The Forum on Education Abroad

The Forum on Education Abroad
Name	The Forum on Education Abroad
Formation	2001
Type	Nonprofit association
Headquarters	Boston, Massachusetts
Region served	International
Leader title	President

The Forum on Education Abroad is a U.S.-based nonprofit association focused on advancing quality and accountability in study abroad and international learning programs. It convenes higher education administrators, program providers, policy makers, and accrediting bodies to develop standards, best practices, and professional development initiatives. The organization engages with universities, colleges, consortia, government agencies, and nonprofit partners to influence policy, research, and practice in global learning.

History

Founded in 2001 amid growing global student mobility, the organization emerged during a period marked by initiatives at Institute of International Education, debates following the September 11 attacks, and programmatic expansion at institutions such as Harvard University and University of California, Los Angeles. Early leadership included administrators with backgrounds at Council on International Educational Exchange, Fulbright Program, and the American Council on Education. The Forum developed its first set of guidelines informed by work at University of Minnesota, New York University, and Georgetown University and engaged with international partners like British Council, Erasmus Programme, and DAAD. Throughout the 2000s it partnered with research entities such as Migration Policy Institute and Institute for International Education while responding to regulatory concerns from agencies including the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education. Staff and volunteers included professionals from Columbia University, Indiana University Bloomington, University of Michigan, Boston University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University. The Forum’s timeline intersects with major events such as the expansion of the European Union and the growth of programs in regions represented by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, African Union, and Organization of American States.

Mission and Activities

The Forum’s mission emphasizes quality assurance, risk management, and student learning outcomes for international programs at institutions like Princeton University, Yale University, Duke University, University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University. It conducts conferences attended by professionals from University of California, Berkeley, Cornell University, University of Texas at Austin, Michigan State University, and Boston College. Collaborative activities include research partnerships with RAND Corporation, Pew Research Center, and AAC&U (the Association of American Colleges and Universities). It also engages with governmental and multilateral bodies such as UNESCO, World Bank, and OECD to situate program standards within broader international frameworks. The Forum organizes workshops drawing participants from Syracuse University, George Washington University, Tufts University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Rutgers University.

Standards and Accreditation

The Forum developed the first discipline-specific set of standards for quality assurance in off-campus study, informed by practices at Council for Higher Education Accreditation, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, and WASC. Standards were shaped by input from campus leaders at University of California, San Diego, Ohio State University, Penn State University, University of Virginia, and Vanderbilt University. The organization’s framework interfaces with accreditation agencies including New England Commission of Higher Education, Higher Learning Commission, and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It has been cited in policy analyses alongside entities such as National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Programs and Services

Programs include professional development, peer-review workshops, and annual meetings that attract staff from Miami University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Arizona State University, University of Florida, and University of Washington. Services extend to risk management tools used by providers like IES Abroad, API (Academic Programs International), CIEE, SIT Study Abroad, and AIFS. The Forum provides resources that complement curricular initiatives at liberal arts colleges such as Williams College, Amherst College, Swarthmore College, and Wesleyan University. It supports research outputs used by think tanks such as Brookings Institution, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and Council on Foreign Relations. Training modules have been attended by professionals from National University of Singapore, Peking University, University of Cape Town, University of Melbourne, and University of Tokyo.

Governance and Membership

Governance is overseen by a board comprising representatives from higher education and provider organizations including members from University of Notre Dame, Bryn Mawr College, Bates College, Hampshire College, and Macalester College. Membership spans institutions and organizations such as Council on International Educational Exchange, Fulbright Program, British Council USA, Open Doors, and international study centers like CEA Study Abroad. Institutional members have included Yale University, Columbia University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Trinity College Dublin, and King’s College London. The Forum collaborates with regional consortia including Northeast Association of Colleges and Employers, Asia-Pacific Association for International Education, and European Association for International Education.

Impact and Criticism

The Forum’s standards influenced campus policies at Brown University, Northwestern University, University of Southern California, Emory University, and Rice University and have been referenced in scholarship published by Journal of Studies in International Education, International Journal of Intercultural Relations, and Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad. Critics from some program providers and faculty governance bodies at institutions such as University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Michigan State University have argued about centralization of oversight and costs, echoing debates seen in discussions involving American Federation of Teachers and AAUP (American Association of University Professors). Others have called for greater inclusion of perspectives from institutions like Historically Black Colleges and Universities (including Howard University, Spelman College, Morehouse College), tribal colleges such as Sinte Gleska University, and regional actors in Latin America like Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Universidade de São Paulo. The Forum continues to adapt in response to critiques while maintaining partnerships with policymakers at U.S. Department of State and international bodies including UNESCO and World Health Organization.

Category:International education organizations