The Forum on Education Abroad - Net Promoter Score 2020

July 2020 Net Promoter Score Results

Prepared by

THE APPROACH

Current The Forum on Education Abroad members and stakeholders were asked to complete the following pulse check. We then calculated Net Promoter Scores by Stakeholder Group based on their responses.

Interest in Sharing Your Perspectives Would you be open to providing additional input on your perspective and experience with The Forum on Education Abroad through other channels? Please select all channels you would be interested or open to participating in. • Focus Groups • Interviews • Discussion Boards

Name, Email, Phone Number, Current Title, Current Organization or Company Pulse Check On a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being VERY UNLIKELY to 10 being VERY LIKELY, what is the likelihood that you would recommend a friend or colleague to join The Forum on Education Abroad as a partner or service provider? Why? Stakeholder Role Are you currently working with The Forum on Education Abroad? • Yes • Not Currently, But I Have Been In the Past • No

If so, in what way are you working with them? Which of these would you consider yourself: • Forum Member • Education Abroad Administrators • Faculty • University / Campus Leadership • Program Provider • Affiliate Organization / Service Provider • Student • Board Member • Other

Additional Comments You’d Like to Share

From these responses, we: 1. Calculated Net Promoter Scores for each Member Type and Profile 2. Summarized the recurring themes from promoters and detractors 3. Shared excerpts from some of their comments.

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 2

NET PROMOTER SCORE EXPLAINED The Net Promoter Score is an index

Net Promoter Score Calculation Customers are surveyed on one single question. They are asked to rate on an 11-point scale the likelihood of recommending the company or brand to a friend or colleague. “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this company’s product or service to a friend or a colleague?” Based on their rating, customers are then classified in 3 categories: detractors, passives and promoters.

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is determined by subtracting the percentage of customers who are detractors from the percentage who are promoters. What is generated is a score between -100 and 100 called the Net Promoter Score. At one end of the spectrum, if when surveyed, all of the customers gave a score lower or equal to 6, this would lead to an NPS of -100. On the other end of the spectrum, if all of the customers were answering the question with a 9 or 10, then the total Net Promoter Score would be 100.

ranging from -100 to 100 that measures the willingness of customers to recommend a company’s products or services to others. It is used as a proxy for gauging the customer’s overall satisfaction with a company’s product or service and the customer’s loyalty to the brand.

0

2 4 6 8 1 3 5 7 9 10 Not likely to recommend Extremely likely to recommend

DETRACTORS ‘Detractors’ gave a score lower or equal to 6. They are not particularly thrilled by the product or the service. They, with all likelihood, won’t purchase again from the company, could potentially damage the company’s reputation through negative word of mouth.

PASSIVES ‘Passives’ gave a score of 7 or 8. They are somewhat satisfied but could easily switch to a competitor’s offering if given the opportunity. They probably wouldn’t spread any negative word-of- mouth, but are not enthusiastic enough about your products or services to actually promote them.

PROMOTERS ‘Promoters’ answered 9 or 10. They love the company’s products and

NPS = % - %

services. They are the repeat buyers, are the enthusiastic evangelist who recommends the company products

The Forum on Education Abroad will use net promoter score to: • Establish a baseline with our various stakeholders • Develop and execute programs that grow NPS. • Drive membership and revenue growth.

and services to other potential buyers.

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 3

NET PROMOTER SCORE SUMMARY

All Stakeholder Groups

50

N = 389

Forum Member

62

N = 289

What is a good NPS?

Education Abroad Administrators

59

N = 270

Any NPS score above 0 is “good”. It means that your audience is more loyal than not. Anything above 20 is considered “favorable”. Bain & Co, the source of the NPS system, suggests that above 50 is excellent, and above 80 is world class.

Faculty

35

N = 62

University/Campus Leadership

57

N = 90

Program Provider

50

N = 76

Affiliate Organization/ Service Provider

35

N = 23

Board Member

73

N = 11

Student

37

N = 3

Other

48

N = 31

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 4

ALL STAKEHOLDER GROUPS

Promoters

61%

Passives

28%

Detractors

11%

n = 238

n = 109

n = 42

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Support and Advocacy • Sense of Community • Leader in Field of Expertise • High Quality Training/Professional Development

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Questionable Value for Membership • Networking • High Quality Training/Professional Development • Sense of Community • Support and Advocacy • Focus on Education Abroad • Conferences • Increase Awareness of and Access to Available Resources • US Centric Approach • Great Reputation • Needs to be More Forward Thinking/Up- to-Date • Needs to Expand Content Breadth/Depth • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work

