Higher Education
Association of Departments of Foreign Languages
(ADFL)
Written by members of the ADFL executive committee,
this guide to best practices to study abroad is
especially for foreign language department chairs
and deals with the topics of ownership and
collaboration, integrating study abroad into the
home curricula, language proficiency and program
models, transfer credit, financial aid, types of
programs, and selection of locales and of faculty
leaders. The authors also cite the Forum on
Education Abroad (see below)for its standards of
good practice, organizational planning, curriculum
integration, and surveys, among other topics.
California State University (CSU)
This is an executive order published in September
2007 from the Vice Chancellor of the CSU system
spelling out the criteria that each of its campus
study abroad offices must follow when selecting
providers: “Third Party Program Provider Study
Abroad and Administrative Safeguards”
Forum on Education Abroad: Standards of Good
Practice
The Forum was founded in 2001 as the only
organization devoted exclusively to US education
abroad and published “Standards of Good Practice for
Education Abroad” in May 2007. The goal of these
standards is to improve practices in education
abroad so that students’ international educational
experiences are as rich and meaningful as possible.”
These standards are based on a series of questions
on mission, student learning, academic framework,
student preparation, student selection and code of
conduct, health, safety and security, policies and
procedures, and ethics and integrity that are the
basis for self-evaluation by individual
professionals and their institutions.
In addition to the standards on this Web site, there
is information about the Forum’s history, research
and pilot projects, and a toolbox of best practices.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
Nafsa has recently published a set of principles in
a report “Strengthening Study Abroad,
Recommendations for Effective Institutional
Management for Presidents, Senior Administrators,
and Study Abroad Professionals” (January 2008). The
report states that study abroad programs should no
longer be considered an “add-on” to a student’s
college experience and the concern of a small number
of staff members. The report sets out core standards
to guide college officials in institutional
planning, financial resources, and accountability.
In addition, Nafsa has a number of books available
among them “Guidelines for Ethical Practices in
International Student Recruitment”.
Institute of International Education (IIE)
The IIE has been serving the field of international
education since 1919. In addition to administering a
number of study abroad and exchange programs, IIE is
perhaps best known for its research an evaluation
activities. Perhaps its best known publication is
“Open Doors”, an annual report about “the academic
flows” to and from the U.S. published since 1972.
IIE also conducts research and evaluation services
to domestic and international government agencies,
non-governmental agencies and foundations on
international education.
The Center for Global Education
The Center’s mission is to promote international
education and to foster cross cultural awareness.
Although focused on California colleges and
universities, the Center has several resources
online including a compilation of research on study
abroad.
Association of International Education
Administrators (AIEA)
The AIEA is a membership organization composed of
“international leaders engaged in advancing the
international dimensions of high education.” This
organization engages in advocacy of study abroad
program and other forms of internationalization of
colleges campuses.
Secondary Education
The Council on Standards for International
Educational Travel (CSIET)
CSIET is a private, not-for-profit organization
whose mission is to identify reputable international
youth exchange programs, to provide leadership and
support to the exchange and educational communities
so that youth are provided with meaningful and safe
international exchange experiences, and to promote
the importance and educational value of
international youth exchange. CSIET has been
promoting international youth exchanges since 1984.
Its annual publication, the CSIET Advisory List
contains information about programs which have been
evaluated and deemed to meet CSIET's national
standards. Each organization's listing includes:
countries served, brief program descriptions, cost
estimates, financial aid opportunities, and complete
contact information. The Advisory List is annually
distributed to all the high schools in the United
States, and hundreds of parents and youth who are
seeking interesting and reliable travel and exchange
learning opportunities.
The German American Partnership Program (GAPP)
GAPP, founded in 1972, is a non-profit high school
exchange between schools in Germany and the United
States, sponsored by the Goethe-Institut and funded
by the German and US governments as well as private
donations. The heart of the exchange is the
integration of students into the everyday life of
their host families and into the classroom
activities of their host schools.
The materials developed for this program, especially
the exchange guidelines, could serve as models for
other school-to-school student exchanges.
E-mail:
info@languagepolicy.org
