Networking: Join the Education Abroad Community
Professional Organizations
There are two professional organizations you must know. You don’t have to join but you should be familiar with each organization and how the two differ.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
NAFSA is the largest professional association dedicated to international education. Although it is US-based, NAFSA members (10,000+) come from all over the world. Since it is so huge, they break it down into subgroups. There are 11 geographic regions and 5 different Knowledge Communities (KC). Education Abroad is the KC for study abroad professionals. You can also find a number of knowledge communities and member interest groups (MIGs) if you are interested in Francophone issues, GLBT, etc. The "Explore Careers" section contains information on career paths in international education. This is an excellent starting point.
The Forum on Education Abroad
Unlike NAFSA, The Forum on Education Abroad is exclusively focused on study abroad. The Forum spearheads research on policy issues such as standards of best practice, student learning outcomes, and the state of the field. The Forum is working to professionalize the delivery of education abroad. Make sure to check out their Pathways to the Profession publication to get a feel for job titles, salary ranges, hot topics, etc. Also not to be missed is the Glossary of Education Abroad Terminology in case you want to familiarize yourself with the lingo.
International Education Conferences
Consider attending state, regional, or national conferences sponsored by NAFSA and the FORUM. Attending a conference costs money, but it is a perfect way to see if study abroad is the right fit. This is so important before you plan to invest in a graduate degree related to
international education. You will “just know” if it feels like the right (or the wrong) career. While at conference you can hear about hot topics and best practices in the field, providing an insider’s view and a leg up for the interview stage.
To help with the cost of attendance, you consider volunteering in exchange for a portion of your conference fees. Volunteering alongside existing professionals is a wonderful way to network and get your name out there. If you can’t swing high travel costs, try a NAFSA regional conference. It is usually easier to meet people at the smaller conferences.
TIP: Print business cards to take to the conference.
Study Abroad Listserv: SECUSS-L
SECUSS-L is an email listserv designed to help professionals in the education abroad sector share resources and information. It gets this strange name, SECUSSA (suh-koos-uh), from the former name of NAFSA’s Education Abroad Knowledge Community, the SECtion on US Students Abroad. The listserv is a great way to study the education abroad culture. Current professionals ask questions, discuss hot topics, and post job openings. You can subscribe here.
Just be sure to follow etiquette and guidelines when receiving or posting to avoid making the wrong kind of first impression. Like with any new community, it is best to lay low and observe protocol before jumping in with a post. Don’t forget the community consists of your future employers and colleagues. Don’t post questions without checking the archives to see if someone has already asked the same question and never use the listserv for self-promotion.
There are two professional organizations you must know. You don’t have to join but you should be familiar with each organization and how the two differ.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
NAFSA is the largest professional association dedicated to international education. Although it is US-based, NAFSA members (10,000+) come from all over the world. Since it is so huge, they break it down into subgroups. There are 11 geographic regions and 5 different Knowledge Communities (KC). Education Abroad is the KC for study abroad professionals. You can also find a number of knowledge communities and member interest groups (MIGs) if you are interested in Francophone issues, GLBT, etc. The "Explore Careers" section contains information on career paths in international education. This is an excellent starting point.
The Forum on Education Abroad
Unlike NAFSA, The Forum on Education Abroad is exclusively focused on study abroad. The Forum spearheads research on policy issues such as standards of best practice, student learning outcomes, and the state of the field. The Forum is working to professionalize the delivery of education abroad. Make sure to check out their Pathways to the Profession publication to get a feel for job titles, salary ranges, hot topics, etc. Also not to be missed is the Glossary of Education Abroad Terminology in case you want to familiarize yourself with the lingo.
International Education Conferences
Consider attending state, regional, or national conferences sponsored by NAFSA and the FORUM. Attending a conference costs money, but it is a perfect way to see if study abroad is the right fit. This is so important before you plan to invest in a graduate degree related to
international education. You will “just know” if it feels like the right (or the wrong) career. While at conference you can hear about hot topics and best practices in the field, providing an insider’s view and a leg up for the interview stage.
To help with the cost of attendance, you consider volunteering in exchange for a portion of your conference fees. Volunteering alongside existing professionals is a wonderful way to network and get your name out there. If you can’t swing high travel costs, try a NAFSA regional conference. It is usually easier to meet people at the smaller conferences.
TIP: Print business cards to take to the conference.
Study Abroad Listserv: SECUSS-L
SECUSS-L is an email listserv designed to help professionals in the education abroad sector share resources and information. It gets this strange name, SECUSSA (suh-koos-uh), from the former name of NAFSA’s Education Abroad Knowledge Community, the SECtion on US Students Abroad. The listserv is a great way to study the education abroad culture. Current professionals ask questions, discuss hot topics, and post job openings. You can subscribe here.
Just be sure to follow etiquette and guidelines when receiving or posting to avoid making the wrong kind of first impression. Like with any new community, it is best to lay low and observe protocol before jumping in with a post. Don’t forget the community consists of your future employers and colleagues. Don’t post questions without checking the archives to see if someone has already asked the same question and never use the listserv for self-promotion.
