ACER and VIF Program give Australian teachers a chance to grow professionally in the U.S

ACER and VIF Program give Australian teachers a chance to grow professionally in the U.S.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday January 22, 2008
Alliance between ACER and VIF Program offers prospects for Australians

MELBOURNE, Australia – Australian educators have a unique opportunity to explore alternative teaching methods and experience new instructional approaches by teaching in the United States, as the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) today announced a joint initiative with the Visiting International Faculty Program (VIF).

ACER will team with VIF, the United States’ largest international-exchange program for teachers, to provide an opportunity for Australian teachers to have the adventure of living and working overseas as teachers and travelers in the United States. ACER will work closely with primary and secondary Australian educators interested in applying to teach in the U.S. with the VIF Program. Teachers can stay in the U.S. for three years on a J-1 cultural-exchange visa and then return home, contributing to a “brain gain” for Australian schools.

”This alliance is an exciting opportunity for ACER and VIF to create international experiences for teachers in Australia,” said Peter McGuckian, Director of International Development for ACER. “VIF’s reputation as a respected international-education partner, representing more than 50 countries, will foster an exchange of international education techniques, provide excellent networking, and allow for greater collaboration between Australian and U.S. educators.”

“Teaching in the United States can be a great opportunity for Australian teachers to complement their development as a teacher,” said Jane Larsson, Director of International Partnerships at the VIF Program. “Undertaking a new adventure and experiencing a new culture, while learning and applying new skills, can be a wonderful personal growth experience. Our collaboration with ACER, an organisation that has a deep commitment to improving learning, assures Australian teachers that they’ll benefit from a high-quality experience in the VIF Program.”

Australian Council for Educational Research
Improving Learning

The Australian Council for Educational Research is one of the world's leading educational research centers, committed to creating and distributing research-based knowledge, products and services to improve learning across the lifespan in both formal and informal settings. Their most widely known international work is their leadership of a consortium of research and educational institutions to deliver the International PISA (program for international student assessment) project on behalf of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Visiting International Faculty Program
Transforming Lives through International Education
The Visiting International Faculty Program is the United States’ largest international-exchange program for teachers and schools, with more than 1,600 teachers from over 50 countries teaching in more than 1,000 U.S. schools for the 2007-08 school year. Designated by the U.S. government as an Exchange Program Sponsor, VIF recruits the world’s finest educators, matches them with U.S. primary and secondary schools, and supports them and their host schools throughout their stay in the United States.

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Leslie Maxwell Communications Specialist Visiting International Faculty Program leslie.maxwell@vifprogram.com U.S. phone: 919-265-5190

Louise Reynolds Corporate Communications ACER reynolds@ACER.edu.au 03 9277 5582 0419 340 058