Recurring Themes - Summary • Insufficient Value for Membership • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • Reliable Resources and Content • Too Focused on Revenue Generation • Needs to be More Forward Thinking/Up- to-Date • High Quality Training/Professional Development

Net Promoter Score 50 N = 389

• Networking • Conferences • Focus on Education Abroad • Great Reputation • Most Value for Membership

• Standards/Best Practices • Lack of Support/Advocacy

• No Longer Focused on Mission/Vision • Needs to Expand Content Breadth/ Depth • Increase Awareness of and Access to Available Resources • Networking • Dissatisfied with Service Provider Engagment

• Needs to be More Inclusive • Lack of Support/Advocacy

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 5

RECURRING THEMES PROMOTER KEY COMMENTS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF MENTION AMONGST ALL STAKEHOLDERS) Reliable Resources and Content

Considered the go-to resource for the field of education abroad with regard to staying current on content, research, etc. Forum provided publications and research allow members to gain a deeper professional understanding of the field. Forum has created standards and best practices for the field and continues to evaluate and evolve them in a collaborative manner. Provides a template, benchmark, etc. for member institutions to model their programming.

Standards/Best Practices

Support and Advocacy

Forum advances the field of education abroad and supports its’ members in doing so.

Members feel a collaborative connectedness within the Forum and consider it a platform for rich dialogue about the field of education abroad. Universities, providers and other organizations in the field of study abroad look to the Forum for guidance and thought leadership. The Forum offers a variety of high-quality trainings and certifications for professional development within the field of education abroad.

Sense of Community

Leader in Field of Expertise

High Quality Training/ Professional Development

Networking

The ability to network professionally specifically within the field of education abroad is valued.

Conferences

The ability to network face-to-face and participate in education abroad focused sessions at conferences is valued.

Focus on Education Abroad

The specialized focus on the field of study and education abroad is valued.

Great Reputation

Forum is well respected in the field of education abroad - both its’ staff and the organization as a whole.

Most Value for Membership

Members appreciate think Forum membership has a good ROI.

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 6

RECURRING THEMES

PASSIVE KEY COMMENTS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF MENTION AMONGST ALL STAKEHOLDERS) Reliable Resources and Content

Considered the go-to resource for the field of education abroad with regard to staying current on content, research, etc. Forum provided publications and research allow members to gain a deeper professional understanding of the field. Forum has created standards and best practices for the field and continues to evaluate and evolve them in a collaborative manner. Provides a template, benchmark, etc. for member institutions to model their programming. Members are unsure if the benefits of Forum membership justify the cost or know the value of membership but simply cannot afford it.

Standards/Best Practices

Questionable Value for Membership

Networking

The ability to network professionally specifically within the field of education abroad is valued.

High Quality Training/ Professional Development

The Forum offers a variety of high-quality trainings and certifications for professional development within the field of education abroad. Members feel a collaborative connectedness within the Forum and consider it a platform for rich dialogue about the field of education abroad.

Sense of Community

Support and Advocacy

Forum advances the field of education abroad and supports its’ members in doing so.

Focus on Education Abroad The specialized focus on the field of study and education abroad is valued. Conferences

The ability to network face-to-face and participate in education abroad focused sessions at conferences is valued. Members think the Forum could do a better job of advertising all of the available resources. There is an opportunity to find more ways to push out resources rather than members having to search the site for them and to make more resources free to non-members.

Increase Awareness of and Access to Available Resources

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 7

RECURRING THEMES

PASSIVE KEY COMMENTS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF MENTION AMONGST ALL STAKEHOLDERS)

Forum provides most of its’ products, services and events from the US perspective which is not as relevant for non-US based members.

US Centric Approach

Great Reputation

Forum is well respected in the field of education abroad - both its’ staff and the organization as a whole.

Needs to be More Forward Thinking/Up-to-Date Needs to Expand Content Breadth/Depth Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work

Members think there is opportunity for the Forum to be more responsive, innovative, and provide more current/timely updates. Some members are seeking more advanced content beyond standards and best practices, especially mid-career and senior professionals.

The specific focus on education abroad is too narrow for some members and as a result is not as relevant to their work.

There is an opportunity for the Forum to be more inclusive of those individuals who care about education abroad but do not work in an education abroad office (i.e., faculty, etc.).

Needs to be More Inclusive

Lack of Support/Advocacy

Members do not feel adequately supported by the Forum.

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 8

RECURRING THEMES

DETRACTOR KEY COMMENTS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF MENTION AMONGST ALL STAKEHOLDERS) Insufficient Value for Membership Members do not believe the benefits of Forum membership justify the cost.

Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work Reliable Resources and Content Too Focused on Revenue Generation Needs to be More Forward Thinking/Up-to-Date High Quality Training/ Professional Development

The specific focus on education abroad is too narrow for some members and as a result is not as relevant to their work.

Considered the go-to resource for the field of education abroad with regard to staying current on content, research, etc.

Members think the Forum seems more concerned with generating revenue than supporting and advocating for its’ members. Members think there is opportunity for the Forum to be more responsive, innovative, and provide more current/timely updates. The Forum offers a variety of high-quality trainings and certifications for professional development within the field of education abroad. Forum has created standards and best practices for the field and continues to evaluate and evolve them in a collaborative manner. Provides a template, benchmark, etc. for member institutions to model their programming.

Standards/Best Practices

Lack of Support/Advocacy

Members do not feel adequately supported by the Forum.

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 9

RECURRING THEMES

DETRACTOR KEY COMMENTS (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF MENTION AMONGST ALL STAKEHOLDERS) No Longer Focused on Mission/Vision Members think the Forum has lost its’ focus on the original mission/vision.

Needs to Expand Content Breadth/Depth Increase Awareness of and Access to Available Resources

Members are seeking more advanced content beyond standards and best practices, especially mid-career and senior professionals.

Members think the Forum could do a better job of advertising all of its’ available resources. There is an opportunity to find more ways to push out resources rather than members having to search the site for them and also to make more resources free to non-members.

Networking

The ability to network professionally specifically within the field of education abroad is valued.

Dissatisfied with Service Provider Engagment

Members think there is an opportunity to improve the engagement experience with service providers.

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 10

FORUM MEMBER

Promoters

69%

Passives

25%

Detractors

6%

n = 198

n = 73

n = 18

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Sense of Community • Support and Advocacy • Leader in Field of Expertise

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Questionable Value for Membership • High Quality Training/Professional Development • Support and Advocacy

Recurring Themes - Summary • Insufficient Value for Membership • Reliable Resources and Content • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • Needs to be More Forward Thinking/ Up-to-Date • Too Focused on Revenue Generation

Net Promoter Score 62 N = 289

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 11

FORUM MEMBER RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

69%

Passives

25%

Detractors

6%

n = 198

n = 73

n = 18

• Reliable Resources and Content • “The Toolbox of resources, which I turn to time and time again.” • “The Forum is an amazing network of colleagues, collection of resources, and strategic visionary for the field of international education.” • “Amazing resource for the field, and so critical at this time.” • “Lots of helpful information and insights” • “The guidelines and standards for study abroad programming are wonderful starting points and

• Reliable Resources and Content • “It provides many useful resources to better

• Insufficient Value for Membership • “I understand there is new leadership at the Forum and hope the capacity for no-cost to participation on-line events can grow. • “Please don’t get me wrong: Forum is a wonderful organization that does great work, BUT under the present circumstances I can’t justify the membership fee with all programs cancelled for the foreseeable future.” • “I love the Forum, but in today’s economy membership is an expense choice.” • “Membership for Small colleges is still pretty high.

understand the field and collaborate with others. It also provides opportunities for professional development and connections.” • “The resources are useful, we just don’t have the funds to attend all of the professional development opportunities and webinars that aren’t free.” • “It provides useful resources for education abroad professionals. I wish I had more time to be able to take advantage of them.” • “Strong content developed by Forum and its members to support best practices in all areas of student mobility programming.”

refreshers for everyone in the field. I think the critical incident database is also a very helpful tool.

Then you still have to pay a hefty fee for every webinar and event. With budgets getting tighter, I just don’t feel like I get what I need from the organization.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 12

FORUM MEMBER RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

69%

Passives

25%

Detractors

6%

n = 198

n = 73

n = 18

• Standards/Best Practices • “The Forum provides useful resources for practitioners in the field of international

• Standards/Best Practices • “Now, perhaps more than ever, those working with education abroad programs are needing to demonstrate their value. How this value is articulated Standards Development Organization for the field of Education Abroad, The Forum provides a sound framework from which to base operations. Beyond the Standards, the resources provided offer an incredible body of knowledge to draw from and on.” • “Standards setting body for US Education Abroad” • “Very good platform and conferences to share experience and best practices with counterparts from all over the world.” • “The Forum continues to thoughtfully work through Ed Abroad best Practices and bring concrete application to those practices to the field of Education Abroad.” may be different depending on the audience. Anecdotal evidence is sure to abound. As the

• Reliable Resources and Content • “For the resources and the perceived legitimacy offered through the affiliation.” • “I found the resources and the sessions very useful and I am very excited about the possibility to revisit some of those sessions on demand. So, I would say that for that reason, it would be worth joining the Forum. Assuming that our FY21 budget allows us to remain members of The Forum, I look forward to seeing more of what you have to offer institutions like mine in terms of resources.”

education, benchmarks, journals, and standards.” • “It’s the premier organization for standards of good practice, though I find the annual conference to be a bit repetitive in topics and themes, it’s still a good networking opportunity, and training opportunity.” • “The Forum is the authoritative source for best practices in education abroad.” • “I love the fact the the Forum centers its work around standards of good practice. That foundation helps ensure that the Forum has meaningful work to do and a meaningful role to play. I think that the Forum’s annual conference is one of the most useful events that I attend, as many of the topics and sessions are quite good and the attendees who it attracts are top-notch.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 13

FORUM MEMBER RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

69%

Passives

25%

Detractors

6%

n = 198

n = 73

n = 18

• Sense of Community • “I find the Forum to be a very open and

• Questionable Value for Membership • “We feel the annual fee and conference fees are too high.” • “I didn’t put 9 or 10 because the membership is expensive and I don’t particularly like how some Forum info is only available to members.” • “The resources are excellent but price for individuals could be a deterrent.” • “I believe the Forum on Education Abroad has done some great work and continues to do so but I find that the cost of participating in some of the events/ professional development opportunities is cost prohibitive. • “It is a tremendously valuable resource, but it’s also expensive to use, and with budget cuts, it’s difficult to prioritize needs.”

• Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • “I would not recommend that faculty join, nor that staff working outside education abroad join.” • “I really do not work with partners or service providers. I work with community colleges.”

welcoming community with fantastic content.” • “The Forum Standards and Conference are well worth the connection and staying up to date in the field.” • “We at EF are certainly promoters of the Forum. The partnership, access to meaningful content and dialogue, networking opportunities, and general community all add to our rich and fruitful engagement with both its members and leaders. The leadership demonstrated, particularly over these last complex and challenging months, has been impactful, unique, and appreciated. So we rate our recommendation likelihood at 10 with great advocacy, because we all need the Forum.” • “I love the size of the Forum. It is more personal which makes me feel more connected.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 14

FORUM MEMBER RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

69%

Passives

25%

Detractors

6%

n = 198

n = 73

n = 18

• Support and Advocacy • “I believe strongly in the soundness of guidance that the Forum generates, given broad input from established leaders in the field.” • “Forum has done alright with diversity, but there is much more to be done, carefully and honestly investigating the structural impediments to education abroad for ALL college students will make a huge difference. It will represent what we stand for as educators committed to exploring cultural differences…” • “Forum is incredibly helpful with ensuring we are aware of and following best practices, but also in accessing resources to do advocacy on campus.” • “The Forum provides critical support for practitioners in the field of education abroad, including professional development, education, and leadership and networking opportunities.

• High Quality Training/Professional Development • “The resources are incredibly beneficial. Particularly, the trainings and standards.”

• Needs to be More Forward Thinking/ Up-to- Date • “The resources can be useful, but there has not been much updating that I have noticed recently (pre- COVID). The webinars/COVID resources have been helpful. But in the times of budget restraints, the value of the membership” • “What direction the Forum takes over the next short period of time when both the organization and the field are in much transition. Forum had become quite

frankly a stand-pat maintainer of the status quo with a loss of critical regard, trenchant analysis or innovative thinking.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 15

FORUM MEMBER RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

69%

Passives

25%

Detractors

6%

n = 198

n = 73

n = 18

• Leader in Field of Expertise • “I greatly appreciate the Forum’s leadership of our profession. I have found the Forum’s staff and director extremely supportive of colleagues in the field.” • “The organization has demonstrated that it is the premiere voice for education abroad and has continued to provide useful resources to the field since its inception.” • “The Forum is one of the leaders in providing

• Support and Advocacy • “I believe the Forum should and must be the fulcrum of our industry, it must provide reassurance to its members, present solutions, share innovative ideas, and, in concrete, come up with direct answers, proposals, in order to rebuild trust with HE Institutions. A lot of webinars, and so many presentations, so much talk, so little is accomplished. I propose clear form, clear ideas, and principles that can be shared and followed to improve our present transitional phase, form covid-19 to post covid-19, as our activity is in danger and we ought to take steps to implement whatever can be done, now, for the next few months, realistically and positively.” • “I really appreciated the free COVID-19 weekly webinars that were hosted by Forum over the past few months. As a small provider that has lost all sources of revenue over the past few months, seen most of our employees

