A program in US High Schools sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Academy of International Studies functions as a "school within a school" and provides students with the skills necessary to be successful in the twenty-first century and will empower all students to be engaged citizens of the world. The Academy will emphasize international studies through an integrated curriculum intertwined with global awareness of current issues. Students will be given the opportunity to develop relationships and experiences with other cultures, societies and people of the contemporary world.