NAFSA: Association of International Educators was selected for its deep commitment to advancing opportunities in international education.
WASHINGTON, DC, July 6, 2023 – The Institute of International Education (IIE) is honored to present NAFSA: Association of International Educators with the inaugural IIE Center for International Opportunities Empower Award.
IIE created the Empower Award to honor outstanding organizations and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary contributions and to elevate strategic models of advancing opportunities in international education. The award ceremony, which took place in Washington D.C. on June 26, 2023, served as a platform to recognize NAFSA’s exceptional commitment to international education opportunities in its organizational strategies and programming. In March, IIE launched the Center for International Opportunities to convene and propel individuals, organizations, and governments in advancing opportunities in international education.
“NAFSA’s remarkable dedication to creating opportunities in international education aligns closely with IIE’s mission, and we commend their exceptional efforts in the landscape in international education,’’ said Lindsay Gee Calvert, Director of the IIE Center for International Opportunities. “The two organizations have a longstanding history of collaboration and agree there is more work to do together to cultivate and invest in the evolving international education field, especially among the newer generation. The award further strengthens the bonds between IIE and NAFSA and solidifies our shared commitment to international education opportunities.”
Throughout NAFSA’s 75-year history, the organization has consistently demonstrated its dedication to and belief that “international education advances learning and scholarship and fosters understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives” and that “international education lies at the core of an interconnected world.”
“Receiving the Empower Award is a welcome acknowledgement of NAFSA’s long standing commitment to expanding the international education ‘tent’ to be more inclusive and reflective of the world we live in,” said Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA. “Creating opportunities in the profession and a global education itself is at the core of NAFSA’s mission. We are grateful to have IIE’s partnership in this space and will continue to work closely with our partners and members on this incredibly important endeavor.”
NAFSA’s programs have had a profound impact on creating opportunities in international education for professionals and students alike. Its RISE (Representation, Inclusion, Support, and Empowerment) Fellowship, for example, gives international educators from around the world access to training, professional development, mentorship, and networking while its Tamara H. Bryant Memorial Scholarship creates study abroad opportunities for Black undergraduate students to enhance their personal and professional growth in an increasingly global environment.
The IIE Center for International Opportunities Empower Award paves the way for further collaboration and opens new avenues for joint initiatives in the international education landscape. The Center’s IIE Passport Project—a grant aiming to assist 10,000 Pell-eligible U.S. students to obtain U.S. passports to study abroad by the end of the decade—received a 2023 AAUA Khaladjan International Award for Innovation in Higher Education last month. In addition, the Center was named as a 2023 PIEoneer Award finalist; the PIE News will announce the winners in September.
This annual award marks a significant milestone in advancing global education opportunities available for all individuals; it includes a monetary gift in support of recipients’ strategic international education initiatives.
About the Institute of International Education
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 opportunities to underserved populations. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has an extensive network of offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners. Learn more at www.iie.org.
About the IIE Center for International Opportunities
The IIE Center for International Opportunities aims to advance accessible programming and equitable practices in community building that enrich and expand international education, exchange, and opportunity for all. Through dialogue and action, the Center leverages programs and partnerships; cultivates global learning; and expands educational opportunities. Learn more at www.iie.org/CIO.
About NAFSA: Association of International Educators
Founded in 1948, NAFSA: Association of International Educators serves more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide. NAFSA is the largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange in the world, working to advance policies and practices that ensure a more interconnected, peaceful world. Learn more at www.nafsa.org.
Media Contacts:
IIE: press@iie.org
NAFSA: nafsa.org/press