(a) The Secretary may provide assistance to an institution of higher education, a consortium of institutions of higher education, or a partnership between a nonprofit educational organization and an institution of higher education to plan, develop, and carry out a program to improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages. Those grants must be awarded to institutions, consortia, or partnerships seeking to create new programs or to strengthen existing programs in foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields.

(b) The Secretary gives consideration to an applicant that proposes a program that—

(1) Initiates new or revised courses in international or area studies;

(2) Makes instruction in foreign languages available to students in the program; and

(3) Takes place primarily in the United States.

(c) The program shall focus on—

(1) International or global studies;

(2) One or more world areas and their languages; or

(3) Issues or topics, such as international environmental studies or international health.

The Secretary awards grants under this part to assist in carrying out projects and activities that are an integral part of a program to improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages. These include projects such as—

(a) Planning for the development and expansion of undergraduate programs in international studies and foreign languages;

(b) Teaching, research, curriculum development, faculty training in the United States or abroad, and other related activities, including—

(1) Expanding library and teaching resources;

(2) Conducting faculty workshops, conferences, and special lectures;

(3) Developing and testing new curricular materials, including self-instructional materials in foreign languages, or specialized language materials dealing with a particular subject (such as health or the environment);

(4) Initiating new and revised courses in international studies or area studies and foreign languages; and

(5) Conducting pre-service teacher training and in-service teacher professional development;

(c) Expanding the opportunities for learning foreign languages, including less commonly taught languages;

(d) Providing opportunities for which foreign faculty and scholars may visit institutions as visiting faculty;

(e) Placing U.S. faculty members in internships with international associations or with governmental or nongovernmental organizations in the U.S. or abroad to improve their understanding of international affairs;

(f) Developing international education programs designed to develop or enhance linkages between 2-and 4-year institutions of higher education, or baccalaureate and post-baccalaureate programs or institutions;

(g) Developing undergraduate educational programs—

(1) In locations abroad where those opportunities are not otherwise available or that serve students for whom those opportunities are not otherwise available; and

(2) That provide courses that are closely related to on-campus foreign language and international curricula;

(h) Integrating new and continuing education abroad opportunities for undergraduate students into curricula of specific degree programs;

(i) Developing model programs to enrich or enhance the effectiveness of educational programs abroad, including pre-departure and post-return programs, and integrating educational programs abroad into the curriculum of the home institution;

(j) Providing grants for educational programs abroad that—

(1) Are closely linked to the program's overall goals; and

(2) Have the purpose of promoting foreign language fluency and knowledge of world regions;

(k) Developing programs designed to integrate professional and technical education with foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields;

(l) Establishing linkages overseas with institutions of higher education and organizations that contribute to the educational programs assisted under this part;

(m) Developing partnerships between—

(1) Institutions of higher education; and

(2) The private sector, government, or elementary and secondary education institutions in order to enhance international knowledge and skills; and

(n) Using innovative technology to increase access to international education programs.

The Secretary may award grants under this part to public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations including scholarly associations, that propose projects that will make an especially significant contribution to strengthening and improving undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages at institutions of higher education.