There is only so much that can be learned in East Lansing or on any other American campus about cultures and societies outside our borders. Direct exposure and experience onsite in another country and culture provide the essential opportunities for learning at greater speed and depth. We need to provide opportunities in all of the world's major regions-Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, as well as in developed and developing countries. The study abroad initiative at Michigan State University offers a model for promoting universal access to high- quality educational programs abroad through cost containment, expanded and enhanced program choices, and integration and collaboration across the curriculum. We seek to democratize the opportunity for study abroad, transforming it into an affordable, normal and valued element of student life, and integrating it fully into the undergraduate educational experience.
Study abroad can be the catalyst for a much broader vision of internationalization.
Students who return from study abroad help to further internationalize the campus environment by sharing their experiences with others. Faculty who lead study abroad programs themselves become more internationalized, and they, too, carry their new knowledge into the on-campus environment and into the classroom. We at MSU believe that study abroad is a critical component of students' learning and one that will help them thrive as citizens in a global environment. We believe that our study abroad initiative is important in further internationalizing our on-campus environment. We also believe that benefits should be shared with Michigan communities to support citizens, schools and the state economy.