The NAFSA 2018 Annual Conference is coming up very quickly - May 27-June 1. For those who can't make it to the Annual Conference in Philadelphia, I would suggest checking out NAFSA Regional Conferences which will be held in the summer & fall, or the NAFSA 2019 Annual Conference which will be held in Washington, DC.

As the biggest gathering of international education professionals in the world (seriously, all the other IE associations from around the world gather & present at NAFSA), it can be both exciting and a bit daunting. Knowing this, & having been a first-time attendee at the conference myself a few years ago, I thought it might be wise to share some information with other researchers & scholars who are either attending as first-timers, are unsure of whether they should go (if you are able to - I'd advise going), or simply could use a heads-up as to what events are being held, when, & where. The NAFSA Annual Conference hosts plenaries, sessions, open meetings, workshops, colloquia, networking receptions & events, poster fairs, & an expo hall with exhibitors from all around the world including universities, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, & even government/regional representation.

After perusing the conference program, I thought it might be helpful to alert everyone to some conference content which may be of particular interest to researchers and scholars in the field of international education. I will be presenting on research at the conference twice - first at the NAFSA Pavilion on Wednesday morning from 11:00-11:30am to talk about NAFSA Research Connections, the NAFSA Research Symposium, and the NAFSA Research Symposium Series; then I'll be presenting some research I've been working on in a conference session Thursday afternoon from 2:30-3:30pm. I've tried to be as comprehensive as possible, but I admit that I may have missed something - for which I invite readers to alert others to content in the comments section below.

Monday, May 28

9a-5p                     Facilitating Intercultural Understanding Through Experiential Learning ($ Workshop)

8a-5p                     Assessment & Evaluation for International Educators ($ Workshop)

8:30a-5p               Seminar on Peace & Global Civil Society ($ 2-day event)

10-11:30              Orientation for Participants Based Outside the United States (Open Meeting)

1p-5p                    Innovative Practices in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) ($ Workshop)

2p-4:30p              Latin America Forum ($)

4:30p-5:15p        Teaching, Learning, & Scholarship (TLS) Knowledge Community Update

5:30p-7:30p        Teaching, Learning, & Scholarship (TLS) Networking Reception (simultaneous with other KC networking receptions)

  

Tuesday, May 29

8a-12p                  Curriculum Internationalization: A Transformative Institutional Approach to Global Learning ($ Workshop)

8-9am                   First-Timers Breakfast ($)

9a-3p                     Global Learning Colloquium on Business ($)

9:15-10am          First-Timers Orientation

10:15-11:15                         Education Abroad Newcomers (Open Meeting)

                                Tips for Newcomers to International Enrollment Management (Open Meeting)

                                Tips for Newcomers to International Student & Scholar Services (Open Meeting)

12-1:30p               Pathways to Peace Luncheon ($)

11:30a-12:30p    Assessment & Evaluation Roundtable (Open Meeting)

                                Dialogue Between EA Professionals & Graduate Student Researchers (Open Meeting)

                                Diverse Stories, Common Experiences: International Students Studying in the United States (Session)

1p-2p                    General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (Open Meeting)

                                Every Student a Reporter: Digital Media, Storytelling, & Global Learning (Session)

                                Harnessing Recruitment Growth & New Opportunities (Session)

                                Opportunities for International Engagement in West Africa (Session)

                                Using Technology to Enhance Student Safety in Education Abroad (Session)

2p-3:30p              Crisis Management in International Education (Poster Fair)

                                Enhancing Learning in Education Abroad: Study, Work, Intern, Volunteer, & Research Innovations (Poster Fair)

2:30-3:30              Roundtable on Achieving Success as a Scholar-Practitioner in International Education (Open Meeting)

                                Comprehensive & Strategic Internationalization: Lessons Learned & Prospects (Book Signing)

                                International Student Recruitment During Turbulent Times (Session)

                                Engaging International Students Through Volunteerism: Theory, Practice, and Outcomes (Session)

                                Impact of U.S. Department of State Study Abroad Innovation Grants (Session)

