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 scramble to quickly bring students and faculty back home from trips abroad. They had to confirm and monitor the location of every traveler, and then help them coordinate a quick and safe return home with next-to-no notice.

Simultaneously, institutions were helping international students return to their home countries amid ever-changing regulations and logistics. Even if they were safe on campus, many international students could no longer reside there—whether due to their campuses shutting down or immigration regulations—and they needed to return to their home countries unexpectedly.

Read more from Terra Dotta's CEO, Anthony Rotoli, on Harvard Business Publishing Education.