Reflections on the NAFSA IE Competencies: Program Development and Delivery

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. This article covers program development delivery through an education abroad lens.

Education abroad programming has evolved greatly since the Delaware Foreign Study Plan launched the first Junior Year Abroad program nearly a century ago. Over the years, some programs have been suspended or permanently shuttered, and others have thrived. Despite political instability, natural disasters, and global health crises, the desire to offer students the opportunity to learn in a foreign setting continues to inspire international educators to innovate. There are three basic principles that we all should keep in mind when considering new program development.

There is no “one-size-fits-all” program model. 

Initially designed for groups of single-sex foreign language majors, education abroad programming has evolved in countless directions from the original direct-matriculation model and now includes short-term experiential learning, international travel components embedded into on-campus courses, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and, most recently, virtual exchanges. If a program is to be successful, it is essential to have a clear sense of the target audience. Now, more than ever, educators must understand students’ expectations and potential pressure points—be they time constraints, financial challenges, or social priorities. No matter how well-intentioned faculty and administrators