International education provides all qualified students, graduate and undergraduate, with the opportunity to participate and succeed in a study abroad experience. One method to meet the needs of a diverse group of students is through a rich array of short-term study abroad programs. These are defined as a 2- to 6-week, faculty-led program. They are designed for students who cannot get away for a semester.

In our newly established Office of International Programs (OIP), we have standardized policies and procedures for short-term study abroad programs. This will ensure that the programs meet the highest standards of academic rigor and appropriate student support and safety. As we are especially interested in enriching our students’ experience, we encourage the development of programs that introduce students to faculties and students of diverse backgrounds rather than those that simply transplant our own programs, faculty, and students to other locations.

How do students benefit from this experience?

Research has shown that travel outside one’s country has the potential to change dramatically the way one views the world. Study abroad can bring about a broader understanding of human and natural diversity and can help students become “global citizens”. In the words of educational scholar James Banks, “multiculturalism is ultimately a way of thinking. It’s thinking about concepts from different people’s vantage points. It’s recognizing other perspectives, but it’s more than recognition. It’s caring, and taking action to make our society more than just human.”

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