Thank you to all who have supported the Generation Study Abroad campaign this year. Events of the last month have demonstrated the urgency for more Americans to have a greater understanding of the world and to resist the urge to turn inwards.  We do not know what events 2016 will usher in but we do know that the world is more interconnected today than ever and that by keeping our doors and minds open we can work together to find solutions to our global problems.    

Our work as educators and advocates of cross-cultural awareness and exchange are more important now than ever.  As we approach the end of the year,  the Institute would like to take the opportunity to thank all the individuals who work tirelessly to support students studying abroad: from inspiring and advising students, creating quality programs, providing health and safety, and helping students articulate their experience upon their return. It truly takes a village.

We would also like to dedicate this month’s newsletter to Nohemi Gonzalez, a first generation student at California State University, Long Beach who was eager to explore the world and was killed in the November attacks in Paris. She exemplifies the qualities of a student that the Generation Study Abroad initiative aims to reach. 

Thank you for all that you do to support study abroad.

During International Education Week, the U.S. Department of State launched studyabroad.state.gov, the official website for their new Study Abroad Office. The office’s mission is to increase and diversify U.S. participation in study abroad and to help students identify opportunities that will allow them to successfully compete in the 21st century. The new website will help students and parents navigate the wide range of study abroad possibilities.

IIE invites you to the IIE Best Practices Conference "Lead your Campus to the Top: Best Practices in Internationalizing the Campus" on Friday, March 11, 2016 at the University of California, Davis. Please register early, as registration is limited to space capacity. IIENetwork members receive a registration discount. 

The conference will cover many exciting keynote, plenary, and session themes, and will feature high-level experts, including presidents, provosts, and international education administrators from institutions around the world. In addition, a special awards portion of the conference will honor the winners of the 2016 IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education. We also invite you to attend the optional pre-conference roundtable discussions and a networking reception on March 10.

The 2016 IIE Summit on Generation Study Abroad will bring Commitment Partners and those interested in being part of this growing movement together to explore tools, exchange actions, and experiment with new approaches to further advance our mutual goal of doubling the number of U.S students studying abroad by the end of the decade. The 2016 IIE Summit will include new and innovative sessions to engage in hands-on learning and outside-of-the-box thinking to extend study abroad opportunities to all students. 

 

Reserve your exhibit space now. Contact Jeff Bunkin with IIE’s Media Partner, Naylor to learn more about sponsorship level and exhibitor possibilities.

A core benefit of the Generation Study Abroad network is the opportunity to join the webinar series in order to learn and share best practices with colleagues from both within and outside of the international education field. The New Year brings an incredible line-up of new webinar topics and experts who will share innovative programs, tips, tools and lessons learned to advance your commitments. Please visit the Commitment Partner password protected webpage for a full list of 2016 webinars as well as additional details and registration links. For more information, contact studyabroad@iie.org.

Please save the dates for the following webinars in 2016:

Take a closer look at IIE’s Open Doors Report and learn from data collection experts on how to collect data and utilize the results to help advocate for study abroad. This webinar will also provide an opportunity to discuss the "2016 Generation Study Abroad Progress Report" and "Year One Impact Report." Featured Speakers include IIE’s Christine Farrugia, Ola Mahmoud, and Nikki Davis.

Join us for a live global discussion where you will take away practical information to help you improve your recruitment results in the US. We will touch on everything from planning to follow-up for this unique market. The focus of this webinar is the international partner audience, though all are welcome to participate. Featured Speaker: Megan Brenn-White, The Brenn-White Group.

 

As the official travel provider for the IIE Generation Study Abroad initiative, STA Travel provides exclusive partner benefits to institutions and organizations that join the initiative. One highlight includes a $250 off travel voucher for your first group trip. Call STA at 1-800-925-4777 or email solutions@statravel.com to learn more about partner benefits and all the ways you can work with STA Travel.

It is the mission of the ARAMFO Educational Foundation to enhance intercultural opportunities and to facilitate global education. ARAMFO works alongside study abroad offices to create short-term, faculty-led travel courses by organizing the logistics of the trip based on the professor's preferences and academic requirements. ARAMFO is proud to offer a $10,000 scholarship to study abroad offices that have 50 students participating in ARAMFO's travel programs co-sponsored by their university.

IIE Generation Study Abroad commitment partner StudyPortals conducted a research report that gives in-depth insights into how Higher Education Institutions are using customer relationship management (CRM) systems, which features are available and how CRM systems can help institutions to save time, follow up with interested students, and track the ROI of their marketing activities. 

The Fulbright International Education Administrators Program provides fully funded grants for U.S. higher education administrators to participate in an intensive two-week seminar abroad. This unique group of awards recognizes the roles and contributions administrators have in shaping international higher education. Participants learn about other countries' higher education systems, and they develop new perspectives and insights for improving internationalization opportunities on their campus. 

 

Diversity Abroad will feature both a professional and a student track at the upcoming 2016 conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 3-5. The Global Student Leadership Summit (GSLS), in its second year, brings together returned diverse and under-represented students to focus on the essential skills needed to be successful leaders in a diverse and interconnected society. In addition to sessions designed specifically for students, GSLS participants will also join the professional conference attendees in several networking events and conference-wide plenary sessions.

The U.S. Department of State's Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program would like to invite you to the second webinar in our Gilman Web Symposium Series for the 2015-2016 academic year, "The Multiplier Effect, Gilman Alumni Impact through Follow-on Service Projects." This online forum, moderated by the Gilman Program will bring together Gilman campus advisors and alumni who have successfully worked together to expand awareness of study abroad on their campus. Advisors will discuss the impact of working with study abroad alumni to conduct outreach on campus and the effectiveness of mobilizing study abroad alumni, especially with limited staff. We will also hear from two Gilman Scholarship Alumni who will share their experiences of how they utilized their Gilman Follow-on Service Project as a way to create the "multiplier effect" to encourage others to study abroad on their campus and/or community.