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As part of Forum on Education Abroad’s annual conference, I attended The Forum’s Critical Dialogue on Environmental Sustainability and Education Abroad. Below is a summary of the dialogue topic and my key takeaways.
The Forum’s Critical Dialogues bring together no more than 50 participants and facilitators in an informal setting for facilitated, collegial discussion focusing on issues of concern to the field.
Education abroad professionals strive to increase the number of students who participate in safe, high quality experiences abroad. What does this mean for our impact on the planet? What environmental considerations should we have in place when choosing program partners or designing our own faculty-led programs? What can we do to equip students with the knowledge needed to make good programmatic choices, to understand the power of their actions, and to ignite a lifelong interest in protecting the places that impact them and which they impact?
We also need to look at the impact on the local community (“people” “planet” and “profit” are factors to consider). The session focused primarily on environmental sustainability, but touched on the other facets. How are we impacting the local communities we send students to? How can we make sure we’re doing so in a thoughtful, sustainable (not exploitative) way?
Short-term programs can “pack more of a punch” when it comes to environmental impact. This is due to the long flights required to reach a destination and the tendency of short-term programs to hop around between cities to expose students to as much as possible.
Some examples are using local vendors rather than international hotel chains. Also, ensuring that service projects are actually helping the community. Our VP of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jenn Engel is working on best practice in this arena! Additionally, choosing trains over planes when possible. This may require faculty leaders to be a bit more flexible with their itineraries. In the end though, it’s our responsibility to ensure that we are developing programs that are both aligned with academic goals and have a positive impact on the local and global community.
At the end of the day, we may need to recognize that some student mobility is NOT sustainable. We have to look for ways to help create global experiences for students without flying around the globe. The challenge is figuring out how to measure which programs are “worth it” and how to advocate for the value of international travel while also not dismissing the very real environmental impact it has. How do you measure the positive impact a student going abroad has (hard to quantify) against the environmental impact (easier to quantify the carbon cost of their travel)?
COVID-19 is accelerating the need for this conversation, and also humbling us to the reality that we will not be able to send every student, everywhere, forever. And further – as individuals, organizations, etc. that make their livelihood from international education, we should be looking to see how we fit into this “new world.”
In the end, I left with lots of questions and fewer answers, but that’s the point, right? We have quite a bit of work to do to identify, articulate, and support best practices in the realm of sustainable international study and travel. With COVID-19 likely to impact travel for the foreseeable future, we need to consider how we as education abroad professionals can continue developing globally-minded citizens in a time where international travel may be limited.
Finally, we also need to recognize that this is not just a short-term challenge, a phase that we pass through to return to “normal.” Once this pandemic passes (and it will!), we need to be prepared to take a critical look at what programs we are running, and which ones support a sustainable future. At CIS Abroad, we are engaging in these discussions internally, and look forward to continuing the conversation with you, our partners, too!
I’d love to connect with you about environmental sustainability. My team is ready to design the program that helps meet your institutional or academic goals. CIS Abroad guarantees consistency in communication, logistical expertise, 24/7 onsite support, diligent planning, and professional execution. Get started here.
While studying in Tokyo for a semester, I aimed to live by the quote: "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Because of that, I have gotten to experience incredibly fascinating things and meet amazing people. Tokyo almost feels like a second home to me now. I am immensely thankful for the opportunity to have experienced the beauty of Japan and its rich culture.
Based on personal experience from my home university, Australia does not tend to be a popular destination for study abroad, likely due to its distance. However, I am extremely grateful I made the decision to come here. The geographical diversity, numerous cultural representations, and major cities so close to nature make Australia a truly unique and unforgettable country. Spending three and a half months here will be an experience I treasure for the rest of my life.
CIS provided a brilliant network of people so I never felt alone, and everyday was a new adventure. I got to explore a place completely different from anything I could have imagined. It was challenging navigating a new culture, a language I didn't know completely, and a new environment, but that was the beauty of it all. No one goes abroad searching for comfort, but you learn that comfort can be found anywhere, if you know how to look.
Studying abroad has allowed me to grow as a person. I have conquered fears, experienced new things, tried new foods, and met wonderful people who helped make my experience unforgettable. I am more confident in myself and the person that I want to be in the future.
