NAFSA's Principles for Institutions

The movement of students and scholars across community, cultural, geographic, and national boundaries has been recognized for centuries as essential to the discovery of truth, new knowledge, and the means of applying what is learned abroad to human enrichment and progress. In the second half of this century the interchange of students and scholars has grown steadily, become more formalized and [exerted] an increasing influence upon U.S. higher education and the society as a whole. Indeed, the significance of the interdependence of nations, peoples, and world systems has brought international education into the very mainstream of higher education planning and requirements.

Programs of international educational exchange take many forms and are located in institutions of divergent purposes, sizes, and settings. Regardless of form and content the value of any program can be realized only when a college or university has made a conscious decision to be involved in international educational exchange and has made a commitment of resources commensurate with the nature and scope of that exchange. Such recognition and commitment require adherence to the following institution-wide principles:

1. The institution should have a clearly stated policy, endorsed by the governing board, setting forth the goals and objectives of the international educational exchange program or programs developed by the institution. This policy should be manifest in the institution's planning and budgeting. Personnel and program resources-administrative and academic-should be sufficient to assure that the program can be operated in ways consistent with the principles presented in this document.
2. The executive staff of the institution should discuss with the faculty and administrative staff the implications of the international educational exchange policy for the academic programs and academic staff.
3. Programs in international educational exchange should be closely related to and consistent with the basic purposes and strengths of the institution.
4. Regardless of program size, the institution should acknowledge its responsibility to demonstrate sensitivity to cultural needs-social, religious, dietary, and housing. These factors must be accounted for in the planning and execution of the program.
5. Special services required by involvement in international educational exchange should be performed by personnel who are trained for their particular responsibilities, and institutional policy should ensure that faculty and administrative staff receive appropriate training for the activities they manage.
6. Administrative staff and faculty should seek to develop and maintain respect and sensitivity toward those from different cultures in the execution of their responsibilities for international educational exchange programs.
7. The institution should periodically evaluate programs, policies, and services, in light of established goals, and regularly review those goals.

Revised by the Committee on Ethical Practice and approved by the NAFSA Board of Directors on May 27, 2001.