Institute of International Education San Francisco

Mission Statement

The Institute of International Education (IIE) believes that no nation can prosper economically, culturally or intellectually in isolation from the rest of the world. We believe that peace and prosperity in the 21st century depend upon increasing the capacity of people to think and work on a global and intercultural basis. As technology opens boarders, educational and professional exchange opens minds. Join the West Coast Center of IIE and participate in an international community committed to education, understanding and friendship.

The International Visitor Program (IVP) of the Institute for International Education (IIE) advances citizen diplomacy by providing professional, cultural and educational meetings between emerging foreign leaders and the San Francisco Bay Area community. These emerging foreign leaders are selected by our American embassies overseas and travel to the Untied States under the auspices of the U.S. State Department. Among the prestigious alumni are nearly 1,000 cabinet ministers and 150 current and former heads of state including Margaret Thatcher, Anwar Sadat, Indira Gandhi and Tony Blair. The volunteers in San Francisco and around the nation who contribute their time and energy to the International Visitor Leadership Program were collectively nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.