• Too Focused on Revenue Generation • “The Forum provides a valuable service. I think

some of the revenue generating initiatives were not necessarily helpful to the membership. I also would have liked to see more virtual seminars on education abroad in response to COVID. Other organizations (AIEA, IIE, ACE, Inside Higher Ed) were more nimble in this regard.”

information on current best practices and policies that can help programs develop and create new initiatives. The Forum is a solid resource and clearly takes great measures to stay up to date, relevant and innovative in its approach and research focuses.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 16

EDUCATION ABROAD ADMINISTRATORS

Promoters

67%

Passives

25%

Detractors

8%

n = 180

n = 68

n = 22

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Support and Advocacy • Sense of Community • Leader in Field of Expertise

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Questionable Value for Membership • Networking • High Quality Training/Professional Development

Recurring Themes - Summary • Insufficient Value for Membership • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • Reliable Resources and Content • Too Focused on Revenue Generation • Needs to be More Forward Thinking/ Up-to-Date

Net Promoter Score 59 N = 270

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 17

EDUCATION ABROAD ADMINISTRATORS RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

67%

Passives

25%

Detractors

8%

n = 180

n = 68

n = 22

• Reliable Resources and Content • “The Forum on Education Abroad provides valuable resources for new and veteran Education Abroad Educators. Its sole purpose is Education Abroad and they do a stellar job keeping up with creating best practices, promoting research, leading advocacy, and setting the standards.” • “I think the Forum could continue with developing more dynamic content (maybe blog posts?) on their website, although I know it’s a great sort of “static” resource.” • “Forum, like the rest of us, is in a difficult time but it’s also a time to rethink. I’d like Forum to try and become more accessible to graduate students, faculty, retired colleagues, and, alas, unemployed colleagues.”

• Reliable Resources and Content • “I love the Forum’s focus on practical resources and practical information. I’m working on my certification and the assignments are actually things I can use in my day to day job.” • “Good organization to keep up with the trends and best practices in study abroad.” • “The resources are incredibly beneficial. Particularly, the trainings and standards.”

• Insufficient Value for Membership • “In a normal year, I’d rank this a 10 but in the current circumstances, we have to look at value and what we are getting out of it. For a new professional, the information and resources are very helpful, but for someone who has been in the field for a long time, I’d be comfortable taking a break from membership until our budget is not as stressed as it is now.” • “If institutions can afford several memberships, I think the Forum is an important one, but I’m not sure the Forum would be my top priority if I could only choose one membership in this current economic situation.” • “It provides some value, in terms of Quip review, etc., however we found it did not provide much value after our review.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 18

EDUCATION ABROAD ADMINISTRATORS RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

67%

Passives

25%

Detractors

8%

n = 180

n = 68

n = 22

• Standards/Best Practices • “Membership in the Forum on Education Abroad indicates a commitment to best practices and ongoing learning.” • “They are the standards-setting institution within education abroad. If a person wants to work in the field of education abroad or international education, they need to be familiar with the Forum on Education Abroad.” • “I think that the Sixth Edition of the Forum Standards really moves the organization and the field in a powerful direction. I am looking forward to seeing how these strategic planning efforts drive more innovative thinking and forward-looking action.”

• Standards/Best Practices • “The Forum continues to thoughtfully work through Ed Abroad best Practices and bring concrete application to those practices to the field of Education Abroad.” • “I think it is important for anyone in the field to at least be in touch with the Standards of Good Practice, to know they exist, be familiar with them, and the resources associated with them. I also appreciate the focus specifically on Education Abroad.” • “It is important to understand the standards for study abroad, which is a valuable contribution to the field.”

• Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • “It might we worth having a separate group for

country directors. I feel that much of the information its aimed at an institutional level and not at the country provider level. For example, what are Best Practices for the administration of host families?” • “I would not recommend that faculty join, nor that staff working outside education abroad join.” • “great resource for those deeply involved in study abroad specifically. For the person who wears multiple hats with stronger emphasis in international student services, then I might recommend NAFSA first.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 19

EDUCATION ABROAD ADMINISTRATORS RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

67%

Passives

25%

Detractors

8%

n = 180

n = 68

n = 22

• Support and Advocacy • “I commend the leadership decision to extend memberships to individuals impacted by the employment situation brought about by layoffs related to the impact of COVID-19. It demonstrates a laudable level of loyalty and value of the individual members, not just the institutions.” • “Keep up the good work. As times get darker, we all need to amplify who we are, what we do and what solutions there are.” • “I think the Forum (and IIE) are in a position to, and should be focused on, raising the profile of Education Abroad on a national level. While this is being done with a variety of work, I think hiring a PR firm and advertising the importance of an international education, could go a long way in raising interest on the national level.”

• Questionable Value for Membership • “I know the Forum is going through a lot of leadership changes. I have been in the field long enough to see NAFSA corporatize their operations which angered many people. It has done a good job of being a membership organization and the need to incorporate more corporate infrastructures. I have witnessed a large shift with the Forum on feeling rather corporate and everything to their fee scale to some of the presentations “The Forum was very, very active and productive for many years. Understanding that the past two years have been a time of transition, and recognizing I haven’t paid as much attention as I should, it doesn’t seem as if The Forum is providing as much practitioner value as it used to. Argh, I hate saying this but it doesn’t appear that The Forum is still the leading “voice” in the field.”

• Reliable Resources and Content • “great resource for those deeply involved in study abroad specifically” • “The Forum provides very important information and knowledge”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 20

EDUCATION ABROAD ADMINISTRATORS RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

67%

Passives

25%

Detractors

8%

n = 180

n = 68

n = 22

• Sense of Community • “We are in a critical moment of need to strengthen our industry, and it is through

• Networking • “I find the Forum a valuable partner for study abroad coordinators or anyone dealing with study abroad. Great partnerships could be established especially on institutions which are similar in type and offering. It is also a good base for establishing partnerships for summer schools and short learning programs.” • “For the next conference season, we ought to see what will be the outcome of the covid-19 crisis, and whether the conference can be held in-person, or ,if not, in virtual platform. If in-person I recommend the attend the Forum because it can generate a great network environment, as a virtual conference, I have doubts on the success of the conference and if it can generate “real” networking, as a virtual conference format is flat and less productive.”

• Too Focused on Revenue Generation • “One thing that I don’t quite understand is how and why the Forum moved the recent conference from an in-person conference to a virtual one without adjusting the registration fee. I also heard they wanted to charge vendors the same exact amount of money to exhibit. This seems dubious and certainly lowered my estimations in the organization. In the initial in-person plan, the registration fee presumably went to pay for conference rental space and food, etc. so where did this money get re-directed?” • “Forum pushed forward with its annual conference despite obvious indications that gathering together would be dangerous and imprudent. The virtual conference was not a sufficient replacement and I still think Forum should refund all conference fees to members.

collaborative projects and the type of in-depth discussions that take place in The Forum’s networking sessions that can help this happen.” • “I would be great if there is a chat with members that have more experience in internationalization process so we can ask them questions and help especially in areas related to define internal policies.” • “We are having an interesting conversation with a study abroad provider abroad about the Forum and the Standards and how to consider those within the context of an international setting. It’s interesting to really conceive of the work according to global / international contexts. “

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 21

EDUCATION ABROAD ADMINISTRATORS RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

67%

Passives

25%

Detractors

8%

n = 180

n = 68

n = 22

• Leader in Field of Expertise • “Thank you for the great insight and leadership you have given during these unusual times.” • “I think there could be some valuable opportunities to provide additional collaboration within the Forum and also distinguish itself further from other like associations.”

• High Quality Training/Professional Development

• Needs to be More Forward Thinking/ Up-to- Date • “The resources can be useful, but there has not been much updating that I have noticed recently (pre- COVID). The webinars/COVID resources have been helpful. But in the times of budget restraints, the value of the membership.” • “COVID-19 challenges our field in many ways and I have been disappointed with the Forum’s response. As CDC issued guidance for institutions to reconsider offering International exchange and study abroad programs, Forum responded defensively by drafting a letter rather than assisting members with how to manage operations in a rapidly changing landscape.”

• “FEA provides good resources and opportunities of professional development for those in the industry.” • “I have found the process of the training and certification very valuable, and I wish I had done it earlier.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 22

FACULTY

Promoters

55%

Passives

26%

Detractors

19%

n = 34

n = 16

n = 12

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Support and Advocacy • Sense of Community • Leader in Field of Expertise

Recurring Themes - Summary • Standards/Best Practices • Questionable Value for Membership • Reliable Resources and Content • Networking • High Quality Training/Professional Development

Recurring Themes - Summary • Insufficient Value for Membership • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • Standards/Best Practices • Increase Awareness of and Access to Available Resources • Too Focused on Revenue Generation

Net Promoter Score 35 N = 62

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 23

FACULTY RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

55%

Passives

26%

Detractors

19%

n = 34

n = 16

n = 12

• Reliable Resources and Content • “I have had a very good experience with the Forum since its very inception -- excellent conferences, workshops, webinars, field-focused statistics, and standards. It is the only serious organization dedicated to education abroad practice, theory, and research. It offers a strong portfolio of practical support activities and research-based theoretical knowledge.” • Standards/Best Practices • “The Forum on Education Abroad provides leadership in the education abroad community through their work with the Standards of Good Practice. These efforts complement other organizations and associations for international educators.” • “It’s considered the professional organization that sets the best practices for EA.”

• Standards/Best Practices • “Standards setting body for US Education Abroad” • “To certify excellence in education abroad” • Questionable Value for Membership • “Although networking is important, I am not sure what are the additional benefits.” • “I have not used the Forum resources very much in the past year, so the price tag seems steep, especially in these tight financial times.” • “Membership is very expensive for many institutions and individuals, and it may be hard for young programs and directors to justify.” • Reliable Resources and Content • “Forum has the foundational knowledge for anyone interested in global learning including study abroad.” • Networking • “I recommend they attend the Forum because it can generate a great network environment.”

• Insufficient Value for Membership • “It is very expensive. Most colleges do not have Study Abroad Programs or offices.” • “The handling of the cancelled meeting was atrocious. Many of us have limited fund for actual travel, and that money was thrown away essentially. I did not wish to pay for a video and paper-based conference. Those of us who go for the face-to-face contact should have been offered refunds or at least re-purposing of our money to a place we wanted.” • “Limited activities of support aside from annual meeting that have been advocated for by our education abroad team. Others at large expense. In period of strong attention to budgets, this is not the highest value we have seen.” • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • “Although I am relatively new to the area of international education, I have not found a great deal of useful information on the forum website or in the e-mails.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 24

FACULTY RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

55%

Passives

26%

Detractors

19%

n = 34

n = 16

n = 12

• Support and Advocacy • “I have only been in this position for a year but have found the most help and useful connections through the FORUM.” • “I am an office of one. Membership in Forum has been invaluable as we develop our programming.” • “As a junior faculty, when I started developing my study abroad program I was a little lost. The Forum on Education Abroad was a great resource to guide me through the improvement of my program.” • I have always enjoyed the support provided by

• High Quality Training/Professional Development • “I had a very positive experience participating in a QUIP review a couple years ago.”

• Standards/Best Practices • “Forum EA offers great guidance and leadership in best practices for education abroad” • Increase Awareness of and Access to Available Resources • “I don’t know much - good or bad - about what you do!” • Too Focused on Revenue Generation • “Right now, every piece of information regarding training from The Forum comes behind a pay wall. What are our dues for? The privilege of an email? or simply that we can say we subscribe to the Forum?”

the Fórum for all of us in Study Abroad. The conferences have been well organized and provide interesting sessions as well as great networking opportunities.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 25

FACULTY RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

55%

Passives

26%

Detractors

19%

n = 34

n = 16

n = 12

• Sense of Community • “I believe that study abroad is fundamental for students and faculty and the Forum on Education Abroad is the platform for sharing ideas and experiences. Working together across institutions strengthens our reach and results.” • “It provides a space to share best practices and new trends, outlines useful information to ensure the quality and safety of study abroad programs, and offers appropriate support in critical situations.” abroad and info/solutions on issues regarding higher education. It also provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with colleagues and distant people working in the same field.” • “It’s a solid venue/forum for the exchange of ideas and info with colleagues.” • “Because it is a community sharing best practices, updated research on education

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 26

FACULTY RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

55%

Passives

26%

Detractors

19%

n = 34

n = 16

n = 12

• Leader in Field of Expertise • “Being a member of the Forum is essential to being connected to the trends and best practices of our field. The Forum leads the field in its establishment of industry standards and dialogue. I didn’t put 10 because Forum events and services are expensive and maybe some colleagues wouldn’t be able to afford the investment.” • “It is THE professional organization for study abroad. I find it to be more valuable than NAFSA for ed abroad professionals. it’s a 9 b/c I wouldn’t really recommend to colleagues outside of EA and maybe not even to my international colleagues b/c it’s very U.S. focused.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 27

UNIVERSITY / CAMPUS LEADERSHIP

Promoters

66%

Passives

26%

Detractors

9%

n = 59

n = 23

n = 8

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Leader in Field of Expertise • High Quality Training/Professional Development • Focus on Education Abroad

Recurring Themes - Summary • Reliable Resources and Content • Standards/Best Practices • Questionable Value for Membership • Networking • High Quality Training/Professional Development