Studying abroad in London has been an experience I will never forget. Living in a new country is something I think everyone should experience in their life. I've made so many new life long friendships I never would have unless I came here. I've also grown so much as a person and become more independent. The CIS team has been so supportive during the whole process. From applying to my program to arriving on campus in London. My site directors have been so helpful and supportive answering any questions I have. The social program activities were amazing and helped me see a different side of London than I would have without it. I will never forget this experience; it really has changed me for the better.
Studying abroad changed my life in all of the best ways and CIS Abroad made it all happen!! Through CIS, I was able to make my first friends and integrate into the culture way easier than I would have on my own.
My time abroad has been the most eye opening journey and I’m a more independent person because of it. I’m so grateful for all the experiences, friends, and memories I’ve made along the way!
Unlike many people on this trip who come with the intention of being a tourist, I feel like I had a different goal. I wanted to rediscover my culture and where I belonged. Being a hafu living in America and not fluent in Japanese, I was never really able to get in touch with my Japanese heritage. This trip completely changed that and I now have a goal of one day living in Japan for the rest of my life.
The CIS program was truly a one of a kind experience. I was able to meet many students from all across America, attend several events (such as food tours or a trip to Kyoto), and make many friends. I would not trade it for anything. I am thankful I decided to study with CIS Abroad. Before this, I was thinking about just plowing through my degree, getting my master's and PhD, and immediately entering society. However, this experience changed my life. Through meeting many people from many places, and living in a new area for an extended period of time, my view of my own philosophies, culture and place of living, changed. This would not have happened if I stayed in the States. I would say if you are able to go, you should go. There is no time like the present.
Studying abroad in Japan was lifechanging! Embracing a rich culture, forging international friendships, and gaining valuable insights broadened my perspective, fostering personal growth and unforgettable memories.
I knew I wanted to study abroad, particularly in Japan, because it was on my bucket list. Thanks to CIS, I was able to go to Tokyo! Even now, it is surreal to me that I got to go! I can't put it into words how much fun I had in Tokyo. I enjoyed every second of my time there, from walking around the bustling streets of Shibuya and Shinjuku, to going to class, eating delicious Japanese cuisine, and even going to the convenience store. Even the simplest things were incredibly fun to me. I was initially anxious about being homesick, my Japanese skills and traveling alone, but I'm happy to say that I very quickly made lovely, lifelong friends and was met with nothing but kindness from the locals. I learned not to let my worries get in the way of an opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you, CIS Abroad. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity I had to go to Tokyo.
During my time in Costa Rica, I took Intermediate Conversation and Cultural Photography at Veritas University. I really enjoyed how relaxed the classes were and how the teachers taught us not only Spanish, but also culture and day-to-day life. I was also involved in the biology lab here (BIOMOL) and had fun doing some lab work every week. I got to explore multiple places with my program, such as Manuel Antonio, Curubandé, and Jaco. I went surfing for the first time and got to hike some amazing trails. I highly recommend traveling to Costa Rica for study abroad; it is a beautiful country with beautiful people and memories to make!
I took Spanish for Healthcare Professionals and Conflict Resolution & Healthcare at Universidad Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica. I really enjoyed how interactive my elective class was; the students often led the class by doing presentations on various topics. We also had a field trip to the local school. My favorite part of the study abroad experience was all the weekend trips. It was awesome to see so many different places in the country. My favorite trip was to Tamarindo and Curubande where I got to take a surf lesson and hike to waterfalls.
This past month I spent my time studying abroad in Sorrento, Italy with CIS Abroad. The opportunity of being able to study in Italy was a dream come true! From my peers in the program to Frankie and Kayla, everyone has been so open and welcoming. CIS has done any amazing job making sure I felt prepared for my travels and was available to answer my many questions. Without CIS, this opportunity would have seemed like a dream, but they helped me turn it into a reality. I have met some amazing friends and grown into a better person during my time in Sorrento!
I’ve always wanted to study abroad, even though I was initially very nervous since I had never been over seas before. But even my imagination could never have dreamed of the amazing things I got to see and experience while abroad. I didn’t get to just see all these new places but studying abroad allowed me to have the time to fully submerge myself into so many different cultures. I’ll never forget my time over here and I will forever be grateful I was able to experience studying abroad!