CIEE - work, travel, study and exchange programs for students, teachers, employers, schools and families

About CIEE

CIEE: The Council on International Educational Exchange is the leading U.S. non-governmental international education organization. CIEE creates and administers programs that allow high school and university students and educators to study and teach abroad.

Into the chilly postwar world of 1947, CIEE launched the next generation of study abroad programs, the first since they’d been suspended during World War II. Senators and scholars worried about how to increase international understanding and establish trust between nations. As soon as there was enough capacity aboard trans-Atlantic ships to carry students, CIEE programs began teaching.

CIEE Today

CIEE is composed of two interrelated but operationally independent entities based in Portland, Maine and Tokyo, Japan. Our membership continues to grow.

For U.S. high school and university students, CIEE administers approximately 104 study abroad programs in over 35 host countries and teaching programs in Chile, China, Spain, and Thailand. Educators can participate in 26 summer seminars in 28 countries. CIEE also hosts approximately 1,000 international high school exchange students in the United States each year, bringing the world to host families, schools and communities.

The Trainee Program – a category of the J-1 Visa – constitutes one of CIEE’s core areas of competency. During its nearly 20 years as administrator of this program, CIEE has supported more than 50,000 participants in their endeavor to expand their knowledge and skills and to enhance their professional qualifications. The knowledge and experience accumulated over this time, along with an enduring commitment to quality, has allowed CIEE to remain the largest sponsor in this category and an overall leader in program administration.

CIEE's Work & Travel USA Program makes it possible for international students to explore life in the United States. The program is designed so that overseas students can become more than tourists, experiencing life in the U.S. firsthand by working alongside U.S. citizens in temporary employment. CIEE has been designated by the U.S. State Department to administer this J-1 visa program since 1969.

CIEE at 60

2007 was the 60th anniversary of the founding of CIEE. Since 1947, our mission has been “to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world”. Throughout our history, we at CIEE have had the unique opportunity to serve this mission. In the largest sense, we can help make the world a better place for all and share a collective sense of fulfillment in our contributions to society.

While much has changed since our beginnings 60 years ago, much remains the same. As at the beginning, we continue to fulfill the needs of today’s global citizens—students, educators, host families, and institutions in the U.S. and abroad by providing quality educational experiences. We believe that the growth and learning of our participants will impact our world not just today, but also in the future. We are proud of our programs, our support of advocacy in the field, and we remain strong believers in the advancement of knowledge among educators and practitioners through research, International Faculty Development Seminars, the CIEE Annual Conference, and a variety of publications.

We have celebrated our 60th anniversary in a variety of ways; from the commissioning of a mural called “Six Decades” now on display in our new offices in Portland, Maine to the publication of a brochure, "CIEE at 60," highlighting the impact CIEE has had on our participants.

In the years ahead, with our mission always at the forefront of our intentions, we remain optimistic that the best is yet to come.

Our history

Our long history was documented by Ludmila Mikhailova in 2002 as part of her doctoral research. We're pleased to present her work in its entirety below. Also included is the introductory letter by Stevan Trooboff, CIEE President and CEO, which accompanied the publication.

A History of CIEE:
Council on International Educational Exchange 1947 –1994

For the purposes of this publication, the history of the Council on International Educational Exchange has been outlined in three periods: (1) the early years of the organization, from 1947 to 1960; (2) the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on program expansion; and, (3) the period from 1979 to 1994, the years of CIEE under Executive Director Jack Egle.

The content was gathered from CIEE archival materials and an extensive list of sources (see Bibliography). We welcome additional recollections from those who have known and participated in CIEE activities throughout the years.

The name of the organization—Council on International Educational Exchange—has changed over the years. Founded as the Council on Student Travel in 1947, the organization in its early years was known as "the Council." In 1967, the organization’s name changed to the Council on International Educational Exchange, or CIEE. For the purposes of this publication, the organization is referred to as "the Council" or "the Council on Student Travel" (CST) until 1967, and thereafter as "CIEE."