The
following post was originally published on September 1, 2020 by Adam Rubin on LinkedIn.
I found Adam’s post to be very informative and thought provoking and I asked
Adam if I could post his piece to IHEC
Blog as I think readers will also appreciate his thoughts. You can connect
with Adam via his LinkedIn profile and via AWR
International which is his international education and business consulting
work.
Pondering
the Post-Pandemic Study Abroad Landscape
As
someone who has devoted the past 25+ years of my life to international
education, I’ve witnessed the impact of global health crises, wars and
terrorist attacks, natural disasters, and economic recessions on study abroad,
educational travel, and student exchange.
With
each subsequent challenge and incident, our field has adapted, adjusted, and
rebounded. International education programs are designed to provide
students with the opportunity to gain new academic, personal, and professional
skills, and I, like many of my colleagues and friends, often claim that my
personal study abroad experience helped make me a more resilient and confident
individual.
In
2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting global economic recession have tested
our field in unprecedented ways, and we are far from steering our ship safely
back to harbor. With borders closed, visa processing backlogged, and the vast
majority of study abroad for fall 2020 cancelled, U.S. study abroad has been
decimated this fall and remains highly fragile for spring 2021.
A
recent IIE Snapshot series included an analysis of the
pandemic’s impact on both international students coming to the U.S. and U.S.
students studying abroad. While IIE survey data indicates that the
majority of U.S. institutions continue to plan for study abroad in spring 2021,
nearly 80% of respondents anticipate a sharp decrease in their study abroad
enrollments for the 2020-21 academic year.
Many
study abroad professionals report that the needs of their offices have been put
on the side burner as their institutions choose to focus on larger overall
financial issues and plans for the fall 2020 semester. In a recent Business Insider article widely
circulated, NYU Professor Scott Galloway suggests that the current pandemic
could result in hundreds of U.S. colleges and universities going out of
business completely.
The
Impact on Student Mobility and International Education is Global
International
education involves careful and creative collaboration between various
stakeholders around the world, including schools, faculty, administrators,
students, families, and community organizations. Prior to 2020, when an
issue or incident impacted one country or region, we were all able to pivot and
adjust in order to maintain a wide range of program options for our
students. Today, however, we are faced with the reality that all countries
and all regions of the world are struggling to overcome the pandemic.
A
recent NAFSA publication regarding the impact of COVID-19 on international education estimates
that a 25% decline in international student enrollments here in the U.S. would
result in a loss of $10 billion and more than 100,000 jobs. It also
mentioned that numerous study abroad organizations have already reduced their
global staff levels by more than 50%. Recent indicators suggest that the
losses and layoffs are likely to increase due to the continuation of the
pandemic around the world. When looked at through a global lens, the
economic impact on countries that host and send significant numbers of students
abroad is truly staggering.
With
global mobility at a standstill and schools struggling to navigate the
challenges of on-line and hybrid programs and myriad concerns about the health
and well-being of our students, teachers, and staff, this new global “normal”
has resulted in financial and administrative chaos for schools and panic, fear,
and frustration for many people. Thousands of international education jobs
have been lost, thousands of programs cancelled and suspended, and multiple
institutional and organizational doors shuttered around the world, as students
are unable or unwilling to study abroad, enroll in full-time degree programs,
or participate in short-term educational training or travel programs.
However,
much like the students who we support on international programs, I believe that
the current situation is forcing us to be more resilient, develop new
strategies for adjusting to unfamiliar territory, and, in many ways, learn a
new language that will allow us to successfully adapt, survive, and eventually
succeed. Our global community has shown its resilience through
the creation of new virtual learning opportunities, development of creative and
adaptive academic calendars, and the embrace of new technologies and training.
Virtual
Learning is Here to Stay
Virtual
courses and internships, once previously guaranteed to generate eye rolls and
frowns from international educators, are now gaining in support and
appreciation due to their ability to provide increased global access to
students who might not be able to do a more traditional study abroad program or
internship due to the current pandemic and other barriers associated with cost
or academic restrictions.
