Strategic Plan 2018-2020 Internal Version including Objectives Adopted March 23, 2018 What We Believe NAFSA believes that international education advances learning and scholarship, fosters understanding and respect among people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, is essential for developing globally competent individuals, and builds leadership for the global community. We believe that international education lies at the core of an interconnected world characterized by peace, security, and well-being for all. NAFSA believes that diversity in our classrooms, our communities, and our workplaces is our strength. Values What We Do NAFSA is the largest and most comprehensive association of professionals committed to advancing international higher education. Based in the United States, we provide programs, products, services, and a physical and virtual meeting space for the worldwide community of international educators. The association provides leadership to its varied constituencies through establishing principles of good practice and providing professional development opportunities. NAFSA encourages networking among professionals, convenes conferences and collaborative dialogues, and promotes research and knowledge creation to strengthen and serve the field. We lead the way in advocating for a better world through international education. Mission Our Aspirations NAFSA aspires to an environment in which every student and scholar seeking the benefits of international education finds a path, and every institution of higher education integrates international perspectives into its teaching, research, and service missions. We aspire to enlightened international relations, a globally engaged citizenry, and a more peaceful world. Vision Our Operating Values We pride ourselves in providing high quality programs, products, and services. Through our work in international education, we foster diversity and inclusion. As a self-supporting, notfor-profit organization, we depend on effective governance and on a strong, increasingly diverse financial foundation. We celebrate innovation and value highly talented volunteer Operating Values
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 2 leaders and staff. We commit to working in a professional and collegial manner and to respecting others values which are at the heart of international education. Our Strategic Goals (numbered for reference are of equal importance) 1. Advocate for public policies that lead to a more globally informed, welcoming, and engaged United States. In the debate about America s future, we stand among those who see the United States as part of the global community, and we seek common purpose with other organizations whose missions and values intersect with ours. We advocate for U.S. policies that foster a more peaceful world, result in a commonsense immigration process, foster global competitiveness, encourage enlightened global engagement, and sustain an informed civic culture through international education. Vice President for Public Policy & Practice 1.1. Ensure the global competency of U.S. college graduates through public policies that establish study abroad as a pillar of U.S. higher education, provide greater international service learning and internship opportunities, and promote foreign language learning and area studies. 1.2. Enact a commonsense immigration process based on facts, fairness, and a shared future that addresses the shortcomings of the legal immigration system; provides a roadmap to those aspiring to U.S. citizenship currently living in the shadows; and creates a welcoming and attractive environment for international students and scholars seeking to study, teach, or conduct research, thereby contributing to the economy of the United States. Public Policy Committee of the Board 1.3. In collaboration with the peace building community, promote the concept of peace as integral to the United States ability to foster a world in which all nations can prosper and be secure, and continue to assert the centrality of international education to building a more peaceful global community. 1.4. Cultivate future collaborations with organizations and movements whose values intersect with ours to advocate for policies that value diversity, openness to the world, equal access to opportunity, and the interconnectedness of global society.
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 3 2. Support the integration of global perspectives throughout higher education by furthering comprehensive internationalization. The twenty-first century demands strategic and holistic institutional approaches to internationalization throughout higher education. Integrated and comprehensive internationalization requires collaboration to transform the academic, administrative, and student services sectors. We serve those leading internationalization, those internationalizing the curriculum, and those supporting student and scholar mobility to achieve student learning and institutional outcomes that include international perspectives. 2.1. Identify and disseminate information about a broad variety of successful campus and accreditation efforts that focus on outcomes assessment of internationalization related to the institution and to student learning. 2.2. Collaborate with faculty, deans, and other academic administrators to support and encourage internationalization of their curricula, furthering our efforts and strategically increasing the number of disciplines served. 2.3. Provide senior international officers and all those leading internationalization with a complete range of resources to initiate or advance the process. 2.4. Define NAFSA s role and move to implement strategies to support internationalizing general education and the broader curriculum and develop resources for faculty, scholars, administrators, and staff that strengthen their understanding of global learning in order to help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to engage with the world. 2.5. Recognize the importance of second or additional language acquisition for native English speakers and stress the collaboration between such language acquisition, education abroad, and international educators. 2.6. Identify and disseminate models of institutional policies and practices in recruitment, reward, and regard of faculty and staff who foster internationalization. 2.7. Identify and disseminate model practices in administration, institutional partnership building, global teaching and learning, scholarship and research, and student services that further internationalization. TLS, IEL IEL, TLS, and IEL SIS Committee of the Board, TLS TLS, EA, IEL, IEM, ISSS, SIS Committee of the Board
