Building the capacity of United States junior or community colleges and United States postsecondary vocational institutions to expand study abroad programming

(a) Capacity building program To strengthen educational grant opportunities for eligible institutions and expand educational exchanges with these institutions, there is established in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the Department of State a capacity building program to increase the capacity of eligible institutions to create and expand study abroad programs for their scholars through small-grant and in-person and virtual study abroad capacity building activities. This program should seek to prepare scholars to contribute to the fields critical to United States national and economic security. (b) Small-Grant and in-Person and virtual study abroad capacity building activities The Secretary of State is authorized to award grants, provide technical assistance, and develop resources for the program outlined in subsection (a) to— (1) increase the number of eligible institution students participating in study abroad programs; (2) provide training for faculty and staff at eligible institutions to design, implement, and sustain study abroad programs; (3) create and disseminate toolkits, curriculum guides, and program templates for eligible institutions seeking to launch or expand study abroad offerings; (4) fund faculty and staff training workshops on best practices for developing, managing, and sustaining study abroad programs; (5) support the development of study abroad programs aligned with workforce needs to STEM, technical, and vocational fields; (6) pilot hybrid exchange models that combine virtual and short-term in-person components to make study abroad more flexible and accessible for students at eligible institutions; (7) develop outreach and advising resources for underrepresented student populations to increase their participation in study-abroad programs; and (8) other activities the Secretary of State determines are necessary to strengthen the capacity of eligible institutions to create or expand their ability to administer study abroad programs.