From a podcast interview with Cheryl Matherly, Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs at Lehigh University

From a podcast interview with Cheryl Matherly, Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs at Lehigh University

Higher education is creeping closer to the edge of the enrollment cliff. With the number of incoming college freshmen expected to peak in 2025 and 2026, and drop off in the years following, institutions are preparing for lingering budget impacts including limited funding allocated to study abroad or downsizing study abroad offerings. While a widespread issue, the enrollment cliff will likely disproportionately affect small liberal arts colleges that have fewer opportunities to offset

From a podcast interview with Mary Stegmaier, Senior International Officer at the University of Missouri.

From a podcast interview with Mary Stegmaier, Senior International Officer at the University of Missouri.

From a podcast interview with Mary Stegmaier, Senior International Officer at the University of Missouri.

From a podcast interview with Jon Stauff, a seasoned higher education professional with extensive international education experience and a Ph.D. in modern European history.

From a podcast interview with Jon Stauff, a seasoned higher education professional with extensive international education experience and a Ph.D. in modern European history.

From a podcast interview with Jon Stauff, a seasoned higher education professional with extensive international education experience and a Ph.D. in modern European history.

From a podcast interview with Grant Chapman, an experienced global engagement and international education professional with over 30 years of experience. Grant is a Fulbright Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa member.

From a podcast interview with Grant Chapman, an experienced global engagement and international education professional with over 30 years of experience. Grant is a Fulbright Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa member.

From a podcast interview with Grant Chapman, an experienced global engagement and international education professional with over 30 years of experience. Grant is a Fulbright Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa member.

From a podcast interview with Meredith McQuaid, an International Education Consultant & Strategic Advisor with over 15 years of SIO experience.

From a podcast interview with Meredith McQuaid, an International Education Consultant & Strategic Advisor with over 15 years of SIO experience.

From a podcast interview with Meredith McQuaid, an International Education Consultant & Strategic Advisor with over 15 years of SIO experience.

In the fast-paced world of global education, it can be difficult to grab the attention of students when their lives seem to operate at the speed of light. And it’s no surprise; as hectic of schedules as they have, yours probably looks quite similar. So it begs the question: as institutions continue to put greater focus on global education, how will leaders enhance the student journey for both incoming and outgoing students?

While National College Decision Day was on May 1, high school seniors begin researching their top colleges and universities months and even years earlier, considering various factors in their searches like cost, location, academic programs and campus life. But one prominent factor that I believe institutions’ business officers need to be more aware of is study abroad programs. Students know the value of participating in a study abroad program academically, culturally and profess

As we wrapped up 2020, we thought for sure that 2021 might bring us a reprieve from pandemic learning. Well, it did–but it also didn’t. Virtual and hybrid learning continued into the spring, but campuses gradually welcomed students back for in-person and hybrid learning.  Many silver linings emerged, and flexible online lea

Continuing its streak of industry accolades, Terra Dotta, a leading global engagement education technology provider, today announced its global engagement platform has been named a platinum winner of Campus Technology’s 2021 New Product Award for Global Engagement, International Education and/or Study Abroad Solutions. Today’s shifting global dynamics demand a connected approach to delivering international education at scale – one that offers comprehensive duty of ca

In March 2020, as students were forced to quickly return home from their study abroad programs, Syracuse University had just deployed AlertTraveler, Terra Dotta’s traveler safety and security solution that sends students abroad real-time alerts about emergencies on the ground and enables staff to quickly verify their safety and communicate with them. While they weren’t able to immediately use the solution at scale for hun

It’s no secret that international and experiential learning opportunities often translate into long-term career skills, thoughtful perspectives and overall value for students post-graduation. However, when global engagement is established as a guiding force coming from top leadership, institutions have the potential to deliver transformative global educational impacts at scale to more students than ever before. This is exactly how Elo

As international mobility continues to ramp back up to pre-pandemic levels, international educators are stepping up to provide accessible and equitable global engagement opportunities for all students. Wake Forest University recently launched an unprecedented initiative to address diversity, equity and inclusion gaps in its campus-wide study abroad programs. Previously there was no way to centrally track which students—including under

