TAMIU Joins IIE Initiative to Double Number of Students Studying Abroad
Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) has joined the Institute of International Education (IIE)’s “Generation Study Abroad” initiative aimed at doubling the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. TAMIU has committed to increasing the number of undergraduate students who study abroad to over 200 participants per year over the next five years.
Generation Study Abroad, celebrating its centennial celebration in 2019, is engaging educators and stakeholders in all sectors to drive meaningful, innovative action to increase the number of U.S. students gaining international experience through academic study abroad programs, as well as internships, service learning and non-credit educational experiences.
TAMIU is among lead partners who have committed to specific, measureable actions to reach an ambitious goal of thousands more American students graduating with the international experience necessary for success in a globalized world.
IIE has committed $2 million of its own funds to this initiative over the next five years, reflective of its nearly 100-year commitment to study abroad. Likewise, TAMIU is committed to increasing students participating in Study Abroad programs and helping them fund their program by providing financial planning workshops and guidance towards scholarship opportunities.
TAMIU president Dr. Ray Keck said that the University takes its international focus and mission seriously and considers TAMIU’s Study Abroad programs a core value.
“We emphasize the importance of global awareness and believe that a Study Abroad experience enhances a student’s global outlook and overall education. It is a core value of our international experience here. Over 100 TAMIU students study abroad in more than 25 countries every year. We offer over 50 programs administered by the University and its Colleges, and in conjunction with organizations such as International Student Exchange Programs, International Studies Abroad, CIS Abroad, American Institute for Foreign Study and other organizations. The majority of TAMIU students who travel abroad receive Study Abroad scholarships, and most apply their financial aid to these programs,” Dr. Keck explained.
TAMIU joins more 150 higher education institutions from 41 U.S. states in the Generation Study Abroad Commitment, including large state and private universities, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, and historically black colleges and universities and other minority serving institutions.
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and several foreign governments, as well as key higher education associations and study abroad provider organizations, have also pledged to support the goals of the initiative.
An IIE report, “Open Doors Report on International and Educational Exchange,” released last November indicates fewer than 10 percent of all U.S. college students’ study abroad at some point in their academic career. The Report noted 295,000 students studied abroad in 2011-12 in credit-bearing and non-credit programs. Generation Study Abroad aims to grow participation in study abroad so that the annual total reported reaches 600,000 by the decade’s end.
With 2.6 million students graduating each year, it is clear that major segments of America’s young people are not getting the international experience they will need to advance their careers and participate in the global economy, or to work together across borders to address global issues.
For more information on TAMIU Study Abroad Programs, contact: Triana Gonzalez, TAMIU associate director for International Engagement, division of Student Success, at triana.gonzalez@tamiu.edu, phone 956.326.2565 or visit offices in the Student Center, Suite 266.
For more information on IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative, and a complete list of commitment partners, go to: www.iie.org/generationstudyabroad
Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu