Rely on Established Standards to Expand Education Abroad

August 7, 2014

 

The governments of Brazil and the United States have set goals for more university students to study abroad in each other’s countries. The Brazil Science Mobility Program and the U.S. 100,000 Strong in the Americas, for example, both promote the importance of educational exchange between the two countries. If these exchanges are to be effective and rewarding for students, they must be based on sound practices.

 

As universities and programs in Brazil and the U.S. expand education abroad opportunities, they should be guided by the set of authoritative Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad developed by The Forum on Education Abroad (http://www.forumea.org/standards.cfm). As the standards development organization for education abroad, The Forum sets guidelines for the development, management, assessment and improvement of U.S. education abroad programs, and provides training and resources to help institutions and organizations to meet these Standards.

 

If these exchanges are to be effective and rewarding for students, they must be based on sound practices.

 

U.S. universities and their students have specific expectations and requirements of host universities and programs, and The Forum Standards provide a detailed roadmap for how hosts can best accommodate U.S. students. They cover areas such as curriculum and teaching, student support and housing, reciprocity between institutional partners, and student health, safety, and security.

 

Examples of specific best practices are included, demonstrating how universities and programs are already succeeding in meeting the Standards. Institutions that are new to these efforts can therefore learn from those universities and organizations that are already successful.

 

The effort to expand the numbers of U.S. students studying abroad in Brazil is a key part of the international educational exchange between the two countries. Fortunately, institutions do not need to start from scratch when they plan to expand their programs; they can be guided by Standards and best practices to provide answers.

 

 

 

Brian Whalen of the Forum on Education Abroad