The Office for Education Abroad at Michigan State University (MSU) is proud to be able to provide high-quality learning abroad programs and excellent services that contribute to cultivating globally-engaged citizen leaders who are ready to change the world.

For decades, institutions and individuals have celebrated the benefits of international education each November during International Education Week.

This year, MSU continues to be recognized as a national leader, ranking 12th in the 2020 Open Doors® report sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. This marks the 23rd year in a row that MSU has been ranked in the top 20 institutions for the number of U.S. students who study abroad for academic credit, sending more than 2,600 students abroad in the 2018-19 academic year. At MSU, more than a quarter of Spartans have participated in at least one education abroad program upon graduation.

MSU was also recently ranked #1 for study abroad among public universities (tied for 13th overall) in U.S. News & World Report Best College Ranking. This was the second consecutive year for this ranking that looks at schools with substantial academic work and considerable interaction between the student and the culture. Nominations came from college presidents, chief academic officers, deans of students and deans of admissions from more than 1,500 schools.

Despite the significant impact of COVID-19 on international travel, MSU continues to innovate and provide opportunities to students to engage in cultures different from their own and gain meaningful skills that can position them for academic and professional success.

• A series of virtual webinars are now offered throughout the year to ensure students have the necessary information and tools needed to begin planning for a successful experience abroad. 
• Updates to the Education Abroad webpage will provide a more intuitive experience for students navigating the process of exploring and planning for an experience abroad.
• A suite of virtual learning materials will soon be available for the MSU community to access that offers an in-depth and interactive international experience to any Spartan who can’t physically travel.
• The newly established First-Gen Education Abroad Scholarship is available to students who plan to study abroad for a semester or more and are the first in their family to attend a four-year college or receive a college degree.
• New funding offered to faculty-directed programs that encourages innovative programming that relates directly to MSU’s Learning Design Strategy and the framework of Quality, Inclusivity and Connectivity.  

In addition to helping students stay inspired to study abroad, new programs have been established to assist MSU degree-seeking international students who cannot return to East Lansing due to the pandemic. Study Away at Home program offers in-person course delivery at more than 20 of MSU’s partner institutions around the world (excluding China). For Chinese students currently living in China, a special customized China-Based Semester program allows continuing MSU students to take courses at Nanjing Agricultural University in Nanjing or Fudan University in Shanghai.

Moving forward, Bartzis is confident that MSU will continue to find creative ways for students to engage in global learning.

“MSU faculty are thoughtfully building international perspectives into their courses, through expanded content and virtual engagement with classrooms around the world.”

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Photos by McKenzie Farthing.  Read her story Program fuels passion to work with underserved populations