Generation Study Abroad

Our commitment

Dear Colleagues,

For over 55 years, EF’s mission has been: Opening the world through education. As a result, EF College Study is excited to continue its commitment to Generation Study Abroad. We are particularly dedicated to highlighting and enhancing the important role played by Faculty-Led Study Abroad in expanding the number and diversity of students studying abroad from US institutions of higher education.

With this letter, we pledge to continue our efforts nationwide to promote the growth of Faculty-Led Study Abroad and to support Generation Study Abroad's commitment partners by undertaking the actions outlined in the call to join the commitment. Specifically, EF will launch the following initiatives in pursuit of our targets and of Generation Study Abroad's goals.

Scholarships
EF College Study has created a scholarship program as one way to make travel more financially accessible. In 2017, our inaugural year, we created the Beyond the Classroom scholarship and awarded $10,000 worth of scholarships for students traveling this year. Each year after, we more than doubled this commitment by offering over $20,000 worth of scholarships. To learn more about the EF College Study scholarship program, click here.

Research
EF College Study will continue to conduct research to document and improve the effects of Faculty-Led Study Abroad in institutions, faculty members, and students. Through conference sessions we lead and email updates, we pledge to share that research with our partner institutions and higher-education professionals in the field of study abroad. Specifically, EF proposes to focus research efforts on understanding:
  • How faculty-led programs can expand access to study abroad among under-represented academic disciplines;
  • Which academic disciplines are increasingly interested in creating faculty-led programs and developing corresponding programs to meet this need; 
  • How participation in faculty-led programs affects professors' effectiveness and impact;
  • The relative benefits of short-term faculty-led programs for students based on their pre-study abroad levels of cultural capital/competence.
Faculty & International Education Professional Training
In order to encourage greater participation and leadership by faculty in short-term study abroad programs, EF will continue to create a series of professional development programs held abroad and co-led by experienced faculty. These programs are designed to inspire professors to envision their subject-matter outside the classroom, encourage networking among educators, and to provide training and support for curriculum integration efforts. A limited number of fully funded placements will be offered for each session.


We look forward to working with the community of global educators to achieve the bold objectives of this commitment!


Sincerely,

Christian Meyer
President
EF College Study