Further,
these new program models are providing students with the opportunity to learn
from professors around the world, develop professional skills through global
internship projects, and, at least some level, learn about new cultures and
communities.
While
most of us will always prefer the traditional in-country options, these virtual programs will remain valuable long after COVID-19 has
ended. Many colleges and universities are still contemplating
how these virtual courses and internships will fit into their academic systems,
but more institutions are starting to recognize the academic validity of these
experiences and opportunities.
For
some institutions, these external virtual opportunities will be a welcome
addition to their programs. For others, however, they will be seen as
unwanted or unacceptable threats to their own academic programs and revenue streams.
Student
Demand for Study Abroad vs. Pandemic Realities
Student
demand for international exchange and travel will likely continue to be strong
going forward, and many feel that the current restrictions and home confinement
reality will make students even more eager than usual to study abroad in the
future.
However,
demand aside, there are other barriers that will need to be addressed before
international education can start to make a true recovery. First and foremost,
the virus itself must be contained through the development of effective and
safe vaccinations. Next, borders will need to open and remain open, and
transportation networks will have to be rebuilt and restarted.
Schools
around the world will need to stabilize their academic programs and calendars,
rebuild lost revenue through enhanced admissions efforts and proactive
financial aid initiatives, and restructure teams that lost valuable staff
positions due to the pandemic.
While
student demand for study abroad will eventually rebound, many of us believe
that study abroad enrollments will take at least 2-3 semesters post-pandemic in
order to truly return to more normal levels. This is due to several factors.
First,
many students are unable to return to their home campuses in fall 2020 or are returning
to a strange hybrid reality that will significantly reduce their much-desired
freedom, engagement in activities, clubs, and sports, and ability to fully
enjoy the college lifestyle. For these students, the opportunity to return to their home campus in spring or fall
2021 will likely take priority over study abroad opportunities.
Second,
study abroad is often seen as an “add-on” that must be carefully woven into a
four-year degree. With many students taking a leave-of-absence or opting
to take a reduced course load this year, it could become challenging for some
of them to fit a semester of study abroad into their program as they return to
school in 2021 and attempt to complete their graduation requirements on time.
Third,
the economic loss suffered by many families during this pandemic will further
amplify the potential for study abroad to be considered as a nice but
unfeasible option.
Finally,
many students may decide that they have “missed their window of opportunity” to
study abroad, particularly those who are currently in their third year of
university.
Building
a Potential Path Forward
A
quick review of the situation might leave those in our field feeling even less
confident about a recovery in 2021. There are many factors that lie outside of our
control, particularly those related to the virus and its related health
concerns and government policies and plans around the world. Students and their families are struggling to figure out a new
road map to help them afford and complete their educational plans, and colleges
and universities around the world are reeling from deep financial losses.
However,
as many in our field have pointed out in recent weeks, the current pandemic
will make our work in international education increasingly important in the
years ahead.
Much
as we have done for the past century, international educators will
need to re-double their efforts to promote exchange, to rebuild bridges damaged
by this storm, and to help students develop the skills and resources they need
to become competent and confident members of our global community.
It’s
not going to be easy, and the recovery will likely take longer than hoped, but
there are various approaches that schools and organizations can take now to
help lay the groundwork for the future:
- Embrace virtual global learning opportunities
The
efforts of faculty, students, administrators, and community partners over the
past six months has shown us that virtual courses, internships, and
research can be effective on many levels. Learning how to work
remotely with people around the world is an important skill. Study abroad,
global internships, and research need to be done with greater intentionality
when delivered online, but these are valid and valuable opportunities for
academic and professional skill development.
They
can also be highly cost effective and provide access to students who may not be
able to participate in more traditional in-country programs. While it will be
extremely important to vet the academic quality and overall rigor and support
services for these programs and internships, virtual learning can enhance the
academic credit-worthy experiences offered by higher education institutions.
- Expand short-term international programming
Short-term
study abroad enrollments continue to out-pace semester or academic year
international programs. This trend is likely to continue going forward, as
students attempt to pack more experiences and opportunities into their
four-year undergraduate degrees. Due to the added financial and academic
constraints and barriers created by the current pandemic, institutions and
organizations should give extra support to short-term international academic
programs.
