NAFSA supports public policies that increase opportunities for American college students to study abroad. A generation ago, there was a national concern that students without access to computers would fall behind their peers and be at a competitive disadvantage in seeking jobs; the same can be said today of students without access to global educational opportunities. Study abroad is a learning opportunity that enables students to develop critical skills and that contributes in vital ways to preparing students for the competitive global environment into which they will graduate.
What We're Doing
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Act
Championed by Sen. Richard Durbin, this legislative initiative has garnered broad support in Congress and in the international and higher education community. The Simon Act proposes an innovative approach to dramatically increasing study abroad and emphasizes increasing study abroad participation to one million U.S. students each year; encouraging diversity in student participation; diversifying locations of study abroad, particularly in non-traditional countries; and encouraging a great commitment by institutions of higher education to expand study abroad opportunities.
State Department Initiatives
The State Department has launched several initiatives to increase the number of American students studying abroad to certain regions of the world. NAFSA supports these regional initiatives and is working with the State Department to advance these programs.
Opening Travel to Cuba
Together with many other organizations, NAFSA recently celebrated a great success with the opening of educational exchanges and academic travel to Cuba. NAFSA continues to support academic freedom and travel to and from Cuba.
Impact of Study Abroad
Papers and Reports