The following associations and organizations contribute resources on a regular basis to this site. If you are interested in contributing resources related to campus internationalization, please contact Lindsay Mathers Addington at laddington@acenet.edu.
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) represents almost 1,200 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 11 million students. AACC is the primary advocacy organization for community colleges at the national level and works closely with directors of state offices to inform and affect state policy. The association works with a wide range of entities within the higher education community to monitor and influence federal policy and to collaborate on issues of common interest. It also has ongoing interactions with key federal departments and agencies including the U.S. departments of Labor, Education, Energy, Homeland Security, State, and Commerce and the National Science Foundation.
The International Office of AACC assists community colleges in promoting global awareness and responsibility, intercultural understanding, and engagement among students, faculty, staff, and decision makers. It also raises the recognition of the community college role in global education among key constituencies, nationally and internationally. Initiatives include assisting colleges with international student recruitment; increasing awareness of study abroad options and best practices; conducting training programs/workshops; facilitating overseas partnership initiatives; and disseminating relevant information and opportunities.
American Council on Education (ACE)
The American Council on Education (ACE) is the only higher education organization that represents presidents and chancellors of all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions. As the major coordinating body for all the nation’s higher education institutions, ACE seeks to provide leadership and a unifying voice on key higher education issues and to influence public policy through advocacy, research, and program initiatives. ACE recognizes that global perspectives are critical to solving contemporary problems, ensuring academic excellence, and preparing a world-class workforce. Through its Center for International Initiatives (CII), ACE offers programs and services that support and enhance internationalization on U.S. campuses, and works with international partners on higher education issues that have a global impact.
The American International Recruitment Council (AIRC)
AIRC is a non-profit Standards Development Organization (SDO) controlled by United States accredited educational institutions and officially registered with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. AIRC is the only US educational organization dedicated exclusively to issues relating to international student recruitment. The purposes of the organization are to:
- Develop standards of ethical practice pertaining to recruitment of international students to American educational institutions, such standards to address two constituencies: educational institutions and student recruitment agents;
- Develop best practices and training to assist overseas student recruitment agents and institutions themselves to better serve both students seeking admission to American educational institutions, and
- Establish a framework through which participating agents can have their practices certified. In addition, the organization may undertake other activities as are necessary to accomplish its goals.
Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
With a membership of over 1,150 colleges and universities both private and public of every type and size, The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), founded in 1915, is the leading national association committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Forging links among presidents, administrators, and faculty members engaged in institutional and curricular planning, AAC&U helps institutions keep the quality of student learning at the core of their work. Through its publications, meetings, public advocacy, and funded programs, AAC&U addresses diversity, global learning, and social responsibility as compelling educational and institutional priorities that help students and campuses engage the social, civic, and economic challenges of a diverse and unequal world. AAC&U supports efforts to foster students’ understanding of the intersection between local and global issues and their sense of responsibility as world citizens.
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU)
Founded in 1887, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (formerly the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges), is a voluntary association of public research universities, land-grant institutions, and many state public university systems. Its 218 members enroll more than 3.6 million undergraduate students, 1.1 million graduate students, and employ about 645,000 faculty and professional staff. Our members conduct nearly 430 billion in annual research. As the nation’s oldest higher education association, A۰P۰L۰U is dedicated to excellence in learning, discovery and engagement. For more information, visit www.aplu.org.
The Forum on Education Abroad is the only organization whose exclusive purpose it is to serve the field of education abroad. Recognized by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for education abroad, the Forum’s Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad are recognized as the definitive means by which the quality of education abroad programs may be judged. The Forum’s Quality Improvement Program for Education Abroad (QUIP) uses the Standards as part of a rigorous self-study and peer review quality assurance program that is available to all Forum institutional members.
Forum members include US colleges and universities, overseas institutions, consortia, and program provider organizations. The Forum focuses on developing and implementing standards of good practice, encouraging and supporting research initiatives, and offering educational programs and resources to its members. Its mission is to help to improve education abroad programs to benefit the students that participate in them. It is achieving this goal by establishing standards of good practice, improving study abroad curricula, and promoting data collection and outcomes assessment, all to advocate for high quality education abroad programs.
The Institute of International Education (IIE)
IIE is the administrator of the Fulbright Student Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs; through the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), it also administers the Fulbright Scholar Program, which annually provides opportunities to more than 1,100 faculty, professionals and artists. IIE also administers the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.
Through the Fulbright Student Program and through CIES, IIE administrates the United State’s flagship program for international scholastic exchange. Since its creation by Congress in 1946, Fulbright has provided opportunities for advancement of expertise, institutional capacity-building and exchange of intellectual and cultural information to 50,000 U.S. faculty and professionals. It has also provided these opportunities to 50,000 faculty and professionals outside of the United States.
Founded in 1919, IIE is an independent non-profit organization and a world leader in the exchange of people and ideas, with 20 offices around the globe advancing IIE’s mission of “Opening Minds to the World”. In addition to the Fulbright programs, it administers over 200 programs serving more than 20,000 individuals each year. This includes programs sponsored by the Ford Foundation, Toyota Motor Co., the World Bank, the Freeman Foundation and the Cisco Learning Institute.
Through its Open Doors reports, IIE is the leading provider of information on campus internationalization to institutions of higher learning and other stakeholders. It also administers the IIE Network, a consortium of 900 institutions engaged in international scholarly exchange; through that network, it informs institutions about trends and best practices in campus internationalization.
Now in its 90th year, IIE remains a pioneer in campus internationalization.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
NAFSA is the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated solely to international education. NAFSA serves its members, their institutions and organizations, and others engaged in international education and exchange and global workforce development. NAFSA sets a standards of good practice; provides training, professional development, and networking opportunities; and advocates for international education. With more than 9,000 members, NAFSA seeks to increase awareness of and support for international education and exchange, believing that citizens with international experience and global awareness are crucial to fostering peace, security, and well-being. Individuals at more than 3,500 institutions worldwide take part in NAFSA activities.
