Institute for the International Education of Students

The Institute for the International Education of Students, or IES Abroad, is a non-profit study abroad organization that administers study abroad programs for U.S. college-aged students.[2] Founded in 1950 as the Institute of European Studies, the organization has since been renamed to reflect additional offerings in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. The organization now provides more than 125+ programs in 19 countries and 33 cities. Over 150,000 students have studied abroad on IES Abroad programs since its founding, with more than 10,000 students studying abroad each year.[3]

IES Abroad
Founded1950[1]
FounderPaul Koutny, Clarence Giese, Alberta Giese
TypeNot-for-profit
(IRS exemption status): 501(c)(3)
FocusEducation, Study Abroad, Intercultural leadership
Location
Area served
Global
Key people
Gregory D. Hess, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Employees250+
Websitewww.iesabroad.org
Formerly called
The Institute of European Studies
Member of NAFSA, Forum on education abroad, and Diversity Abroad

IES Abroad has an Academic Consortium composed of over 200 academic institutions.[4] It offers over $6 million in scholarships to help finance qualified students abroad.[5] In accordance with its mission and vision statement, IES Abroad highlights cultural immersion through the use of homestays and field trips to "[promote] the development of interculturally-competent leaders."[6] IES Abroad's services include pre-departure advising, visa assistance, alumni mentors, and safety plans at Centers abroad.[7] IES Abroad has a diversity initiative[2][8] and a green initiative.[9]

History

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IES Abroad offered its first program in September 1950, when Paul Koutny, an Austrian student living in the U.S. on a Fulbright scholarship, brought American students to live and study in Vienna, Austria for a year.[10] Two of the students from the original program, newlyweds Clarence and Alberta Giese, returned after the program inspired to help other students study abroad. From their Chicago home, they worked with Koutny to recruit more students and send them abroad.[11]

William Louis Gaines, the son of a railroad worker who served in World War II and marched with Martin Luther King Jr., served as president of IES from 1974 until his 1992 retirement "through some of its most challenging years".[12]

IES Abroad developed a Model Assessment Practice [13] in 1999 as a framework for the design, development, and evaluation of programs of study abroad. This program formed the basis for the standards of the Forum on Education Abroad adopted by the field.[14] In 2010, IES Abroad was the first third-party provider to receive the Forum on Education Abroad's Category 2b Quality Improvement Designation, which involves independent reviewers using evaluation systems to make program improvements. [15]

Notable alumni

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "About Us | IES Abroad | Study Abroad". IES Abroad. Archived from the original on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  2. ^ a b Hu, Helen (12 April 2012). "Educators discuss strategies to diversify pool of study-abroad students". Diverse Issues in Higher Education.[dead link]
  3. ^ "We We Are". IES Abroad. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  4. ^ Twombly, Susan; Salisbury, Mark; Turmanut, Shannon (2012). Study Abroad in a New Global Century. Wiley. p. 34. ISBN 9781118520697.
  5. ^ "Study Abroad | Scholarship & Aid". IES Abroad. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Mission & Vision | IES Abroad | Study Abroad". IES Abroad. Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  7. ^ "Safety | IES Abroad". 3 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Diversity Abroad | IES Abroad | Study Abroad". IES Abroad. Archived from the original on 2012-07-21. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  9. ^ "Go Green Initiative | IES Abroad | Study Abroad". IES Abroad. 3 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  10. ^ "History | IES Abroad". 17 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  11. ^ Salts, Josh (20 Jan 2011). "Educational Pioneers Archived 2013-10-05 at the Wayback Machine" Battleboro Reformer. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  12. ^ Yates, Jon, "William Louis Gaines" (obituary), Chicago Tribune, February 11, 2005. Retrieved 2017-06-17.
  13. ^ "MAP Series | IES Abroad". 10 August 2012.
  14. ^ Gillespie, Joan et al., "Holistic Student Learning and Development Abroad: The IES 3-D Program Model," The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad at 457 (2009).
  15. ^ Forum on Education Abroad (2010). "Quality Improvement Program (QUIP) for Education Abroad Archived 2014-01-25 at the Wayback Machine". Retrieved 6 August 2013.
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