The Institute of International Education (IIE) and American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) Foundation awarded $50,000 in professional development grants to 50 teachers and school administrators from 27 states and the District of Columbia who have successfully integrated global perspectives and exchanges into their classrooms. The announcement comes on the heels of a new milestone in the Generation Study Abroad initiative: more than 1,000 K-12 teachers and administrators have pledged to advocate for study abroad by exposing students to international experiences and global perspectives in preparing for their college careers. 

The teachers and administrators will use the IIE AIFS Foundation Generation Study Abroad Enrichment Grants to advance collaborations with university study abroad offices, share best practices for globalizing the classroom with colleagues, expand or create new exchange programs with K-12 schools abroad, and advance their own professional development. IIE provides these teachers with global teaching resources, industry news and networking opportunities designed to build the global educator community. 

 

Winners of the IIE AIFS Foundation Generation Study Abroad Enrichment Grants have implemented a range of innovative activities, including advising sessions to help students and parents plan for the realities of studying abroad; facilitating virtual exchanges in the classroom; sharing their own study abroad experiences with students; and discussing with colleagues, students, and others in the community about the powerful impact of study abroad.