The Alliance for Language Learning and Educational Exchange was founded to encourage the establishment of high quality Chinese and Japanese language programs at post-secondary institutions in the United States and Canada.

An independent non-profit organization, ALLEX works closely with Cornell University, Ohio State University, and Portland State University, the three preeminent institutions for Asian language pedagogy, through the ALLEX Asian Language Teacher Training Consortium, to implement high quality teacher training programs--the foundation for ALLEX's academic exchanges.

ALLEX is administered by Thomas J. Mason, Jr., Executive Director, and Kazunori Ueno, Chairman, with active support from the ALLEX Chinese and Japanese Teacher Training Boards. The teacher training boards consist of the nation's foremost experts in Chinese and Japanese pedagogy.

The organization has its roots in Exchange:Japan, founded in 1988 by Mr. Akio Terumasa, a visionary in international education and development, and now director of the Minsai International Center. The organization's flagship program, the Intercultural Exchange Program (IEP), allows universities to begin and maintain high quality Chinese and Japanese language programs by providing them with professionally trained teachers.

Since 1988 more than 450 trained teachers have been placed at over 150 U.S. and Canadian institutions.