                                Teaching in the Global Classroom: A Study on Faculty Perspectives (Session)

                                The Wise Adviser: Tapping into Cultural Collectivism (Session)

                                Why & How Intercultural Competence Affects International Education Success (Session)

                                Getting Digital With Our Shared Global Future (Guest Speaker)

4-5:30                    Opening Plenary Address – Laura W. Bush

5:30-7:30              Opening Celebration

Wednesday, May 30

8:30-9:30              Advanced Discussion on Research & Scholarship in International Education (Open Meeting)

                                Curriculum Internationalization at a Historically Black College & University (HBCU): Faculty Perspectives & Development (Session)

                                Exploring Psychology & Adjustment Support for International Students (Session)

                                How to Evaluate Virtual Exchange (Session)

                                Opportunities for International Universities to Attract U.S. Students (Session)

                                Strategies for Increasing Internationalization at Minority-Serving Institutions (Session)

                                The Global Flattening of Higher Education: Implications for Internationalization (Session)

                                Using Comparative Data to Enhance Learning Abroad Strategies (Session)

                                Utilizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to Impact Education Abroad (Session)

10-11                     Internationalization of Business Education Roundtable (Open Meeting)

                                Roundtable on Faculty Involvement in Internationalization Efforts (Open Meeting)

                                Creating Connections & Getting the Attention of Today’s International Students (Session)

                                First-Generation Latinx Students Abroad: Recognizing Their Community Cultural Wealth (Session)

                                Maximizing International Visitor Programs to Enhance Campus Globalization (Session)

                                Promoting Intercultural Friendship: From Theory & Research to Action (Session)

                                Rocky Steps for International Students: From Academic Probation to Success (Session)

                                Trends & Challenges in Mexican International Education (Session)

                                Using Cultural Analysis for Predicting & Handling Cross-Cultural Misunderstandings & Conflicts (Session)

10-12                     Africa Forum

9a-3p                     Global Learning Colloquium: Health Professions ($)         

10-10:30               IEM State of the Field Survey Findings (Pavilion)

11-11:30               NAFSA Research Connections: Making connections between research & practice (& YOU!) (Pavilion)

11-12:30               Innovative & Sustainable Practices in Intensive English Programming (Poster Fair)

                                Model Practices in International Enrollment Management (Poster Fair)

                                Model Practices in International Student and Scholar Services (Poster Fair)

11:30-12:30         Graduate Student Roundtable (Open Meeting) 

                                Faculty Voices on International Education: Challenges and Institutional Support (Session)              

                                Global Competence and Disruptive Narratives in the Digital Age (Session)

                                Microcampuses: A New Model for Internationalization (Session)

                                Research and Data Collection on Career Outcomes for International Students (Session)

12-1:30                 Diversity and Inclusion Luncheon ($)

1-2p                       Intercultural Communication Roundtable (Open Meeting)            

                                African Student Recruitment: Trends, Research, and Insights (Session)    

                                All That Matters is What You Achieve: Assessing the Impact of Internationalization (Session)

                                An Evaluator’s Guide to Institutional Recognition and Accreditation (Session)

                                Building Global Leadership and Cultural Competencies Using Extreme Cohort Diversity (Session)

1:30-3p                 International Education Research (Poster Fair)

                                Creating Communities that Support Global Learning On & Off Campus (Poster Fair)

                                Internationalizing the Campus (Poster Fair)

2-2:30                    NAFSA’s International Partnerships Series: Developing Sustainable Academic Collaborations (Book Signing)

2:30-3:30              Comprehensive Internationalization Assessment: Taking Stock & Tracking Progress (Session)

                                EAIE Barometer Results on European Internationalization (Session)

                                Intensive English Programs: Industry, Enrollment, and Trends (Session)

                                Community College Forum

3-3:30                    Sharing the Value of International Students & Scholars to the World: A NAFSA Public Policy Engagement Opportunity (Pavilion)

