PREPARING AND SUPPORTING FACULTY LEADING STUDENTS ABROAD: TOWARD BEST PRACTICES

Keywords: study abroad, travel courses, faculty support

Abstract: Universities offer study abroad experiences to develop students’ global mindset. Faculty-led short-term study abroad programs (STSA) are popular, due in part to their lower costs, program lengths, formalized programming, and lower student perceptions of risk. However, such programs can be taxing for faculty who must manage tasks outside of their normal role, such as booking travel, managing student conduct, and recruiting students. This session builds on participants’ experiences to identify best practices in preparing and supporting faculty to lead STSA programs, with the hopes that doing so may catalyze change toward more supportive home institutions and equip future program leaders.