Reflections on the NAFSA IE Competencies: Risk Assessment and Crisis Management

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. 

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical importance of risk assessment and crisis management skills, demanding that every professional in the field be well versed in crisis response protocols, no matter their role or level. Though I served as director of a study abroad office when the global pandemic emerged, these skills are not specific to education abroad. International educators across all areas of the field had a role to play in the response to this crisis—tracking the spread of the virus; advising students about academic implications; crafting communications to students, overseas partners, parents, and administrators; advocating for financial assistance; processing refunds and adjusting insurance; and supporting the international exchange student population.

During and after the public health emergency, the field has experienced significant turbulence. In the education abroad space, the recent State of the Field comprehensive survey from the Forum on Education Abroad shows that turnover within the field is at an all-time high. Consequently, there is a loss of institutional knowledge and expertise in the field. A staggering 47 percent of respondents now find themselves tasked with risk management and crisis response responsibilities without having received sufficient training to effectively serve