■ DIVERSIFICATION:
“I think specifying, some diversity or equity goals I think is absolutely critical, and then going back in and breaking them down and talking to people, through focus groups, through surveys, open ended questions…We can’t just rely on the numbers, we need to be able to tell the stories behind the numbers, to know that we have actually achieved something.” - Dawn
• Continued diversity in the profile of membership • Diversified representation within the Forum • Ongoing cycle of conferences (diversified locations) that the Forum puts on or participates in
“Maybe 10 years from now, every one of the working groups has participation that is half U.S.-based and half international-based. Perhaps 10 years from now, we all know and can see on the site what the on-the-ground teams are, representatives are for the forum in different countries, to help people make those partnerships.” - Keshia
■ LEGITIMIZE FIELD: • Educational institutions take study abroad more seriously
“If the Forum does decide that it wants to help with this idea of legitimization of the academic, and beyond, quite frankly, aspects of the field, I think they can look to the number of research initiatives they’re supporting or championing, maybe grant funds to develop the level of funding they’re able to help generate in that space.” – Kyle
“In 10 years, do higher educational institutions take study abroad more seriously? I don’t know exactly how we measure that, but are there more, as others have said, maybe more a broader range of participation, so more faculty or deans or other people who are maybe not in it every day who are engaged.” - Joy
■ MISC: • Ability for the organization to sustain and grow through COVID • Proactive agility • Innovation • Strengthened partnerships
“If the Forum can be agile and just respond to things. Not in a reactionary way, but in a proactive way. I think that’s key, and it has done that in lots of instances. But there’s other instances when it could have been maybe just a little bit more on the ball, but it’s, I think, definitely going that way.” - Emily
THE FORUM ON EDUCATION ABROAD // SOAR WHITEPAPER
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