Recurring Themes - Summary • Insufficient Value for Membership • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • Standards/Best Practices • Too Focused on Revenue Generation • Lack of Support/Advocacy

Net Promoter Score 57 N = 90

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 28

UNIVERSITY / CAMPUS LEADERSHIP RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

66%

Passives

26%

Detractors

9%

n = 59

n = 23

n = 8

• Reliable Resources and Content • “Exceptional staff, excellent resources, i.e.,

• Reliable Resources and Content • “Strong content developed by Forum and its members to support best practices in all areas of student mobility programming.” • Standards/Best Practices • “It is important to understand the standards for study abroad, which is a valuable contribution to the field.” • Questionable Value for Membership • “The Forum was very, very active and productive for many years. Understanding that the past two years have been a time of transition, and recognizing I haven’t paid as much attention as I should, it doesn’t seem as if The Forum is providing as much practitioner value as it used to. Argh, I hate saying this but it doesn’t appear that The Forum is still the leading “voice” in the field.” • “An 8 is a high score for me to give and should not be read as insufficient. I think the resources of the organization are extremely valuable. Many of these resources are free--and I have always respected The Forum for not hiding their high value Standards behind paywalls. This enables their mission to go farther and be more influential than their membership roles might imply. However, I have placed it at 8 because membership is very expensive for many institutions and individuals, and it may be hard for young programs and directors to justify.”

• Insufficient Value for Membership • “Right now, every piece of information regarding training from The Forum comes behind a pay wall. What are our dues for? The privilege of an email? or simply that we can say we subscribe to the Forum?” • “Limited activities of support aside from annual meeting that have been advocated for by our education abroad team. Others at large expense. In period of strong attention to budgets, this is not the highest value we have seen.” • Too Focused on Education Abroad/Not Relevant to My Work • “I would not recommend that faculty join, nor that staff working outside education abroad join.” • “It depends on what field within International Education that the friend works in and what they are looking to get out of their membership.”

workshops, conferences, publications, collaboration with education abroad professionals in every category of the field, established Standards for the field.” • “The Forum provides access to research on education abroad and to excellent resources on risk management, best practices, and other information vital to our work.” • “Provides valuable resources for advancing global education and a great organization for networking.” • Standards/Best Practices • “There is power in setting collective standards, ethics and such for our emerging profession/field.” • “The Forum is one of the leaders in providing information on current best practices and policies that can help programs develop and create new initiatives. The Forum is a solid resource and clearly takes great measures to stay up to date, relevant and innovative in its approach and research focuses.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 29

UNIVERSITY / CAMPUS LEADERSHIP RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

66%

Passives

26%

Detractors

9%

n = 59

n = 23

n = 8

• Leader in Field of Expertise • “Among the other international education organizations, the Forum stands out as the most focused and authoritative in the area of study/ education abroad.” • “Forum on Education Abroad is the recognized leader in the field, both in terms of standards and applying theory to practice.” • High Quality Training/Professional Development • “The Forum offers the unparalleled experience

• Networking • “Although networking is important, I am not sure what are the additional benefits.” • “Useful resources and collegiality - good atmosphere to dialogue” • High Quality Training/Professional Development • “I have found the process of the training and certification very valuable, and I wish I had done it earlier.”

• Standards/Best Practices • “Forum EA offers great guidance and leadership in best practices for education abroad.” • Too Focused on Revenue Generation • “The handling of the cancelled meeting was atrocious. Many of us have limited fund for actual travel, and that money was thrown away essentially. I did not wish to pay for a video and paper-based conference. Those of us who go for the face-to-face contact should have been offered refunds or at least re-purposing of our money to a place we wanted.” • Lack of Support/Advocacy • “Limited activities of support aside from annual meeting that have been advocated for by our education abroad team. Others at large expense. In period of strong attention to budgets, this is not the highest value we have seen.”

of gathering colleagues in education abroad for professional development opportunities, while also serving as a standard-developing organization for the field. This unique combination of engagement and content makes the Forum uniquely valuable for the range of new to seasoned education abroad professionals.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 30

UNIVERSITY / CAMPUS LEADERSHIP RECURRING THEMES

Promoters

66%

Passives

26%

Detractors

9%

n = 59

n = 23

n = 8

• Focus on Education Abroad • “The Forum is the main professional association for study abroad professionals working in the United States. There are no other professional associations primarily for those working in study abroad. Other associations related to international education in general at best devote a small portion of their conferences, research and reporting, and advocacy activities to the field of study abroad, rather devoting the vast majority of their focus to international student recruitment and services-related topics.”

The Forum on Education Abroad Net Promoter Score Results 31

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46

Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker