Federal Award Supports Language Training and Area Studies at GW

The Elliott School of International Affairs’ Sigur Center for Asian Studies, the GW Institute for Korean Studies (GWIKS) and the Institute for Middle East Studies (IMES) have been awarded approximately $3 million in grant funding under the U.S. Department of Education’s prestigious Title VI program over the four-year life of the grant.

The Sigur Center and Institute of Korean Studies together received the highly regarded designation of National Resource Center (NRC) for Asian Studies. The designation - the first time these two centers have received NRC status - enhances the institutes’ ability to engage the broader public community, including students, K-12 educators, HBCUs, policymakers, military veterans, journalists and the general public on regional and global issues of importance. With this award, GW joins a handful of other world-leading universities, including Stanford, Columbia and the University of Chicago, which have likewise been recognized with this honor.

“The recognition of our programmatic excellence significantly enhances our reputation and funding resources. It demonstrates the scholarly excellence and will increase public outreach which have long been hallmarks of the Center’s collective intellectual life,” Sigur Center Director Ben Hopkins said.

Additionally, the Sigur Center, GWIKS and IMES have been awarded over 90 Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships which support undergraduate and graduate students studying modern foreign languages and related area or international studies. The awards will provide fellowships to 24 GW students in the first year.

"The Elliott School is a place where learning and leadership come together,” said Reuben E. Brigety, II, dean of the Elliott School. “These awards reflect the serious commitment we have made to enhance our regional area studies and foreign language acquisition. The Title VI grants underscore the importance and relevance of research at GW. Our 12 dynamic research institutes provide faculty and students with unprecedented opportunities to learn, collaborate and engage in research at a critical time of increasing global challenges.”