The NAFSA Academy for International Education is an intensive yearlong training program with extensive networking opportunities. The Academy will expand and deepen your understanding of international education and prospects for future leadership.
This yearlong program is comprised of three training events, complemented by written assignments, regular cohort conference calls, and coaching. The Academy is an introduction to the profession of international education and its major practice areas. The program is flexible and designed to meet your individual needs and learning goals.
The Academy begins in January and ends in December each year with the first virtual training and orientation in January and the first virtual conference happening in March. Trainees are expected to attend all of the Academy events, four virtual trainings, and complete four assignments that will guide their learning. Each trainee will receive individualized support through regular calls with their Academy coach and cohort. Overall, the program is flexible and can be integrated into your current responsibilities.
Training of individual(s) from your institution in a variety of areas within the international education field, including international enrollment management, international student advising, education abroad, advocacy in international education and comprehensive internationalization.
Broadened access to the international education field for both the individual and the institution.
Increased knowledge and information on the international education field and resources
Skilled individual(s) to assist your offices and institution in the development of services, programming and campus-wide promotion of international education.
Individualized learning is fostered through the development of an Academy Learning Plan in which you identify and prioritize your personal and institutional learning goals. You develop the plan prior to Spring Training and revise and adjust it throughout the Academy year.
Spring Training
Join us for an intensive virtual training designed to connect you with your Academy class set the stage for your Academy year. Spring Training provides the foundation for your Academy year by providing sessions featuring: comprehensive internationalization, international enrollment management, education abroad, international student advising, and advocacy in international education. You will gain a broad perspective of international education, network with professionals from around the country, meet one on one with your coach, and solidify your learning plans.
Annual Conference
Academy trainees will receive free registration to NAFSA's annual conference. Trainees will receive guidance from their coach to develop a conference schedule that supports their individual learning plans. They'll also and meet and connect in person with their coaches and fellow trainees throughout the week.
Progress Presentation
At the NAFSA annual conference, trainees reflect on their progress and develop a visual demonstration of that progress. They share their presentation with their cohort as a way to reflect and refocus on their Academy priorities.
Summer Focus
Trainees focus on a single objective they would like to accomplish by the end of the summer. They submit three blog-style posts detailing their selected objective, their midsummer progress report, and their final results from their summer initiative.
Culmination and Transition Paper
Prior to receiving their certificate of completion, trainees write a culmination and transition paper to review their learning and progress, capture their progress in qualified statements, and to identify their future goals as they transition out of the Academy.
Cohort Connections
Throughout the year, coach-led trainee cohorts connect in a variety of ways, including virtually through online community spaces, conference calls, and at Academy events. Individual cohorts determine as a peer learning group what works best for them.
Out of 150 NAFSA Academy for International Education participants...
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Academy Coaches
Academy Coaches are integral to the experience of every Academy trainee. They guide and support participants throughout the year-long Academy program by connecting them to their networks, helping them design their learning goals, and facilitating group discussions and more! Learn more about our talented group of Academy Coaches!
"Being a part of the Academy has been an amazing experience for me. I have grown so much and I love that I can use my learning plan to track that progress. Being a part of the Academy has inspired me to continue working within this field and to find ways to incorporate it into my academic and professional career more long term."
"There is growth potential for any individual who applies to the Academy in just about every vein that the academy focuses on. The key is being willing to reach out and grab it."
"Between the learning plan, the network, the experiences, the coach and the workshops - I could give an example from each of those categories of what has taken my professional career to the next level."
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