ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan International Institute’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies has been recognized with a $918,000 federal grant to continue its various research, training and outreach initiatives.

The U.S. Department of Education’s award brings the institute’s total to more than $10 million in federal Title VI funding awards.

“This reaffirms that Michigan remains one of the best places in the country and the world for international and area studies, including learning over 25 less commonly taught languages from Arabic to Vietnamese, and applying them not only in academic careers but also in business, the professions and government service,” said Mark Tessler, U-M vice provost for International Affairs and director of the International Institute.

The funds will be distributed over four years to support various programs, including the support of regional language instruction. The center was granted $834,000 in July 2006 for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) awards to support graduate-level academic year and summer fellowships, bringing the total it is expected to receive to $1.75 million.

This is the latest award from the U.S. Department of Education to the U-M International Institute under the 2006-2010 Title VI competition. The institute anticipates receiving more than $10 million in Title VI funding under several different programs.

The National Resource Centers program provides grants to institutions of higher education for area studies centers that serve as national resources for research, training, and outreach related to specific world regions.

The International Institute has been given more than $4.6 million for its five National Resource Centers: East Asian Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Russian and East European Studies, and now Southeast Asian Studies.

The FLAS program provides grants for graduate-level academic year and summer fellowships to support foreign language and area studies training. In 2006, The International Institute announced that it is projected to offer approximately $4 million in FLAS fellowships over the next four years through its Centers for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Middle Eastern and North African Studies, Russian and East European Studies, South Asian Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies.

Also under the Title VI competition (Part B of the Higher Education Act), last July the Institute’s Center for International Business Education was awarded a new four-year grant worth more than $1.3 million to support curriculum development, research and training on issues of importance to United States trade and competitiveness.

The U-M International Institute comprises several federally-funded National Resource Centers and FLAS fellowship programs. These and the other centers, programs, and initiatives located within the International Institute carry out a wide range of innovative activities in international and area studies. Many of these are collaborative and interdisciplinary activities that cross traditional intellectual and geographic boundaries.

International InstituteCenter for Southeast Asian Studies