Reflections on the NAFSA IE Competencies: Inclusion and Equity 

Editor’s note: This article is one in a new series for 2023 that explores one of the 12 International Education Professional Competencies 2.0 in each issue of International Educator. Each written by a NAFSA member, the articles cover how that competency is critical to the future of the field and what it looks like in practice.

Inclusion and equity are critical aspects of world history that we must study and implement, both as requisite tools and practices. Though it seems hyperbolic, we understand the absence of these tools and practices are historically significant and can have deadly consequences. As international educators, we must be vigilant with our contributions to the field around inclusion and equity.  

Since its founding in 1948, NAFSA has grown, adjusted, and shifted with the times and different environments.  In 2022, a working group of NAFSA members and staff identified inclusion and equity as one of the professional competencies we should possess as international educators and advocates.  To create useful, unbiased knowledge for our delicate future, it is vital we optimize this critical competency. Good leadership depends on it.

Theory into Practice

Besides reviewing case studies and studying the theories of inclusion and equity, what does it mean to understand and actively engage that practice? A few things come to mind:

• At minimum, it means intentionally removing barriers, allowing more access to resources, and inviting diverse perspectives to contribute. 
• It is not only about the faces and cultures present in a space, but also about the