By KARIN FISCHER and BETH MCMURTRIE, The Chronicle of Higher Education
Washington– More than 9,000 participants from 110 countries gathered here to talk about the future of international education as the 60th annual meeting of Nafsa: Association of International Educators kicked off this week.
The conference, which runs through Friday, will examine some of the most salient issues in the field, including the ethical management of education abroad, the establishment of overseas campuses and partnerships, and the effect of visa policies on attracting foreign students to study in the United States. Other sessions will focus on global work-force demands and trends in international-student mobility, and advisers to the presidential candidates will speak on international education.
As the conference got under way on Tuesday, participants paused to renew acquaintances or exchange pleasantries with new colleagues. Others strolled the convention center’s cavernous exhibit hall, which had been transformed into a supersize study-abroad fair. Some 600 exhibitors offered information about overseas study, global internships, and immigration-software solutions, among others.
The Global Campus
One standing-room-only panel discussion on Tuesday looked at internationalizing the campus experience. Three college leaders—from Australia, Canada, and the United States—talked about the challenges of infusing more of a global perspective on campus. Two ingredients are necessary, they agreed: resources and leadership. [Click here to read the full story. Subscription only.]