The Next Global Generation: How Universities Are Aiming to Expand Accessible Internationally-Minded Education

This post was created following a discussion with Katy Lane of the Center of International Business Studies at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. To learn more about the center, head to the bottom of the article!

*The information shared is only for context and does not constitute an official endorsement of Internatnotes Blog.

Introduction

Brisk morning walks past the Seine in Paris, beachside picnics by the Pacific in Sydney, and evening karaoke in Seoul. For some, these activities sound like a daydream, a getaway, but for some students, these moments are just another day. 

According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), roughly 200,000 to 350,000 American undergraduate students study abroad each year, earning academic credits in picturesque cities across the globe, with cities such as Barcelona, London, Paris, and Melbourne topping the list of popularity. 

And some see many of these experiences as merely walking along picturesque streets and taking time away to escape from the infinite concerns of home. Participation in globally-minded education opportunities, whether through semester exchanges, internship opportunities, or even research, has been proven as a critical indicator of student development. 

Characteristics such as adaptability and critical thinking have been recorded as crucial in career fields by organizations such as the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which are all deeply intertwined with student engagement abroad, where students must learn to adapt to new cultural environments. Likewise, additional findings even support the idea that students who worked or studied abroad have greater financial opportunities. For instance, studies have indicated that undergraduate business majors earned an average of over $4,000 in their first job than those who did not participate abroad—emphasizing that this lead can compound across an individual’s career. 

At Texas A&M University, situated in College Station, Texas—roughly 90 minutes and two hours from the hubs of Houston and Austin—the Education Abroad program serves as an organization center for the 5,000 A&M students who study abroad each year. For over a decade, the institution has been ranking in the top ten public universities in the U.S for study abroad opportunities and currently ranks fourth out of U.S. public universities. 

I recently had the opportunity to discuss the importance of these programs and their intricacies with Katy Lane, PhD., who serves as the Director for the Center of International Business at Texas A&M. 

The Elements of Global Education Through Study Abroad

Students who study abroad can strengthen their work and academic-related skills. But what factors, then, ensure students’ success abroad? In Lane’s perspective, the answer lies in organization, reflection, and preparation. Specifically, she explained that in her experience, Education Abroad does so by implementing pre-departure sessions that cover lessons of the student’s destination’s politics, history, and cultural traits—specifically referencing Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model as a guide.

Furthermore, Lane states that for those in faculty-led programs, it is important to leave “the bubble” through countless interactions with the local community, such as in “cooking lessons and museum visits.”

However, what serves as the purpose of these programs, outside of the allure of students of Instagram-worthy posts and lavish food, is notably crucial. By taking time to study abroad, Lane states that students “gain a lot of confidence that comes with leadership.” Additionally, students gain a “comfort with ambiguity,” which, in the context of global careers that require students to surround themselves with people of various backgrounds, is essential to success.

With these new skills, students have the opportunity to learn about the critical fields surrounding their destinations, particularly in the lens of sustainability. In alignment with the UN Sustainability Goals, many of the Center for International Business Studies’ aims are to emphasize these concepts in student studies. For instance, when reflecting on the institution's recent faculty-led visit to Antarctica, curriculum content included a variety of themes, ranging from poverty in Antarctic gateway cities to environmental trends. 

Moreover, referring to the students’ journeys abroad, Lane describes that there is a critical element of student success in these experiences: reflection. “[Reflection] helps them to understand where they were and where they are now,” Lane explains, and this can be manifested through Texas A&M’s Education Abroad Program’s requirement for students to blog their journeys. 

And this process of reflection does not solely exist in the duration of their time abroad, but continues afterward, as Lane explains that students are required to have post-abroad sessions to register their learning experience further. Additionally, as of the present time, Texas A&M Education Abroad’s webpage features hundreds of blog posts, each depicting a student’s unique reflection of their transformative experience, and similar blogs have been created by countless universities, such as Northwestern University, The University of Texas at Austin, and New York University. 

