba; enhance the free flow of information to, from, and among the Cuban people; and help promote their independence from Cuban authorities.”
Since the Bush Administration placed harsh regulations on academic travel to Cuba in 2004, these changes have been a longtime advocacy goal of NAFSA, a broad and diverse coalition of organizations we have worked with, and the Connecting Our World community. To all of the advocates: thank you for your persistence in writing letters to President Obama on Cuba. This is a major victory for you, U.S. colleges and universities, and all American students who would like the opportunity to study in Cuba. It’s also a victory for U.S. engagement in the world, to which the President has once again demonstrated his commitment, through this action.
Why are these changes so important? Educational and cultural exchanges have historically been one of the United States’ most important and successful public diplomacy tools, especially in opening up closed societies. These programs build respect and understanding among peoples, sustain diplomatic and political relationships, and ultimately create the conditions for a more peaceful world.
What will be the impact on our colleges and universities? Once the changes go into effect, schools will be able to run credit-bearing study abroad programs in Cuba under a general license, students will have the freedom to study there with institutions other than their home campus, licenses for people-to-people exchanges will be restored, and there will be new and expanded travel opportunities for faculty and researchers, among other changes.
As always, it’s important to thank policymakers when they do something right. Please visit the “Cuba is No Exception” campaign page on Connecting Our World to send a letter thanking President Obama for his leadership on this issue. I also invite you to leave comments and questions below on what these changes to Cuba travel policy mean to you.
It is very important to continue to support the contact between the two countries. It is clear to everyone that the restrictions have thus far contributed to strengthening the oppressive regime in Cuba and once they are lifted the people of Cuba can hope in a better future.
Thanks Vic. This new policy direction is welcome and long overdue. It was in 1977 when Jimmy Carter opened the window to conduct educational travel to the island -for two week periods and only to explore how the regime dealt with the education and health sectors. On behalf of The Lisle Fellowship, I organized two programs in this period. But what must occur now is full transparency and freedom for academic institutions and NGOs, not the kind of programming back in the Carter era which saw the itineraries and interactions with institutions and organizations controlled by the state.
I have just returned from Cuba. I have the say the experience was most informative to say the least. I went as a US delegate, researching art education in Cuba. I am also a graduate student at the University of FL. Here is my blog which details some of my experiences.
http://www.blendingcolorswithcuba.blogspot.com
Well cannot say much for anything but it would be good to have better ties in this fast moving world with Cuba forgetting the past !
@ Beth Dobberstein Glad to know you went as a delegate , its good to know your work , Obama Admin is doing great job in rectifying all problems , even the inside ones also and external relations too.
My trip to Cuba was unforgettable. I have continued my research in the Miami area. I just completed my thesis/capstone project on: How does cultural heritage reveal itself in the art of Cuban American students? I asked Cuban American students to interview family members and then depict the stories in their artwork. The artwork was then displayed in an art show. It was an amazing experience.