Salvador, Bahia, @jescudero.photographs This blog was written in collaboration with Dr. Javier Escudero, former faculty member at Penn State and current Director of Brazil Cultural. Brazil Cultural, co-founded by Patricia Burgos and Dr. Javier Escudero, offers education and travel abroad programs in South America, the Iberian Peninsula, and Northern Africa. A full year has passed since COVID-19 swept the world and all travel was stopped in its tracks. Brazil Cu

With higher education students, faculty and staff returning to travel, Terra Dotta, a leader in global education engagement solutions, today announced it has partnered with Security Exchange, a specialized, global security company based in the UK, to deliver enhanced security alerts to administrators and travelers. As part of Terra Dotta’s expanding duty of care offerings and risk management

Terra Dotta, a leading global engagement education technology provider, has been selected as a finalist for the NC TECH Awards Industry Driven EdTech award. The NC Tech Awards is North Carolina's only statewide technology awards program that recognizes innovation, growth and leadership in the tech sector and is presented by the NC TECH (North Carolina Technology Association).

Helping higher education institutions empower the next generation of global leaders, Terra Dotta today introduced its new global engagement platform. Developing a unified global education experience by connecting all aspects of international programming and supporting campus services, the platform will facilitate cross-cultural learning experiences at scale for students, faculty and staff &n

As the return to campus for Fall ‘21 nears, many universities are still operating with precautionary measures, particularly when it comes to approving international travel. Some are allowing student travel to level three countries, whereas others are approving travel on a petition basis. Despite the differences between international travel approval, one thing remains: international mobility is not in full swing just yet. And even as international travel picks up in volume, it&rs

Until a few years ago, University of Maryland, Baltimore County’s global education team relied on entirely paper processes to log, manage and update student information. This approach meant staff couldn’t focus on the most important work for global education teams: cultivating relationships with students and developing new programs and opportunities that met the needs of the university community. It was time for UMBC to join the digital age, and that’s exactly what h

The following guest post offers the perspective of Elisabet Raquel García, a recent college graduate from a historically underserved background on a mission to serve those from a similar background. While international travel may not be back in full swing just yet, many Study Abroad offices are preparing for the return to travel and opening up applications for future study abroad terms. As students enter the application process, international educators must make sure they hav

As we move into a post-pandemic world, some may be ready to log off Zoom forever. But digital exchanges aren’t simply a replacement when international travel isn’t possible, said virtual exchange experts during a recent Terra Dotta webinar. They are an opportunity to provide international experiences to a broader range of students and help them develop necessary skills for the 21st

At times during this pandemic, it felt like we were witnessing the end of international education opportunities for students and scholars on a global scale. But every cloud has a silver lining. Adapting to a new reality of travel bans and lockdowns, institutions have transformed programs and adopted technology in ways that have made international education more diverse, accessible, and inclusive than ever before. In March 2020, global travel came to a standstill. Institutions had to s

Global engagement is experiencing a renaissance on college campuses. While only 

Syracuse University had just deployed AlertTraveler, Terra Dotta’s traveler safety and security solution, when the pandemic hit. Students went home, and the usefulness of AlertTraveler seemed, at first, to be muted at best. Syracuse was still using the tool for its intended purpose. AlertTraveler sends students abroad real-time alerts about emergencies on the ground and lets staff quickly verify their sa

The past year has been a transitional time for many in the field of higher education, in which each department has had to rethink its methods of delivery to best support students. In addition to a global pandemic, travel limitations, and a shift to online learning, 2020 was also a politically tense election year filled with much discourse surrounding race relations. As we prepare for COVID-19 restrictions to loosen and a return to a new “normal,” it is imperative that we n

When higher ed institutions found themselves quickly coordinating students’ return from study abroad programs and sending international students home last March, they could not have possibly known what the following year would hold for global engagement opportunities. The abrupt shutdown of activities had many people disappointed and worried about students missing out on the types of valuable international education experiences that help shape our global leaders of tomorrow. And, as the

