NAFSA: Association of International Educators
Encyclopedia
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a non-profit professional organization
for professionals in all areas of international education
including education abroad advising
and administration, international student
advising, campus internationalization, admissions, outreach, overseas advising, and English as a Second Language (ESL) administration. As of 2010, it served approximately 10,000 educators worldwide, representing nearly 3,000 higher education institutions.
Meredith M. McQuaid, JD, Associate Vice President and Dean for International Programs at the University of Minnesota
, will become NAFSA President and Chair or the Board of Directors
effect January 1, 2011.
of American college and university officials responsible for assisting and advising the 25,000 foreign students who had come to study in the United States
after World War II
. Members included academic institutions, government agencies and private organizations. The association's scope soon expanded to include admissions personnel, English-language specialists, and the community volunteers who played an important role in helping foreign students become acclimated to American college communities. To reflect this growing and increasingly diverse membership, in 1964 the association changed its name to the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs
.
By 1990, as the number of foreign students in the United States approached the 400,000 mark, there were 6,400 NAFSA members on 1,800 campuses, and increasing numbers of U.S. students were studying abroad
. To reflect the now well-established role of NAFSA members in all aspects of international education and exchange, the name of the association was changed once more. In May 1990 the membership formally renamed the organization NAFSA: Association of International Educators, retaining the acronym to reflect NAFSA's proud past and broad name recognition.
sponsor 15 professional networks, and two special focus groups.
, Admissions and Credential Evaluation Network, English Language Training & Administration Network, Marketing and Recruiting Network, Overseas Educational Advising Network and Sponsored Program Administration Network.
Professional body
A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a...
for professionals in all areas of international education
International education
International education can mean many different things and its definition is debated. Some have defined two general meanings according to its involvement of students...
including education abroad advising
Academic advising
Academic advising, based in the teaching and learning mission of higher education, is a series of intentional interactions with a curriculum, a pedagogy, and a set of student learning outcomes...
and administration, international student
International student
According to Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development , international students are those who travel to a country different from their own for the purpose of tertiary study. Despite that, the definition of international students varies in each country in accordance to their own national...
advising, campus internationalization, admissions, outreach, overseas advising, and English as a Second Language (ESL) administration. As of 2010, it served approximately 10,000 educators worldwide, representing nearly 3,000 higher education institutions.
Meredith M. McQuaid, JD, Associate Vice President and Dean for International Programs at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, will become NAFSA President and Chair or the Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
effect January 1, 2011.
History
NAFSA was founded in 1948 as the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers to promote the professional developmentProfessional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
of American college and university officials responsible for assisting and advising the 25,000 foreign students who had come to study in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Members included academic institutions, government agencies and private organizations. The association's scope soon expanded to include admissions personnel, English-language specialists, and the community volunteers who played an important role in helping foreign students become acclimated to American college communities. To reflect this growing and increasingly diverse membership, in 1964 the association changed its name to the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs
Student Affairs
Student affairs staff provide services and support for students at institutions of higher education to enhance student growth and development in the United States and abroad....
.
By 1990, as the number of foreign students in the United States approached the 400,000 mark, there were 6,400 NAFSA members on 1,800 campuses, and increasing numbers of U.S. students were studying abroad
Study abroad
Studying abroad is the act of a student pursuing educational opportunities in a country other than one's own. This can include primary, secondary and post-secondary students...
. To reflect the now well-established role of NAFSA members in all aspects of international education and exchange, the name of the association was changed once more. In May 1990 the membership formally renamed the organization NAFSA: Association of International Educators, retaining the acronym to reflect NAFSA's proud past and broad name recognition.
Mission
NAFSA's mission, as stated in 2010, is NAFSA is to advance international education and exchange and global workforce development. NAFSA serves international educators and their institutions and organizations by establishing principles of good practice, providing training and professional development opportunities, providing networking opportunities, and advocating for international education.Knowledge Communities
NAFSA's five Knowledge CommunitiesKnowledge community
A knowledge community is community construct, stemming from the convergence of knowledge management as a field of study and social exchange theory. Formerly known as a discourse community and having evolved from forums and web forums, knowledge communities are now often referred to as a community...
sponsor 15 professional networks, and two special focus groups.
Education Abroad
The Knowledge Community for Education Abroad (EA) serves professionals who advise U.S. students engaging in study, internship, work, and volunteer opportunities abroad; directors and administrators of such programs; representatives of overseas institutions that accept U.S. students; and faculty and administrators involved in international educational exchange. EA supports three networks and one special focus group: The Education Abroad Knowledge Community Network (EAKC-Network), Center for Capacity Building in Study Abroad Network and the Special Focus Network: Simon Act Initiatives.International Education Leadership
This knowledge community addresses the needs of international professionals engaged in visioning, coordinating, and building commitment for internationalization, working at the nexus of administration, faculty, and international education services. Senior international officers, directors of international education, and others in similar positions who lead internationalization efforts on their campuses, or hope to do so in the future, can benefit from subscribing to this network. Two networks support IEL activities: Leading Internationalization Network and International Education Leader Development Network.International Student and Scholar Services
This knowledge community provides professional development opportunities for international student and scholar advisers and for those who work or volunteer in campus-and community-based international programming. Three networks support ISSS activities: International Student Advising Network, International Scholar Advising Network, Campus and Community Programming Network.Recruitment, Admissions, and Preparation
Recruitment, Admissions, and Preparation (RAP) Knowledge Community (KC) addresses the needs of professionals working in admissions, recruitment, enrollment management, marketing, credential evaluation, intensive English programs, sponsored program agencies, and overseas advising. Six networks support RAP activities: Special Focus Network: Bologna ProcessBologna process
The purpose of the Bologna Process is the creation of the European Higher Education Area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe, in particular under the Lisbon Recognition Convention...
, Admissions and Credential Evaluation Network, English Language Training & Administration Network, Marketing and Recruiting Network, Overseas Educational Advising Network and Sponsored Program Administration Network.
Teaching, Learning and Scholarship
The Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship knowledge community (TLS) fosters connections among scholarship, policy, and practice in international education. Three networks support TLS activities: Research and Scholarship Network, Intercultural Communication & Training Network and Internationalizing Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum.NAFSA Regions
The NAFSA U.S. membership is divided into 11 geographic regions. Regional leadership teams organize conferences, state meetings and workshops for member states. The 11 NAFSA regions are as follows:| Region | Membership States |
|---|---|
| I | Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska |
| II | Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, Arizona |
| III | Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana |
| IV | North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri |
| V | Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan |
| VI | Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky |
| VII | Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Puerto Rica, U.S. Virgin Islands |
| VIII | Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington DC |
| X | New York, New Jersey |
| XI | Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut |
| XII | California, Nevada, Hawaii |