Nevertheless, if there is one narrative that should be noted, it is that not all students participate in similar programs. For instance, some students can participate in Reciprocal Exchange Programs (REEPs), where students pay the tuition of their universities but are not required to pay additional costs to study abroad at a foreign university. These types of programs differ from faculty-led programs, which require students to pay thousands of dollars to participate abroad.  In Texas A&M’s program, Lane describes that there are a plethora of options, such as one-week student trips, semester exchange programs, and even international internships and research opportunities for students.

For some, shorter options can be more affordable while still engaging students with international opportunities, which is described to be a vital consideration of these programs to boost the accessibility of global opportunities to students.

And according to Lane, there is nothing more gratifying to see than the "transformation" students have, no matter their specific experience. However, she does recall a particular transformation that had deeply touched her, recalling the story of a student who had never flown before participating in a faculty-led trip to Antarctica, over 7,500 miles away, to study a variety of fields, ranging from psychology to environmental science to tourism.

Nevertheless, a globally-minded education can manifest in many ways. For the Center for International Business Studies, those methods of education can be pursued in a variety of ways, even when not abroad. 

Drawing from her experiences as an international business professor—specifically teaching courses covering Latin American and Asian business markets—Lane asserts the distinct initiatives that have brought these globally-minded forms of teaching to students while still in College Station. For instance, this can include COIL programs, where students from different countries work on research projects and presentations together to foster global collaboration without the travel of abroad programs; international consulting projects, where students work with foreign business to provide solutions in the field of business; and in less-technical domains, culture classes covering certain etiquettes, traditional forms of dress, food, and events. 

Ultimately, for students aiming to expand their classrooms across oceans, the options can be infinite. However, just like the variety of plane tickets, passports, and suitcases, study abroad and international opportunities are not “one-size-fits-all.” Thus, in order to assist students of diverse backgrounds with a range of desires and academic goals, it is up to programs such as Texas A&M’s Education Abroad to continue developing new solutions. No matter the difficulties in finances, academic credits, and applications, it is the persistent effort of these programs that continues to provide students with one narrative: the sky isn’t the limit—it’s just the beginning. 

Bibliography

"Education Abroad Participation Impacts Earnings after Graduation." The Forum on Education Abroad, 17 Sept. 2025, www.forumea.org/news/education-abroad-participation-impacts-earnings-after-graduation.

Finley, Ashley, Ph.D, et al. "The Integration of Career Readiness into Experiential Learning and High-Impact Practices: An Examination of Stakeholder Perspectives and Practices." National Association of Colleges and Employers, July 2025, www.naceweb.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2025/publication/free-report/the-integration-of-career-readiness-into-experiential-learning-and-high-impact-practices.pdf?sfvrsn=1d3bcf3b_6.

Henton, Lesley. "Aggies Take First Study Abroad Trip To Antarctica." Texas A&M Stories, Texas A&M University, 3 Jan. 2024, stories.tamu.edu/news/2024/01/03/aggies-take-first-study-abroad-trip-to-antarctica/.

Johnson, Kyle. "Texas A&M Ranked No. 4 for Study Abroad Numbers." Texas A&M University Global Engagement, 21 Nov. 2024, global.tamu.edu/news/texas-a-m-ranked-no-4-for-study-abroad-numbers.

"U.S Study Abroad." Open Doors, Institute of International Education (IIE), opendoorsdata.org/data/us-study-abroad/.

What is the Center of International Business at Texas A&M?

The Center for International Business Studies (CIBS) at Texas A&M University serves as a hub for business education, research, and outreach. Since 1990, it has been designated as a Center for International Business Education (CIBE) by the U.S. Department of Education, one of only sixteen nationwide. The center develops future global leaders by providing students with critical international experience, helps U.S. businesses compete effectively in the global marketplace, and promotes educational experiences abroad.