Many people were looking forward to 2021, hoping to travel freely and without concern over health and safety. While widespread travel may not be the case just yet, a handful of universities are allowing for limited student travel. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) is just one of these universities. In a normal year, UTK would send a couple hundred students abroad per semester. This semester, their Center for Global Engagement was able to send dozens of students to a

This blog was written by Dr Anthony C Ogden, managing partner of Gateway International Group, a research and consulting firm. E-mail: aogden@gatewayinternational.org. This blog was originally posted by University World News. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an undeniable and potentially lasting impact on

When students go abroad, many will tout their experience online, but social media also offers the opportunity to engage with students who have yet to embark on their journey. As a method of ongoing communication, online posts offer a way to share information and offer a visual of the experience prospective students can have. Here's some creative content ideas Debunk the Barriers

With the widespread use of virtual delivery for day-today campus operations, international opportunities must be marketed appropriately and effectively. No longer can flyers be posted on campus for passing eyes to see, nor can in-person information sessions be hosted. Marketing global opportunities has taken a virtual turn. At Case Western ReserveUniversity (CWRU), they have embraced the virtual switch, ramped up their social media, and even saved some money by not printing their marketing ma

University of Northern Colorado is a public doctoral research institution with roughly 250 international agreements to process for its incoming and outgoing programs. Without an effective system in place, they were left with a decentralized and disjointed process. They needed a different approach to track the international agreement approval process and maintain a centralized database, and they got it with Terra Dotta. Read more about how they use Terra Dotta to easily monitor

Many people have been looking forward to 2021 with hope to travel freely and without concern over health and safety. While widespread travel may not be the case just yet, a handful of universities are allowing for limited student travel. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UTK) is just one of these universities. In a normal year, UTK would send a couple hundred students abroad per semester. This semester, their Center for Global Engagement hopes to send 20-30 students to a small

In a recent blog post from the PIE News, Terra Dotta CEO Anthony Rotoli commented that even though college campuses have grown more diverse, the typical study abroad student remains Caucasian and female.  Many institutions have made the push towards diversifying study abroad program participants and expa

Johnson and Wales University has a high demand for study abroad, with over 90 programs to choose from. And with multiple campuses, their staff must be able to collaborate efficiently to meet student demand. Before Terra Dotta Prior to implementing Terra Dotta, the four campuses relied on paper-based workflows, which delayed application processing times and led to more administrative work for the staff. Johnson and Wales needed a digital, cloud-based so

Study abroad students may be eager to spread their wings and spend a semester in France, Australia or South Africa, but while they’re there, they may have their own mental health concerns. In some cases, the study abroad experience can worsen lingering issues. According to the NAFSA: Association of International Educators’ report, Addressing Mental Health Issues Affecting Educati

This blog was written by Education Abroad staff at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Jing Liu, Program Director for Asia-Pacific and the U.S., and Derek Shepard, Study Abroad Advisor for Asia-Pacific and Domestic Programs. Ever since the arrival of COVID-19 in early 2020, the field of international education has been all but plunged into its 'dark ages.’ Student mobility has dwindled to almost nothing and both students and staff alike are faced w

Before Terra Dotta, Belmont University used JotForm to manage their outbound programs. But with 700 students going abroad annually and almost 50 faculty-led programs, they needed a better way to manage study abroad. With Terra Dotta, Belmont’s Office of Global Education can automate the entire process — from student applications to managing data and more. Their Director, Thandi Dinani, Ph.D., said,

Terra Dotta becomes an SAP Concur partner to provide real-time travel risk management Terra Dotta, a leader in higher education travel, study abroad and international program management solutions, today announced a new strategic partnership with SAP® Concur® – the world’s leading brand for travel, expense and invoice management solutions. Terra Dotta will become an SAP Concur partner for higher education travel risk management.