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 4 3. Encourage and support global learning for students, scholars, and educators. Intercultural learning opportunities are foundational to the development of global competence. We serve institutions and others committed to expanding the number, types, and quality of opportunities as well as the range of involved students, scholars, and educators. We support meaningful crossborder mobility, virtual collaborations, and interactive connections among culturally diverse communities. 3.1. Encourage further development of practices that increase the number, diversity of and support for U.S. students participating in education abroad and enhance their experience. 3.2. Encourage further development of practices that increase the number, diversity of and support for international students enrolling in higher education institutions in the United States and enhance their experience. 3.3 Highlight model practices to increase faculty and scholar mobility, both to and from the United States. 3.4 Create campus advocacy tools that articulate the importance of international and intercultural education, building community relationships, and are tailored for different types of institutions and campus departments. 3.5 Identify and disseminate a broad variety of model practices to integrate global perspectives and competencies into the curriculum and student life, especially those that integrate international experiences of various students and scholars. 3.6. Identify and disseminate model practices that encourage virtual collaborations and interactive connections to complement student and scholar international mobility programs. 3.7. Explore our role in supporting international education and global learning at the secondary school level. EA, EA-RP IEM, ISSS, ISS-RP IEL, ISSS, TLS, EA, IEL, ISSS, TLS, EA, ISSS, TLS EA, IEM, ISSS, TLS, EA, ISS-RP,, ISSS, IEM
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 5 4. Identify critical trends and issues, and champion responses that advance international education As the largest and most comprehensive association dedicated to international education, we embrace our leadership responsibility to continually scan the social, economic, and political environment to anticipate, interpret, and analyze the trends and issues affecting international education. We engage with international educators, faculty, higher education leaders, government, and business stakeholders to assess implications and recommend actions to ensure the growth and quality of international education. 4.1. Encourage, distill and disseminate leading research in international education to inform the professional development and practice of our members. 4.2. Increase the number and variety of articles, monographs, and e- publications that focus on critical trends and issues and respect association priorities. TLS, Senior Fellows Senior Fellows 4.3. Become a major source for dissemination of research that informs practice, and practice that informs research, through connections with respected organizations and institutions conducting research relevant to the field. 4.4. Identify critical research gaps and work with educational institutions and organizations to commission research. 4.5. Convene thought leaders from within and outside the field to develop insights and establish innovative new directions to encourage international education. Senior Fellows, TLS, 4.6. Deepen awareness of global trends and developments in higher education through increased content in conferences, learning events, and other resources. 4.7. Maintain NAFSA as an indispensable source of guidance to U.S. government agencies in forming regulations and practice policies that affect student and scholar mobility. All KCs,, EA-RP, ISS-RP
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 6 5. Create and disseminate knowledge and resources and provide professional development opportunities responsive to the ever-changing needs of the field. Recognizing the dynamic growth and increasing complexity of the field of international education, we serve the needs of the full range of international education professionals at all types of institutions and organizations. We serve professionals throughout their careers. To advance the field, we offer cuttingedge learning opportunities and the essential resources needed to increase professional effectiveness. 5.1. Continue to develop and refine core professional learning products, programs, services, and conferences. All KCs,, 5.2. Continue to create and provide knowledge for members and nonmembers throughout their career development and across all international education knowledge communities and diverse populations, emphasizing management and strategy areas. 5.3. Create resources and programs that demonstrate the contribution of international education to peace and justice and the development of a global civil society. 5.4. Increase professional development opportunities that showcase model practices informed by theory and evidence-based research. All KCs,,, All KCs,, 5.5. Create innovative platforms that facilitate NAFSA members expertise and promote peer-to-peer learning. 5.6. Ensure user-friendly presentation of programs and resources online to facilitate access to appropriate resources.
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 7 6. Deepen and broaden NAFSA s engagement with individuals and groups whose work contributes to the success of international education, through mutually beneficial collaboration. We seek engagement with students, scholars, educators, communities, businesses, associations, research organizations, governments, and others. Our members are deeply committed to engagement with all those who share NAFSA s vision and values. 6.1. Invest in innovative technologies to improve NAFSA s capacity to identify, collaborate, and communicate with NAFSA members, potential members and stakeholders. 6.2. Strengthen engagement with current members by understanding their perspectives and effectively serving their needs. 6.3. Enhance and promote an organizational culture that values and models diversity and inclusion. 6.4. Identify, recognize, and effectively collaborate with individuals who strengthen NAFSA by actively contributing their leadership, intellectual capital, and service. 6.5 Cultivate and support leaders and volunteers from throughout the membership. 6.6 Identify the diverse range of possible new NAFSA members and employ strategies to cultivate and to encourage them to engage in the life of the association. Membership Engagement Committee Membership Engagement Committee, All KCs,, Leadership Development Committee Membership Engagement Committee,, Organizational Advancement Committee of the Board 6.7 Deepen and broaden the partnership with the business community to articulate the benefits of preparing and employing globally competent individuals. 6.8 Develop and deepen strategic partnerships and initiatives with other organizations to advance international education.
Strategic Plan Objectives 2018-2020 Page 8 7. Continue to strengthen and diversify the association s revenue streams and organizational infrastructure to successfully meet the challenges of the future. The pace of change and innovation in higher education is leading us to new frontiers in international education. The expansion of the field requires innovation and entrepreneurial thinking to satisfy the needs of international educators. Our future success will demand even more resources and diverse approaches to resource development, as well as good stewardship of finances. 7.1. Identify new value-added product development opportunities that serve the field, support strategic priorities, and, wherever possible, yield additional revenue. 7.2. Expand and diversify sources of revenue in order to sustain and expand NAFSA benefits and services. Organizational Advancement Committee of the Board Organizational Advancement Committee of the Board 7.3 Increase corporate contributions, foundation underwriting, and individual giving for mission critical new initiatives and ongoing strategic work as consistent with our mission and values. 7.4 Expand collaborations with other organizations pursuing projects that are aligned with NAFSA s priorities and that yield revenue. 7.5 Adopt new technologies that are cost effective and value added.