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Salisbury University has been working to expand their study abroad program, giving students new ways to experience and learn from the world by joining the Generation Study Abroad by Institute of International Education (IIE).
Generation Study Abroad is an initiative working to double the number of American students participating in international education by 2019.
“International education is a pillar of an SU educational experience,” said SU Center for International Education Director Brian Stiegler.
According to IIE, less than ten percent of all American college students study abroad at some time in their academic career.
The International and Educational Exchange had 295,000 students study abroad in credit and non-credit programs during the 2011-2012 school year. Generation Study Abroad hopes to bring this number to 600,000 by 2019.
The initiative includes about 240 U.S. colleges, as well as study abroad and educational organizations, governments and partner institutions in Australia, China, Hungary, Italy, Turkey, the United Kingdom and other countries.
“Globalization has changed the way the world works, and employers are increasingly looking for workers who have international skills and expertise,” said IIE President Allan Goodman.
According to IIE, having experience abroad is one of the most important features of this century’s education.
“Globalization is changing the way the world works and employers are increasingly looking for workers who have international skills and experience,” IIE said.
Stiegler agreed how important an abroad experience is to this time period.
“The key is the internationalization of the undergraduate experience,” he said. “All careers, all civic responsibilities, all human experience in the 21st century are affected by the interaction between nations, peoples, languages and cultures. The student who graduates without a personal understanding of the influences of the world on his or her life will be less prepared for success as a citizen, member of the workforce and person. Global competencies have never been more important than they are today.”
While much of the program is focused on college students, Generation Study Abroad is searching out educators at all levels to “encourage purposeful, innovative action to get more Americans to undertake an international experience.”