NEW YORK, January 16, 2019 – The Institute of International Education (IIE) announced the winners of the annual IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education, which honors outstanding international education initiatives conducted by universities and colleges from among the 1,300 member institutions of the IIENetwork. IIE will present the Heiskell Awards at the 2019 IIE Summit in New York City from February 17-19.
“To thrive in the global economy, students need opportunities in international experiences during their college career,” said Clare Overmann, head of IIE’s Higher Education Initiatives. “We congratulate this year’s Heiskell Award winners for their outstanding success in providing new and innovative international education opportunities to their students.”
Since 2002, IIE has given the awards to ground-breaking institutions pursuing the most innovative and impactful models for internationalization of campuses, study abroad, and international partnership programs with these ultimate goals:
- To foster innovative ideas that will help international education professionals create and sustain new opportunities for students and faculty
- To bring international education to the forefront of education policy
- To stimulate public awareness of the benefits of study abroad and international educational exchange
This year, the seven winning programs embody five key themes: scholars as drivers of innovation, student mobility, international partnerships, international education opportunities, and higher education in emergencies. These categories were chosen to reflect the themes and values of the 2019 IIE Summit. A description of the categories and winners are below:
Scholars as Drivers of Innovation: Recognizing the critical role that scholars and faculty play in advancing curriculum development, fostering international opportunities, integrating industry, and driving internationalization of the campus.
Winner: Agnes Scott College, in metro Atlanta, Georgia, for its SUMMIT initiative which infuses global learning throughout the core curriculum and co-curriculum for all students, including a week-long global immersion experience off campus during students’ second semester.
Honorable Mention: Ferris State University, in Big Rapids, Michigan, for its Beyond Initiative, intended to engage faculty members and create a collaborative partnership for campus internationalization.
Student Mobility: Given in recognition of innovative programs and services that strengthen student mobility in both directions and strategically increase participation while preparing students to enter the global workforce.
Winner: Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for its Iacocca International Internship Program, which sends students overseas for six to 12 weeks in the summer on fully funded internship programs, giving students a competitive advantage in the job market by combining global learning and professional experience.
Honorable Mention: De Montfort University – Leicester, in Leicester, England, for its #DMUglobal program, designed to provide all DMU students with the opportunity to participate in an international experience while they study, with 11,000 students set to take part in the program by 2020.
International Partnerships: Given in recognition of comprehensive and innovative international partnership efforts that demonstrate strong, sustainable linkages among higher education institutions or other counterparts such as government, local community, and NGOs.
Winner: Broward College, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for its International Partnership Centers: The Third Way initiative, which provides international students with the opportunity to gain Broward College credits while studying at their home institution.
International Education Opportunities: Given in recognition of innovative programs and services to increase study abroad and international programming opportunities for a broader student population, with a special emphasis on specific efforts that led to a strong increase in study abroad participation.
Winner: University of South Florida – Tampa, in Tampa, Florida, for its USF Education Abroad Inclusion Initiative, a system-wide endeavor to increase participation in credit bearing international experiences by students who are traditionally under-represented in study abroad programs.
Higher Education in Emergencies: Given in recognition of successful approaches and strategies for supporting students and scholars who have been displaced from their home country due to violence, political persecution, or other emergent circumstances.
Winner: University of Evansville, in Evansville, Indiana, for its Scholars for Syria initiative, which has provided scholarships for 25 displaced Syrian students since 2016 and engages the larger community in dialogue around the Syrian crisis to change perceptions about Syria and Syrians.
In-depth profiles of this year’s winning initiatives and honorable mentions are available on IIE’s Best Practices Resource website.
About the Heiskell Awards
In 2001, IIE created the IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education to recognize the most innovative and successful models for internationalization of campuses, study abroad, and international partnership programs. The IIE Heiskell Awards were named in honor of the late Andrew Heiskell, a former chairman of Time Inc. and a long-time member of the Executive Committee of IIE’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Heiskell was a renowned international and cultural philanthropist and a dedicated supporter of international education.
The members of the Selection Panel for the 2019 IIE Heiskell Awards include international education leaders from a diverse range of organizations: Peggy Blumenthal, Senior Counselor to the President at the Institute of International Education; Arlene Jackson, Associate Vice President for Global Initiatives, American Association of State Colleges & Universities (AASCU); Janice Thomas, Director, International Education Center, Brookdale Community College.
About IIE
The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide life-changing opportunities. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners. For more information, visit www.iie.org.
For more information, contact:
Catherine Morris, cmorris@iie.org, +1.202.326.7765
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