National Security Education Program
Encyclopedia
The National Security Education Program (NSEP) is a U.S. federal government
initiative in which U.S. citizens
are given funding and training in critical languages
(strategic languages) "to serve the needs of U.S. national security
and national competitiveness." Some funding comes in exchange for a commitment to U.S. federal government service upon completion of academic study. NSEP is aimed at building a wider pool of Americans with foreign language
and international skills by involving participants in "innovative, intensive, and long-term programs designed to provide meaningful opportunities to gain significant competencies in these languages
and cultures
." Selected through an annual nationwide competition, Boren awards are consistently listed as being among the most prestigious academic awards in the United States.
NSEP was established by the National Security Education Act. It is managed by the National Security Education Board (NSEB), which meets once a year "to review and make recommendations based on program mission and objectives." The board is chaired by the Secretary of Defense
, who has delegated responsibility to the Deputy Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
(OSD/P&R) provides policy oversight to NSEP. The NSEB is assisted by the NSEP Group of Advisors, "who provide more detailed review of program performance and administration." The NSEP Office (NSEPO) is located in Arlington, Virginia.
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
initiative in which U.S. citizens
United States nationality law
Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...
are given funding and training in critical languages
Critical languages
There are certain foreign languages in some countries that are considered to be critical from the security point of view. The classification and listing of critical languages is different from country to country depending, besides Language and National Security, upon several factors....
(strategic languages) "to serve the needs of U.S. national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
and national competitiveness." Some funding comes in exchange for a commitment to U.S. federal government service upon completion of academic study. NSEP is aimed at building a wider pool of Americans with foreign language
Foreign language
A foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her...
and international skills by involving participants in "innovative, intensive, and long-term programs designed to provide meaningful opportunities to gain significant competencies in these languages
Linguistic competence
Linguistic competence is the system of linguistic knowledge possessed by native speakers of a language, it is in contrast to the concept of Linguistic performance, the way the language system is used in communication...
and cultures
Cultural competence
Cultural competence refers to an ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures, particularly in the context of human resources, non-profit organizations, and government agencies whose employees work with persons from different cultural/ethnic backgrounds.Cultural competence...
." Selected through an annual nationwide competition, Boren awards are consistently listed as being among the most prestigious academic awards in the United States.
NSEP was established by the National Security Education Act. It is managed by the National Security Education Board (NSEB), which meets once a year "to review and make recommendations based on program mission and objectives." The board is chaired by the Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
, who has delegated responsibility to the Deputy Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness
The Under Secretary for Personnel and Readiness, or USD is a high-ranking civilian position in the Office of the Secretary of Defense within the United States Department of Defense responsible for advising the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on recruitment, career development, pay and...
(OSD/P&R) provides policy oversight to NSEP. The NSEB is assisted by the NSEP Group of Advisors, "who provide more detailed review of program performance and administration." The NSEP Office (NSEPO) is located in Arlington, Virginia.
Initiatives
NSEP has five initiatives:| Name | Description | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| David L. Boren Scholarships | "Up to $20,000, 1 academic year" | "Each Boren Scholar undergraduate Undergraduate education Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is... goes abroad to a critical country to study its language and culture. Awards are for up to one academic year. Boren Scholars demonstrate their merit for an award of up to $20,000 in part by committing to work for the U.S. Government for at least 1 year." |
| David L. Boren Fellowships | "Up to $30,000, 2 academic years" | Boren Fellowships help graduate students Postgraduate education Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education... develop independent overseas projects that combine language and culture study with professional practical experiences. Awards for up to $30,000 over 2 years are given along with a commitment to U.S. Government service for at least 1 year. |
| The Language Flagship | "Creating global professionals" | "Flagship institutions in the U.S. and overseas offer advanced language education in the study of critical languages to bring undergraduate and graduate students to professional-level proficiency. Student support is available through Flagship institutions or competitive Flagship Fellowships, which require a commitment to Federal service." |
| English for Heritage Language Speakers | "720 hours of intensive instruction in English" | "The EHLS focuses on intense classroom instruction, interaction with government and private business experts, and development of projects that prepare them for positions in the Federal Government." |
| National Language Service Corps National Language Service Corps The National Language Service Corps is a nonprofit civilian organization administererd by the U.S. federal government. The mission of the NLSC is to recruit a readily-available pool of individuals who have expertise in languages that are important to the security and welfare of the nation... (NLSC) |
"Three year effort to develop the Corps" | "NLSC represents a major opportunity for many Americans with language skills to serve the nation. The pilot Corps will include no fewer than 1,000 members drawn from all sectors of the U.S. population. Members will have the opportunity to join a dedicated pool or a national pool of linguists." The program began recruiting in January 2008. |