Campus Life

UWF joins international coalition to double number of American students studying abroad by 2020

The University of West Florida recently joined the Institute of International Education’s Generation Study Abroad initiative to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade.

UWF has committed to increasing the number of undergraduate students who study abroad by expanding business majors’ options abroad, developing additional opportunities for students in the College of Arts and Sciences, and assisting the College of Professional Studies’ efforts to provide scholarship funds for its majors engaging in high impact and study abroad experiences over the next five years.

The University’s primary focus through its participation in Generation Study Abroad is to draw attention to the study of languages and cultures at UWF and open the possibilities for study abroad experiences across a variety of disciplines.

“Through this program, the Office of Diversity and International Education and Programs can have a tremendous impact on the cross-cultural learning outcomes for students, faculty and staff at UWF through thoughtful programming and education,” said UWF Provost Martha Saunders. “At UWF, we understand the importance of global awareness and believe that study abroad experiences enhance the overall education of our students.”

Nearly 100 UWF students study abroad in more than 15 countries each year. The University offers 175 programs, some of which are in conjunction with international exchange partner institutions and organizations such as GlobaLinks Learning Abroad and CIS Abroad.

According to IIE research, fewer than 10 percent of all U.S. college students study abroad at some point in their academic career. Generation Study Abroad aims to grow participation in study abroad so that the annual total reported will reach 600,000 by the end of the decade. More than 160 institutions have joined the initiative to date.

For more information on IIE’s Generation Study Abroad initiative, and a complete list of commitment partners, go to: www.iie.org/generationstudyabroad.