The Global Learning Launchpad aims to: 

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning in faculty-led short-term programs using evidence-based practices and the Standards of Good Practice in Education Abroad;
• Support the development of short-term programs that minimize distinctions between what constitutes “academic” learning and other domains of significant learning (e.g., civic, intercultural, global, civic, professional, etc.);
• Improve the design and use of critical reflection in short-term programs as an engine for dialogue, mutual learning, and developmental relationships;
• Cultivate a community of educators and practitioner-scholars committed to:
  • examining the value-laden elements of their teaching and learning practices, and
  • working together to create learning experiences that are culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate and equity centered.
• Strengthen faculty agency in documenting and communicating the impact stories of their work. 

• Access to a network of colleagues steeped in the Standards of Good Practice in Education Abroad and in design and assessment of global learning. 

• Access to 1:1 and small group coaching. 

• Increased confidence in yourself as a program leader and reflective educator. 

• A sense of belonging to a community of educators with shared interests and concerns. 

• Accountability support to meet desired teaching and learning goals. 

• An enriched teaching portfolio to document excellence in their use of education abroad at their home institution.

• An outsourced, cost-effective learning and mentoring community from the federally recognized Standards Development Organization for the field of education abroad.   

• Efficient, on-demand delivery of professional development training and support.  

• Enhanced course/program designs that help to showcase the value of education abroad as a high impact educational practice.

The GLL is organized as a faculty/professional learning community. For Spring 2023, There will be two cohorts for applicants to choose from enabling participants to have a balance of flexibility, structure and accountability to achieve their teaching and learning goals. Each cohort is limited to a maximum enrollment of 15 participants. 

• Virtual Cohort – All monthly meetings are held synchronously online.  
• Hybrid Cohort – Four of the five monthly meetings will be held synchronously online.  The March 2023 meeting will consist of a full day onsite community meeting, networking and supplementary learning opportunities provided during The Forum’s Annual Conference in Seattle. Note: Attendance at the Annual meeting in Seattle is a requirement for inclusion in the hybrid cohort. 

Common Elements

In both, learning community meetings will be complemented by asynchronous, self-directed learning modules, assignments and peer coaching that support participants in developing/revising key materials in their course/program as well as documenting their teaching.  

Examples include: 

• • Short term study program design  
  • Program/Course syllabus including refined academic, program and global learning goals and objectives 
  • Critical reflection strategy to guide the full course/program (before, during and after) including a sample reflection assigment, facilitation plan and assessment plan
  • Signature assessment 
  • Assessment/Evaluation Plan 
  • Teaching Philosophy/Impact Statement

• Intended Audience(s): novice or seasoned educators leading faculty-led short-term study abroad programs.  
• This program requires an application. Applications received will be reviewed for alignment between the individual goals, those of the program, as well as The Forum’s strategic priorities.  

Ideal applicants will: 

• Have already been actively working with their international office to develop their new course/program or have already taught their course/program at least once.    
• Have a teaching and learning question(s) that they are curious about, are committed to address and would working through their questions in a community environment.  
• Commit to attend and be an active participant in all the monthly meetings.  

Additional considerations: 

This program is intended to focus specifically on enhancing instructional design and facilitation, curriculum development, and learning outcomes in education abroad programs; while participants will have access to peer coaching support in relation to other facets of the program director role during the Launchpad program, the program administrator role is not the primary focus of this program. Rather, we will engage with the Standards of Good Practice in Short Term Programs and related Guidelines as springboards to improve teaching and learning across all phases of a short-term program. 

The Forum has other learning opportunities and workshops to aid program directors in developing expertise in all areas of program administration and leadership as outlined in the Standards of Good Practice. For those seeking to a deep dive into these areas, check out other upcoming learning opportunities. 

Questions? Contact Mary Price, pricemar@forumea.org

Hybrid Cohort 

Virtual Cohort 

Not sure if your institution is a member of The Forum? Many are. Check here. 

Group Discounts

Institutions that enroll 3+ educators in the program are eligible for $50 per person reduction.  This discount applies to all institutions.

NOTE: Individual cohorts are limited to no more than 3 individuals from the same institution. Groups may apply to be split across the virtual and hybrid cohorts.

Scholarships – A limited number of scholarships are available.  

Scholarships will be awarded based on the following factors:

• individual need and alignment with professional goals,
• the degree to which the program expands access to education abroad [historically underrepresented groups, disciplines/professions, institutional types, etc.],
• the degree to which it strengthens academic integration of education abroad into departmental curricula,
• the degree to which the program furthers strategic internationalization of the department, institution or discipline.

Requests for scholarship support are integrated into the main application. 

The 2023 working schedule for the two cohorts is listed below.  2024 dates will be posted in August.

Global Learning Launchpad​
VIRTUAL Cohort Meeting Schedule​
Spring 2023

Global Learning Launchpad​
HYBRID Meeting Schedule​
Spring 2023

While Forum scholarship funds for the GLL are limited.  There may be untapped sources of support available locally at your institution.  Whether or not you institution has an education abroad office, there are others often have funds, and interest, to sponsor your participation in a program like the Global Learning Launchpad.  Some of these include: 

• Faculty Administrators: Deans, department chairs and provosts 
• EA adjacent Offices: High Impact Practices office, internship, civic engagement or community-based learning office, student affairs office, undergraduate research offices, STEM education offices, DEI offices, etc. 
• Instructional Support Offices: Centers for instructional excellence 

How you frame the request, and the outcomes of your work matters.  These resources may help:

• Strategies To Get Support & Make the Ask Downloadable PDF 
• Making the ask – here’s a template letter you can adapt for you context to make the ask: Getting Support_Faculty Request_Template

Be patient and keep asking.  If you know of others that have successfully requested support, consider having a conversation with them to learn about their experience and approach. 

Things to be mindful of as you develop your request for support: 

• Assume that you can be successful.  It is easy to assume that the answer will always be “no,” particularly when campus budgets are shrinking and carry that mindset into the room.  Administrators often are looking to engage faculty in critical initiatives.  Remember, many administrators were once in your shoes!  This is your opportunity to make your case and share your vision. 

• Know your context.  Is there an aspect of your dept./school/org./institutional mission that your request aligns with?  Is there a key initiative or accreditation visit on the horizon?  How might your participation serve both your own interests and advance institutional goals and priorities?  

• Be clear on how and why this opportunity aligns with your own value commitments and career goals.  How does your interest in education abroad, and participation in the program, align with who you are as an educator, a scholar, or an administrator?  How will your participation further your growth and development? 

• Have a plan. Develop a list of potential supporters and consider what your specific request and what some of the common objectives might be. Develop responses to these.   Set up a meeting with individuals on your list. 

• Stay the course.  Don’t let one or two “no’s” discourage you.  It may take several asks or approaching different administrators before you receive support. 
• Make sure to follow up. If your supporter says “yes” then send an email to follow up and solidify the agreement.  If you receive a message of “maybe” then send an email to formalize your request and provide additional information to strengthen your request.  If your supporter responds “no” or “not at this time,”  send an email to thank them for their time and move on to the next individual on your list.

• Do I have to be at a Forum member institution to be accepted into one of the cohorts?
  • Answer: No, this program is open to individuals outside the Forum Network

• When does the application window open?
  • Answer: The application window opens on October 1st and closes on November 28th.

• What is needed for the application?
  • Answer: There is an online application to complete.  The application has 5 parts:  1) Background information 2) a personal statement (400-500 words) that describes their interests in global learning, their interest in the program and a teaching and learning question that they hope to address, 3) sample teaching documents; applicants are asked to append draft copies of a syllabus, program proposal and assignment and 4) scholarship consideration information.   

• Are there scholarships available? 
  • Answer: Yes, there are a limited number of scholarships available to support participation.  There are four scholarships of $500 each for the virtual cohort and 4 scholarships of $750 dollars each for the hybrid cohort. We also have resources to help prospective participants to solicit sponsorship from their own institutions – see the section on this webpage called “Strategies to Get Support to Participate.”  

• Is there a separate application for the scholarship? 
  • Answer:  No, this is integrated into the program application. 

• Are there group discounts?
  • Answer:  Yes, group discounts are available. Institutions that enroll 3+ educators in the program are eligible for $50 per person reduction.  This discount applies to all institutions. NOTE: Individual cohorts are limited to no more than 3 individuals from the same institution. Groups may apply to be split across the virtual and hybrid cohorts.