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IFE Mission

The Institute for Education's (IFE) mission is to recognize, encourage, and promote civility and leadership locally, nationally, and in the world community. IFE also encourages youth global citizenship with programs that foster intercultural understanding.

IFE convenes political, business, media, and community leaders at the highest levels to encourage collaboration and foster civility. IFE's success in establishing common ground presents opportunities for leaders to share knowledge and explore innovative solutions to the most critical challenges of our time, while also helping to strengthen public policy outcomes and encourage greater global understanding.


Retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and Founder IFE, Kathy Kemper

IFE INFO Public Policy Roundtable

For 20 years, INFO has hosted Supreme Court Justices, Members of Congress, Nobel Laureates, Pulitzer Prize Winners, Ambassadors, Cabinet Secretaries, Governors, and Mayors to discuss the world’s most important public policy issues.

Discover China

IFE is proud to announce the launch of Discover China, an exciting initiative that offers journalists, policymakers, and businesspeople the opportunity to learn about China up-close and first-hand. Through this program, opinion leaders will be able to travel to China for a ten-day trip and establish direct links with the people, institutions, and culture of a fast-growing and dynamic nation.

An initiative like Discover China could not come at a more crucial juncture in Sino-American relations. Writing in Foreign Affairs, Secretary Hillary Clinton affirmed that “Our [America’s] relationship with China will be the most important bilateral relationship in the world in this century.” Based on shared interests, a strong U.S.-China partnership is the cornerstone of any credible effort to address pressing global problems, from financial upheaval to climate change.

Reflecting IFE’s broader goals, Discover China’s mission is to strengthen the U.S.-China partnership through exchanges that build mutual understanding and trust at every level of discourse. Engaging opinion leaders—individuals whose expertise and institutional access make their views highly influential—is critical because their work has a significant impact on policy discussions and decision-making related to China.

Through Discover China, leading voices in the American political and business communities will have the opportunity to see what China is like today. They will be able to participate in joint travel, activities, and excursions, but will also receive support from IFE for building their own itineraries and pursuing particular areas of interest during the trip.

Working closely with the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs and the China-U.S. Exchange Foundation, IFE is organizing Discover China’s inaugural trip, scheduled to begin on Labor Day weekend this year. Please contact Program Director Zaahira Wyne at ZaahiraW@instituteforeducation.org or (202) 887-0987 to inquire about Discover China and to receive more detailed information about the program.

Civility: The Politics of Common Ground

When politics is a clash between personalities, the country loses. When politics is a battle between competing ideas, the country wins. That's why IFE launched a program called Civility: The Politics of Common Ground. The program creates a forum in which to build relationships across party lines and across international divides, to restore civility and change the tone of discourse in American politics. Some of our work occurs behind-the-scenes and includes the assistance of professional facilitators to ensure the greatest level of success. Each year, IFE proudly recognizes notable individuals for their commitment to the spirit of civility in political life.

IFE Leadership Program

IFE facilitates forums for regional, national, and world leaders to encourage strategic thinking and innovative solutions to shared problems. Coach Kemper was recently honored at a dinner hosted by Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong of China for her friendship and work through IFE to promote better understanding between China and the US. IFE also celebrates individual contributions to the quality of life in our community by presenting an annual award to deserving individuals.

Youth Global Citizenship

IFE's commitment to leadership also extends to the next generation. IFE is a co-founder of the Center for International Education at Washington International School. We design and sponsor programs that educate for global citizenship and intercultural understanding so that youth are prepared for the global economy. Students from public and private schools in the greater Washington, DC area are encouraged to address critical global, social, and environmental issues, while teachers receive help to integrate a greater international focus into their curricula.

LearnServes in Egypt, China, Zambia, Paraguay, and Japan

Immersion programs for high school teams of students and teachers who travel to developing regions of the world each year to study global issues and successful models for sustainable change. In 2007, teams traveled to China, Paraguay, and Zambia. In 2008, a special LearnBusiness Japan will include an economic focus. Teacher-student teams return to their schools to report on lessons learned and encourage an expanded international curriculum so all students can become more internationally aware and responsive.

IFE Kids for Math and Science

This program assists economically disadvantaged children from public schools in math and science through customized computer-based coaching. This endeavor reflects IFE’s dedication to educating students for world citizenship and competition in the global market place.

The Institute for Education is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization qualified to receive tax-deductible contributions from corporations, foundations, and individuals pursuant to Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

Coach Kathy Kemper, IFE Founder and CEO

Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, with Illie Nastase at the Celebrity Tennis Round Robin.

Morton M. Kondracke, Roll Call Executive Editor