4-5:30                    Plenary Address – Bill Nye

5:30-6:30              Regional Update Meetings

Thursday, May 31

9-10:15                 Creating Global Stewards Through Curricular Redesign (Session)

                                Delivering a Successful Alternative Study Abroad Opportunity Using Global Classrooms (Session)

                                Exploring Student Development Theories in the Context of International Students (Session)

                                International Education Innovation in Japanese Higher Education (Session)

                                National Policies as Drivers of Internationalization in Russia, Brazil, and Japan (Session)

                                Policymaking in International Education: The View from Washington (Session)

                                Eating Disorders and Co-Occurring Concerns in International and Diverse Students (Session)

                                Students from China: When Chinese Culture Meets American Education (Guest Speaker)

9a-3p                     Global Learning Colloquium: Science Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, and Design (STEAM'D) ($)

10-12                     Assessment and Evaluation in International Education (Poster Fair)

                                Country Fair: Updates on Country and Regional Higher Education (Poster Fair)

12-1:30                 Community College Luncheon ($)

                                Liberal Arts Institutions and Women’s Colleges Luncheon ($)

1-2p                       Diverse Voices and Shared Commitments Around the World: A World-Cafe Discussion with International Education Leaders (Session)

                                Essential Primer on Global- and Public Health-Focused International Education (Session)

                                Examining Motivations for Studying Abroad: Introducing Generational Change through Research (Session)

                                Faculty-Led Courses: Transformation Via High-Impact Practices (Session)

                                How to Handle Emotional Meltdowns: Equipping Student Advisers (Session)

                                Model Approaches to Integrated Global Education (Session)

Managers View: Using Career Print for Your Staff's Professional Development (Career Center Speaker Series)

1:30-2p                 Learning Across Cultures: Locally and Globally, Third Edition (Book Signing)

1:30-3                    Increasing Diversity Outreach and Support in International Education (Poster Fair)

                                Intercultural Initiatives for Campus and Community (Poster Fair)

                                Orientation Programs as an Integral Support Service (Poster Fair)

2:30-3:30            Connecting Research to Practice in International Education (Session)

                            Getting Students Back on Track: Advising Chinese Students on Academic Probation (Session)

                                Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on Higher Education in the Asia Pacific (Session)

                                International Student Satisfaction and Implications for Retention (Session)

                                Results of the 2017 IEM State of the Field Survey (Session)

                                Unpacking Social Identities & Examining Race in Cross-Cultural Contexts (Session)

                                Women’s Leadership in International Education: Past, Present, & Creating Your Future (Session)

                                Writing a Winning Proposal for NAFSA 2019 (Session)

                            Inside College Rankings: New University Performance Data Empowering International Students (Session)

4-5:30                 Plenary Address – Joyce Banda

5:30-6:30pm      First-Timers Debrief

 

 

Friday, June 1

8:30-9:30              College and Career Readiness Among K–12 Students Who Study Abroad (Session)                             

                             Defining and Assessing Social Responsibility as an Education Abroad Outcome (Session)

                             Navigating College Transitions for International High School Students (Session)

                             New Research to Inform International Enrollment and Success Strategies (Session)

                             The Power of Photovoice as a Reflective Tool in International Education (Session)

                             Transformative Global Citizenship: An Integrated, Multi-Institutional Model (Session)

9-10:30                 Uses of Technology and Social Media in International Education (Poster Fair)

9a-4p                     Forum on Global Learning ($ 2-day event)

10-11:15               Creative Problem-Solving Through Data Analysis (Session)

                            Developing an International Student Recruitment Plan Leveraging Data Sources (Session)

                            Drivers, Issues, & Trends for Diversifying International Recruitment (Session)

                            Navigating International Student Perceptions in a Changing Landscape (Session)

                            Predeparture Training for Global Service Learning: Curriculum, Pedagogy, & Program Models (Session)

                            Understanding Syria: Refugees’ Stories of Protest, War, & Flight (Guest Speaker)

11:30-12:30           Closing Plenary – Terry Gross

12:30-2p               Closing Celebration – Festival D.C.