Laureate Education and International Youth Foundation Announce YouthActionNet® Program Commitment at The Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting

NEW YORK and BALTIMORE, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Laureate Education, in partnership with the International Youth Foundation (IYF), announced a Commitment to Action at today's Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting. Through its commitment to the YouthActionNet® Program for Young Social Entrepreneurs, Laureate will fully support the YouthActionNet® global program, launch nine new YouthActionNet® national institutes, and provide enhanced support to four existing YouthActionNet® national institutes.

YouthActionNet® is an initiative of IYF, a global nonprofit organization supporting youth development programs in 70 countries. YouthActionNet® supports social entrepreneurs who are working to develop innovative solutions to urgent local community challenges.

Laureate has partnered with IYF to offer the YouthActionNet® program at four Laureate International Universities network institutions in Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Turkey. With this new commitment, Laureate-supported programs will reach 500 new social entrepreneurs, 600,000 new program beneficiaries and 10,000 youth leaders through an expanded online platform during the 2011 to 2014 commitment period. The Laureate/IYF YouthActionNet® Program for Young Social Entrepreneurs will support youth-led innovations through leadership development and skill-building, as well as by providing access to professional networks, coaching and mentoring, financial resources and advocacy opportunities.

"I am pleased that Laureate International Universities and the International Youth Foundation have partnered on this commitment to empower young social entrepreneurs to take on pressing challenges in their own communities and around the world," said President Bill Clinton, who also serves as Honorary Chancellor of the Laureate International Universities network. "This commitment embodies the true mission of CGI to bring together partners and deliver measurable results. To date, more than 1,946 CGI commitments have been made, which have improved nearly 300 million lives worldwide."

"This commitment recognizes and supports the impact young people are making in communities around the world. More young people are motivated to make a difference at a greater scale and with deeper impact than ever before," said Douglas L. Becker, chairman of Laureate Education and chairman of the board of IYF. "These young people are mobilizing their peers and members of their communities to take a stand on issues they care about. We are committed to encouraging and enhancing the potential of these young leaders."

"Young social entrepreneurs are leading change in their communities," said William Reese, president and chief executive officer of IYF. "Their numbers are growing as are their contributions to addressing a host of development issues, ranging from HIV/AIDS to child trafficking, from environmental destruction to civic apathy. This commitment will provide the resources these young leaders and their organizations need to effect positive social change in their communities."

The Laureate/IYF YouthActionNet® Program for Young Social Entrepreneurs Commitment to Action was announced before the CGI community of world leaders from government, business and the nonprofit sector.

About Laureate Education, Inc.

Laureate Education, Inc. is a trusted global leader in providing access to high quality, innovative institutions of higher education. The Laureate International Universities network of more than 50 accredited campus-based and online universities offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs to 600,000 students around the world. Our students are part of an international, academic community that spans 24 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Northern Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Laureate International Universities offer more than 130 career-focused, undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs in fields including architecture, art, business, culinary arts, design, education, engineering, health sciences, hospitality, information technology, law and medicine. For more information, visit www.laureate.net.

About the International Youth Foundation

The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people.  Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil society organizations committed to empowering youth to be healthy, productive and engaged citizens. IYF programs are catalysts for change that help young people obtain a quality education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices and improve their communities. To learn more, visit www.iyfnet.org.

About CGI

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations, and prominent members of the media. These CGI members have made more than 1,700 commitments valued at $57 billion, which have already improved the lives of 220 million people in more than 170 countries. To learn more, visit www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.

SOURCE Laureate Education, Inc.