Christopher Page is the Executive Director of the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET), an organization that regulates and promotes quality standards for student exchange programs in the United States. With a Global MBA and over three decades of experience in international education, Page has dedicated his career to developing safety and well-being practices for exchange students in both J-1 and F-1 programs.
Before joining CSIET in 2011, Page was the Director of Curriculum Technology at Episcopal High School, where he oversaw Spanish immersion programs and educational technology strategies. His extensive experience includes designing evaluation standards and support procedures for international students. Under his leadership, CSIET has strengthened the safety and quality of student exchanges through strategic partnerships with the U.S. Department of State and educational associations across the country.
In the interview with ASEPROCE, Page discusses current topics relevant to exchange programs, including Spain’s popularity as a destination, the capacity of U.S. schools to host students, and CSIET’s efforts to promote mental health and student well-being in these programs.
1. Spain has once again become the number one country in the world in J1 programs, ahead of other countries with larger populations. What do you think is the reason why Spanish parents continue to trust this program?
Spanish parents should continue to trust the J1 program because J1 program organizations are beholden to US Dept. of State regulation (22 CFR Part 62) and CSIET Standard of Excellence. Given the age group (15-18) the safety and welfare of the J-1 students that take part in BridgeUSA programs is of extreme importance. When there are issues, parents can contact the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs emergency hotline (001-866-283-9090) or JVisas@state.gov to get help. Parents can also contact CSIET at 0017037399050 to inquire about an organization’s current certification status. Parents can rest assured that CSIET informs the US Department of State of any complaints relating to the safety and well-being of J-1 high school students.
2. One of the big challenges for the agencies is to deal with the fact that in some cases they may find out at the end of August that it has not been possible to find a school or family for them. Do you think this will improve? We are told that many schools no longer want to receive exchange students or have fewer places. Is this a trend or something circumstantial?
The root of this problem seems to be that some U.S. schools have become more resistant to hosting exchange students in the years after the pandemic. In 2024, CSIET created the CSIET School Outreach Committee to promote the value of student exchange to high schools. We have partnered with our U.S. members, representatives from the Dept. of State, and heads of secondary school associations such as the School Superintendents Association so we can educate schools on the benefits of student exchange. It is our belief that this effort will encourage schools to be more receptive to exchange programs, thereby increasing hosting capacity in the U.S. We are also advocating with the U.S. Department of State through our advocacy arm, the Alliance for International Exchange, for policy that might increase secondary school participation in the J-1 program, including policy.
3. Do you think that the upcoming November elections in the U.S. may affect inbound programs depending on who wins?
It is hard to predict how the demand might change as a result of the election. It is possible that there will be changes in 2024-2025 that result in adverse/beneficial policy that might affect J-1 activity, but there will be a settling in period after the next inauguration. In the event that Harris is elected, we likely won’t see much of a change from current policy. Should Trump be elected, the prevailing wisdom suggests that he could take some action through executive order that might have a residual effect on non-immigrant visas (J and F). However, we just can’t be sure at this point.
What we can say is that the supply-side effort of the CSIET School Outreach Committee is already having an effect on awareness of the program. Our CSIET Model School Practices, which is a document for the promotion of J-1 programs, is being reviewed by the School Superintendents Association for circulation to their members. Whether this outreach results in more capacity remains to be seen. But we are cautiously optimistic about our effort so far.
4. You have lived in our country, and you know our way of life, what is the secret of success for our young people who travel in most cases to a very rural environment so different from ours?
This is a great question! When traveling to another country, it is important not only to consider the cultural differences that one might encounter, but it is also essential to contemplate adjustment to urban vs. rural environments. Students not only need to adjust to another culture based on their previous experience in their own countries, but they also need to be aware of their own experience in cities, towns, or villages. There is a range of geographical and socio-economic considerations that any good exchange program should be able to discuss with prospective, current and former exchange students.
Having lived and run programs at various times in Spain and the U.S. and having grown up and studied in both urban and rural environments, I understand the dynamics…the tug and pull between both worlds and the homesickness and pressure that one may feel when feeling out of one’s element. While there is no secret recipe, I have found that robust screening and orientation, with a special emphasis on finding the right match between students and host families, is critical to success. When programs can manage expectations and facilitate positive communication toward shared goals, the experience is much improved.
5. We know that you are very active with the agencies since you are Executive Director of CSIET, what are your goals for this period?
CSIET increased its outreach to international agencies in 2024. Our goal is to improve communication, all the way from the sending parent to the schools and host families in the U.S. In particular, we feel that we can facilitate positive communications between agencies and U.S. based programs on a range of subjects. An example of this was the CSIET International Symposium, held in Madrid at IE University back in May of 2024. CSIET hopes to be a voice for international agencies and U.S. organization so they can engage more closely with each other to improve the J-1 and F-1 experiences that are so important to so many, including: schools, students, sending/host parents, educational associations, government representatives.
6. In spring you organized a seminar in Madrid on the mental health of students, “Promoting Mental Wellness.” The reality is that most programs are increasingly barring access to students with conditions such as mild ADHD, minor learning difficulties, etc., regardless of whether their condition has been resolved or is completely manageable by the student with very few adaptations to standard program operations. Do you think that in the near future we will be able to evolve so that these students can also travel safely and with all the same guarantees?
This was a big topic of consideration at the symposium in Madrid and it is our intent to continue this dialogue with some of the agencies and U.S. organizations that were there. This is why we will hold a meeting of international agencies and U.S. organizations at CSIET’s 40th Annual Conference in Alexandria VA on October 23-25, 2024. It is our intention to create a body of model practices that agencies and U.S. programs can use when determining acceptance of students who might have mild psychological/learning difficulties. Our goal is to have these practices published and in place by June 30, 2025.
7. What, if any, new objectives does CSIET have for the J1 program going forward? What is the future outlook for the program?
While the numbers of J1 program participants may shift in any given year, our immediate goal is to make sure that J-1 and F-1 exchange experiences are safe and valuable opportunities for high school students. Part of that effort means the CSIET, its members, the US Dept of State and educational associations from across the U.S. will be increasing its education of U.S. schools and host families on the benefits of youth exchange. This is a multi-year effort, and in the first year of the CSIET Strategic Plan, we are already making headway by creating partnerships with educational associations such as AASA, NASSP, GEBG, NAFSA and others. As an extension of the U.S. Department of State’s public diplomacy program, the BridgeUSA program is critical to U.S. public diplomacy. As such, CSIET and its programs are optimistic about the program’s future, and we look forward to working with ASEPROCE and its member agencies in the coming years.
Interview conducted by Pablo Martínez de Velasco Astray, President of ASEPROCE.
