| | NOVEMBER 202419Teams for SuccessKey academic personnel in the conduct of any study abroad endeavor include the faculty supervisor, the course instructor(s), and in the event of a study tour, the travel chaperone. These roles should be clearly stated within the institution as the study abroad program is planned. Many institutions have offices for international travel or for study abroad, while others have individuals with assigned roles to facilitate semesters abroad. These individuals must work as a team within the institution in the planning and implementation of study abroad programming. The items such internal partners typically oversee include a) Course designations for credit; b) Travel policies, insurance, etc.; c) Supervision of planning, execution, and internal marketing; d) Instruction of relevant content (pre-, post-, or during); and e) In the event of a study tour, chaperoning to escort the group on behalf of the institution.In addition to the internal partners, it is most often preferable for an institution to engage an external travel partner. The external partner can be another academic institution designated for a semester abroad. The partner would assist in addressing such responsibilities as a) Advising (faculty or administrator support); b) Course scheduling; c) Living arrangements; d) Transportation needs; and e) Access to optional online courses. The external partner might also be a designated internship site. These partners must also assist with such responsibilities as a) Onsite supervision; b) Living arrangements; d) Transportation; and e) Virtual site visits.A third type of external partner is a professional travel planner and tour organizer. These professional partners arrange for all hotels, and transportation, and assist with many of the experiential learning opportunities as well. They plan an itinerary, including the logistics for various locations and the experiences to be offered. At times, these study tours can be packaged offerings. Or, providing the added benefits of a true partnership, the professional travel organizer can plan and implement a customized study tour specifically aligned for an established group.An example of a student in a semester abroad setting includes two universities, one in Virginia, USA, and one in Sydney, Australia. A student from George Mason University was taking a semester of relevant courses at the University of Technology-Sydney. While living in Sydney for a semester, she also took an online class at George Mason. The institutions cooperated to make for a valuable and thorough student experience. There are many examples, bi-directionally, of these types of international semesters abroad. In some instances, institutions even have exchange programs with commitments The study tour provides a condensed time abroad, yet attempts to provide access to locations and experiences that are relevant to the students’ educational interests and personal and career development.’ Educational travel manifests itself in two predominant formats: full-semester study abroad programs and more concentrated study toursto send students to their partner institutions. Another example is a student from the USA choosing to complete an internship overseas, in this case, in Taipei. A sample study tour program found a group of 18 sport management students, 12 from one university and six from another university, on a collaborative tour of Europe. The external partner, LanCon, provided the itinerary relevant to the needs of the programs. This European Model of Sport tour visited sports stadiums and FIFA headquarters and attended sporting events in several countries in Europe. Students were guided by a LanCon representative and had home faculty serve as chaperones. They had numerous guest lectures and active learning experiences. ConclusionWorking together as a team yields many benefits for student travelers and programs alike. For example, students gain knowledge that is complementary to the standard program curriculum. They expand their knowledge base on specific subjects and regions. Perhaps most importantly, students learn about a different culture as they immerse themselves in the location and/or experiences provided. In addition to students, the programs themselves garner benefits. Studying abroad enhances the opportunity for the internationalization of all program content. Study abroad programs increase program visibility in foreign destinations, ultimately diversifying the student population. Study abroad programs provide students with direct access to diverse learning experiences. Craig Esherick
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