International Center's Meaghan Murphy-Rennie Presents for BASAA

The Friday, Dec. 10 session was given as the keynote presentation for the BASAA: Boston Area Study Abroad Association fall 2021 meeting with 50+ attendees from the New England region.  

Just Keep Pivoting: Assessing Ongoing Transformations in Education Abroad and the Careers of International Educators

Two years ago this month, a novel coronavirus emerged in Wuhan, China, that would go on to upend nearly every aspect of our personal and professional lives. While the pandemic is not yet over and history not yet written, it is becoming clear that changes to education abroad, higher education at large and our careers will be both far-reaching and long-lasting. In this two-part interactive discussion, we'll seek to begin to understand the ongoing transformation taking place in two arenas: 1) the operation of education abroad offices, and 2) the career journeys of international educators.

We will begin our conversation by assessing some of the changes to study abroad office policies, procedures and operations - including in advising, pre-departure orientation, health & safety (including travel restrictions based on CDC and/or State Department advisories), program planning, marketing and more. In the second half, we will talk about YOU. How have our roles changed? How has the way you think about your career changed? Have you experienced burnout? Been laid off or furloughed? Changed jobs? Changed careers? Thought about it? 

Through a combination of polls and open discussion, we hope to learn from one another and share ideas that steel our collective resolve as we enter the third year of COVID-19.