These
can be custom programs led by home institution faculty in collaboration with a
third-party provider or overseas institutional partner or short-term programs
offered by program providers or international partners. The end result is that
more students will still have the opportunity to include a global experience in
their undergraduate studies. This is good for the students, good for their
institutions, and good for all organizations and institutions involved in
international education.
- Increase scholarships and reduce/maintain costs to help
expand access to international programs
The
economic challenges associated with COVID-19 are significant and will have a
major impact on students for many years. Students and their families are
struggling to afford the high cost of higher education in the U.S., and many of
them will be increasingly unable to pay for an international program.
By
keeping the price of programs and other international experiences as low as
possible and increasing funding to support students with deep financial need,
more students will be able to study abroad. This is not a new strategy, and our
field has made considerable progress in this area over the past few years.
However, it will be an even more important part of the post-pandemic recovery
strategy for our students and our field.
- Create new and more creative partnerships
The
past six months has resulted in chaos and loss for many institutions and
organizations. Smaller study abroad organizations have closed their doors,
larger organizations have furloughed or released a large percentage of their
staff and have suspended most of their programs indefinitely, and many college
and university study abroad offices have reduced staffing levels and remain
unsure about how and when they will be able to send their students abroad in
the future.
Over
the next 6-12 months, it will be valuable for institutions and organizations to
re-think their partnerships and their study abroad portfolios.
- Where might there be new synergies or opportunities for
collaboration that will provide sustainable or more creative solutions to
the problems that we currently face?
- How can partners work more closely together to address
academic and financial barriers?
- Are there “legacy” partners or programs that no longer
meet the needs of the institution and its students?
- Are there partners outside of higher education that
could offer interesting public-private opportunities? How can private
companies partner with schools to provide valuable study abroad
experiences and professional development for students while also providing
tangible benefits to companies in various sectors?
Develop
program models that reflect the needs and interests of Gen Z
Higher
education has been evolving in new directions over the past 10 years, and there
is increasing debate around the intersection and relative value of “traditional
academic learning” and “employability” on university campuses. As Gen Z
students try to make sense of the world around them and do their best to adapt
to the realities of the current pandemic, they will be increasingly focused on
outcomes that meet their academic interests while also preparing them to
survive and succeed in the “real world” once they graduate.
Students
today seek multiple formal and informal experiences during their undergraduate
studies, including both for-credit and not-for-credit courses, internships,
projects, research, and other skill-building opportunities. International
education can provide multiple pieces to the puzzle for today’s students. There
is demonstrated need for more research and internship opportunities,
collaboration with peers and mentors on projects, and programs and courses that
reflect new academic disciplines, new career paths, and new core skills
required to expand one’s employability going forward. In many cases, these new
opportunities can be built into existing programs and study abroad frameworks,
but there will be a greater need for institutions and organizations to think
differently about the needs and interests of our students.
Balance
short-term financial emergencies with long-term recovery challenges
Many
study abroad organizations, colleges, and universities worldwide are facing
significant financial loss and interruption of important revenue
streams. While these financial realities are forcing many organizations
and institutions to furlough or eliminate staff positions, it’s important for
leaders to consider the need for retaining the most experienced and
knowledgeable staff. They have the expertise and experience managing teams and
navigating difficult situations that will be vital in helping to lead the
post-pandemic recovery efforts. While cutting larger salaries now may help
in the short-term, doing so could create more significant long-term damage
going forward.
The
road ahead will have numerous and often unpredictable twists and turns, and our
industry’s GPS may not know exactly how to guide us safely and smoothly forward
to our destination. However, despite the challenges that we face and the losses
that we’ve all had to endure, I remain both hopeful and optimistic about the
future of study abroad. We design programs to help make our students more
resilient and adaptable. Now it’s time for us to find our own inner resilience
and adapt in new ways in order to survive, succeed, and pave the way for a
bright post-pandemic international education landscape.
Note:
Let's keep the conversation going. Please share your thoughts in the comment
box for the original post or reach out to me directly at awr1203@gmail.com.
