The Forum Celebrates 20 Years of Supporting Education Abroad
We are pleased to share that we’re celebrating 20 years of making a difference in the field of international education!
In May 2000, the idea for the Forum was conceived by a group of education abroad colleagues who felt strongly that there needed to be a stand-alone organization. Twenty years later, The Forum continues to thrive, working tirelessly to support, promote, and improve education abroad for students, faculty, and institutions. It currently supports:
- More than 650 members
- 14 Active Working Groups and Committees
- 250 Volunteers
Annual Conference 2021: Reflecting on the Past & Looking Forward to the Future
We kicked off our 20th anniversary festivities at our 2021 Annual Conference, by hosting two important panel conversations to reflect on the past and future of The Forum!
20th Anniversary Panel Looking Back: A Conversation with Forum Trailblazers
Influential colleagues of the Forum’s founding and success—William Cressey, Mary Anne Grant, Jon V. Booth, Todd Davis, William Hoffa, Mark Scheid, Michael Delaney, Michael Stohl, Michael Vande Berg, Mary Dwyer, Brian Whalen, and Kathleen Sideli—gathered virtually so that we may learn from their insights and experience. Watch their conversation from the conference:
20th Anniversary Panel Looking Forward: The Future of The Forum and the Field
Current education abroad leaders Mohamed Abdel-Kader (Stevens Initiative at the Aspen Institute), Keshia Abraham (The Abraham Consulting Agency), Tracey C. Bradley (Tennessee Consortium for International Studies), Enda Carroll (University College Dublin), David Julien (Inter-American Organization for Higher Education), and Annette Mares-Duran (University of New Mexico) discussed what is next for The Forum and the field of education abroad in the next 20 years. View the recording of their conversation:
Achievements in the Past 20 Years
The Forum is proud of all that we have accomplished for the field of education abroad and look forward to many more years of living out our mission: to cultivate educators who champion high-quality education abroad experiences that ignite curiosity, impact lives, and contribute to a better world.
Some of our accomplishments include:
- Our commitment to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion and eliminating structural racism and inequities within the organization, the field of education abroad, and our communities. Learn more about our EDI efforts
- The work of our 17+ Committees, Working Groups and Task Forces, who volunteer their time to a variety of projects and activities. Find out how you can be involved
- The development and continuous updating of The Forum’s publication to ensure that we are setting the standards and providing timely guidance to the field of education abroad. Review our publications
- Professional development opportunities, which are at the core of The Forum’s work. We provide a wide range of workshops, webinars, conferences, and events for all of our colleagues in the field of international education. This allows us to offer professionals the tools to ensure that education abroad programs maintain their high quality. Browse The Forum’s training and events
The Power of Forum Membership
Being a Forum member brings countless benefits to you and your organization. Curious about why your institution should be a member or need to be reminded of why being a member is so important? Read Why Join The Forum.
Browse Memories from the Last 20 Years
Enjoy special moments from the last 20 years of The Forum! Special thanks to all who contributed their photos. Want to share your Forum memories? Email info@forumea.org or use the hashtag #ForumCelebrates20 when posting your images on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
Advice to Future International Educators
Founding Board Member Mark Scheid shares six tips with the next generation of leaders in education abroad:
