MassArt Joins the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad Initiative and Launches Program to Double Number of Student Participants
Boston, MA – June 13, 2017 – Massachusetts College of Art and Design has joined the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Generation Study Abroad Initiative to help more Americans gain international experience through study abroad programs. Through its Generation Study Abroad (GSA) program, IIE seeks to mobilize its resources and commitments of its partners to double the amount of U.S. students studying abroad by the end of the decade. As a partnering organization, MassArt has pledged to double the number of students participating in the MassArt Exchange Program by 2020 and launched an action plan to reach this goal, which includes increasing its institutional partnerships, enhancing the program’s visibility on campus, and improving accessibility for underrepresented students.
“MassArt is proud to become a partner of Generation Study Abroad,” said President David P. Nelson. “The College is dedicated to offering international education and cross-cultural experiences for its student body. We encourage our students to explore beyond the boundaries of their daily lives to become citizens of the world, and discover their role in society, particularly in today’s global economy. Through our pledge to Generation Study Abroad, we look forward to making our programs more accessible to our community.”
The MassArt Exchange Program is a semester-long study abroad program that encourages the exchange of students between partner institutions. Facilitated by the International Education Center at MassArt, administrators engage with academic departments to partner strategically with institutions abroad that align with MassArt’s academic programs and curricular requirements. The exchange programs are important both for the MassArt students who spend an invaluable semester at a partner institution as well as for the incoming exchange students who spend time in Boston on MassArt’s campus, fulfilling the true spirit of exchange. MassArt partners with 16 institutions abroad in a variety of destinations, including: Australia, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The new affiliation with Generation Study Abroad gives MassArt access to resources aimed at improving support for underrepresented students. Partnership with GSA provides the College with the opportunity to apply for Generation Study Abroad-specific grants.
As of April 2016, Generation Study Abroad partners to date include over 400 colleges and universities of all sizes and types across the country and around the world, as well as 16 governments, 25 education associations, more than 100 international partners, and 100 study abroad, K-12, and social network organizations that have committed to specific goals to increase the number of U.S. students studying abroad. Commitments include actions to diversify the population of students who participate in study abroad and provide additional financial resources to make this possible.
IIE launched Generation Study Abroad early last year in the belief that the number and proportion of today’s students who graduate with an educational experience abroad is far too low. Currently, fewer than 10 percent of all U.S. college students study abroad at some point in their academic career, according to the Open Doors Report on International and Educational Exchange published by IIE with support from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Generation Study Abroad aims to grow participation in study abroad so that the annual total reported will reach 600,000 by the end of the decade.
“Globalization has changed the way the world works, and employers are increasingly looking for workers who have international skills and expertise,” says Dr. Allan Goodman, President of IIE. “Studying abroad must be viewed as an essential component of a college degree and critical to preparing future leaders.”
In support of its agreement with Generation Study Abroad, MassArt’s International Education Center is taking concrete steps to expand opportunities for its students to study abroad. First, it will increase the amount of strategic partnerships with institutions that match the College’s academic programs. Three new partnerships are currently in development, one of which would allow Graphic Design students to participate in an exchange program, while still meeting the requirements of their rigorous program. Second, the International Education Center is increasing visibility on campus and is improving its digital communications strategy according to results from a survey conducted this year. Lastly, the Center is focusing on ways to support underrepresented students such as first generation students and students of color. In addition to increasing communication with these students, the Center is applying for grants to make these programs financially accessible to all students at MassArt. By emphasizing the importance of study abroad and communicating scholarship opportunities, the Center has already seen an increase in the amount of scholarship applications submitted and an increase in the amount of students interested in studying abroad. With the support of the IIE and its partners through Generation Study Abroad, MassArt will continue to work toward its goal of doubling the amount of participants over the next four years.
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About Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is one of the top colleges of its kind in the United States. Founded in 1873, MassArt has a legacy of leadership as the only freestanding public college of art and design in the country and the nation’s first art school to grant a degree. The College offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in art, design, and art education, all taught by world-class faculty. MassArt is also home to the Bakalar & Paine Galleries, the largest free contemporary art space in New England, professionally curated to enrich the academic curriculum and make contemporary art an accessible experience for all. Among MassArt’s most accomplished alumni are designer Brian Collins, art dealer Arne Glimcher, Oscar-winning set designer Nancy Haigh, visual artist and composer Christian Marclay, 2016 Project Runway winner Erin Robertson, interior and lifestyle designer Kelly Wearstler, and photographer William Wegman. For more information, visit massart.edu. Follow MassArt on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact
Susie Stockwell, Director of Communications
sstockwell@massart.edu • 617.879.7066
