SAN JOSE ACTIVITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL

1. On November 14, Post, in conjunction with Costa
Rica's Binational Center, will host a "Study in the
U.S. Symposium." This event will feature an
introduction to International Education Week and its
importance to the U.S. government by the CAO, a talk by
the Binational Center's Educational Adviser, a
presentation by a Consular Officer on student visas, a
presentation by a visiting representative from a U.S.
university, and a panel of former Costa Rican
participants in the Fulbright Program who will talk
about their experience studying in the U.S. Post will
invite university contacts, university and high school
students, and high school guidance counselors to the
event.



2. On November 15, Post, in conjunction with Costa
Rica's National University, will host a DVC on "Systems
for University Library Resource Sharing" for the public
university library community in Costa Rica. Costa
Rica's public universities are in the nascent stages of
establishing a network to share library resources and
are interested in how this has been done in the U.S.



3. On November 16, Post will hold a reception in
honor of current and former participants in the
Fulbright Program. Newly-arrived Ambassador Langdale
will attend this event and speak on the importance of
educational exchanges, like the Fulbright Program, in
promoting mutual understanding. A visiting U.S.
delegation from the civic education organization
Civitas will also attend the reception. The
delegation will be headed by New Mexicos's Secretary of
State, Ms. Rebecca Vigil-Giron and State Bar of Texas
President, Mr. Eduardo Roberto Rodriguez; a
representative from the group will give remarks about
the work of Civitas in Costa Rica and abroad, and
inform the guests of opportunities for involvement in
its work.



4. The Embassy's support to the Civitas network is
not limited to IEW. It is continuous commitment,
through the work of its Cultural Affairs Assistant,
whose responsibilities include serving as program
coordinator and partnership liaison between the local
NGO and its U.S. partners in New Mexico and Texas. For
the November Civitas visit, Post will provide
transportation for the delegation and support material
for two teacher training workshops scheduled during the
week. The workshops will focus on the civic education
programs developed by the Center for Civic Education.
One will revolve around the four basic concepts of
democracy (responsibility, authority, justice and
privacy) and the other will focus on improving
constitutional understanding and knowledge among high
school students.



5. On November 17, Post will work with Costa Rica's
national university accreditation organization to
sponsor a DVC on "The Effect of Accreditation on U.S.
Universities" for the Costa Rican university
accreditation officials and university officials.
University accreditation in Costa Rica is relatively
new, and accreditation officials are interested in
learning from the U.S. model.

THANKS AND REGARDS,

FRISBIE