In March, when coronavirus impacts began to sweep the field of international education, the future of study abroad seemed uncertain. Now, with continued travel restrictions and as universities begin to start the fall term, some in-person, some hybrid, and some fully remote, global opportunities seem few and far between. However, study abroad opportunities are still occurring, albeit in a much lower volume than before. For one student at the University of North Carolina at Chap

According to the American Council on Education, students of color compromised just under 30% of the undergraduate population in 1996. By 2016, the total was up to 45%. But even as our college campuses reflect a broader swath of Americans, study abroad students do not. The face of a typical study abroad student remains the same as it was decades ago: a white woman. According to the

A few months ago, Terra Dotta’s Product Evangelist, Kerry Geffert reminded us that “This too shall pass” in a blog post from The PIE News. This month, Geffert is reminding us that study abroad must remain flexible. Geffert comments,

Terra Dotta, the leader in higher education travel, study abroad and international program management solutions, today announced the latest version of its award-winning suite of solutions for study abroad, delivering a modern, intuitive applicant experience that automates all facets of study abroad program management. Powerful analytics underpin a refreshed user interface, along with new workflows and an admin console, that will help Terra Dotta’s higher education study

How can university officials plan for next steps when it comes to COVID-19 and study abroad programs? Many in the international education field are figuring out ways to adapt to “new normal” daily operations in the age of COVID-19. The continuously evolving global landscape is presenting unique challenges for preparation and mitigation planning.   In the article

International education professionals adapt to doing their jobs during a global pandemic while working remotely. On March 25, when employees from the Global Academic Programs unit at the University at Albany logged onto Zoom for a staff meeting during their second week of working remotely, they were greeted by a surprise guest – Snow White. Add a l

For many students studying abroad as the COVID-19 pandemic grew, the severity of the situation hit home before cases were widespread in the United States. What started in December in Wuhan, China has spread rapidly to neighboring countries and beyond. As international educators, cutting these experiences short is never something we wanted to do but had to as we considered our ethical responsibility. Terra Dotta turned to students to hear their voices on the situation. Some never embar

Universities grapple with how to educate students – and keep them safe – not only on their home campuses, but in study abroad programs around the world. NOTE: Institutional responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic are evolving. Therefore, current campus policies and procedures may have changed since the writing of this article. Portland St

Education abroad offices and third-party providers are implementing carbon offset programs and other sustainability initiatives. In fiscal 2018, students from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Va., flew more than 8.3 million miles for education abroad programs, emitting 4,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. While that accounts for only 3% of VCU’s tot

One of the best measures for ensuring regulatory compliance is faculty and staff training. Within the university setting, there is a “thicket of regulatory obligation,” particularly applied to student conduct and safety, says Josh Richards, an attorney with Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP. Those obligations can become more onerous when applied to study abroad programs. “There are going to be issues related to language barri

How to expand study abroad opportunities for students with apparent and non-apparent disabilities. When Alex Stone was an undergraduate student, he participated in an internship for a disability advocacy agency in Cape Town, South Africa. The experience had such a powerful impact on Stone that he vowed to help make education abroad available to people with disabilities. “Education abroad is an opportunity for such profound personal an

Study abroad learning occurs well before take-off when students first consider international education. When David Wick completed his dissertation for his doctorate in education several years ago, he had an “a-ha”moment: “I thought I was trying to see how change and growth occurred for students during study abroad, but I found out that change began to happen as soon as students started to imagine the possibility of study abroad fo

A new study supports the tie between international experiences and employment. While education abroad professionals love to share stories about the transformative experiences of program participants, they know that sometimes numbers speak louder than words. “In study abroad, we intuitively know the benefits of an international experience,” says Lisa Loberg, Ed.D., Director of Study Abroad at California Lutheran University. “But th

Universities create systems that help students with mental health conditions successfully participate in education abroad programs. One in five young adults experiences a mental health condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. It stands to reason that many of them will participate in education abroad programs during college. “Students experience the same types of mental health challenges abroad as they do at