The world is more connected than it has ever been, from the people we interact with, how we conduct our business, and who we have the opportunity to serve. As a result, students who graduate college today will join an increasingly global workforce. Their ability and opportunities to step into global engagement and service cannot be left up to chance.
Faith-based institutions, especially, have a responsibility to participate in greater global citizenship in response to God’s call to bless and serve all nations. Developing a global mindset in students is not only essential to preparing them to step into their vocation after college, but also for shaping them into leaders on mission who can minister to a world in need.
In a day and age when colleges around the nation are cutting global study programs as a means of institutional belt-tightening, I urge American institutions to find other ways to meet expense reductions. After all, American higher education is the global gold standard for good reason, and a key element of our nation’s strength has come from deeper and broader global engagement for generations of college students. Global engagement can – and must – be a holistic component of the university experience for every student through study-abroad opportunities and by bringing the world to campus.
After all, none of us can reach a world that we do not understand. Too often, global engagement is simply limited to one-off abroad programs or short-term international trips. Studying abroad should not be an opportunity for tourism that is open only to wealthy students. These opportunities should instead be seen as the catalyst for a life-long pursuit of cross-cultural learning experiences and global service.
As the Dean of Global Engagement at Taylor University, I have witnessed firsthand how demand is growing among students for international engagement opportunities. Across the country, I am pleased that study abroad programs are finally on the rebound after the pandemic. This trend is reflected in our own institution as we send 25% of our student body to study internationally each year, including through a month-long program each January (J-Term) or through semester-long programs. This past academic year Taylor students traveled to 25 countries and areas of the world, and we are always scouting out new places in the world for our students to engage.
Students return from these study abroad or international mission trips with greater empathy, cultural intelligence, and a more global perspective. In fact, 84% of students who studied abroad report feeling more equipped to enter the workforce – along with 80% who reported that studying abroad increased their ability to adapt to diverse work environments. Making global engagement a central part of students’ experience benefits not only them, but also the future of the workplaces they will join.
However, the unfortunate reality at the national level is that a gap exists between students’ desire to study abroad and their ability to pursue these opportunities. Though 72% of students are interested in studying abroad, only 10% do so before they graduate. And even more, the number of colleges that list international education as one of their top five priorities has dropped nearly 20% since 2012.
We cannot allow students – or the importance of global engagement – to fall between the gaps. While all students may not have the opportunity to study abroad, they should all have opportunities to engage in cross-cultural learning on campus. For example, at Taylor University, we bring the world to campus through events like Mosaic Night, which highlights the diverse cultures represented in our student body by inviting them to share cuisines and performances that reflect their home countries. Making intercultural learning opportunities accessible to all students is the first step toward creating a strong foundation for the future for global engagement, both within our campuses and beyond.
By fostering an environment where global engagement is not just encouraged but integrated into the fabric of our educational system, we prepare students to thrive in an interconnected world. Encouraging international students on US campuses not only enhances the learning experience for all but also strengthens the global perspective and empathy of future leaders, equipping them to navigate and address complex global challenges with greater cultural intelligence and understanding.
Today, faith-based institutions have the opportunity to lead the way in prioritizing and reimagining global engagement. The problems facing our world only continue to grow more and more complex, and it will be the next generation of globally-minded leaders who rise up to provide solutions. Ensuring that they know the world they are ministering to empowers them to address these challenges with boldness and conviction, armed with redemptive love, grace, and truth that our world so desperately needs.
