NAFSA awards recognise internationalisation “excellence”

The Paul Simon Award, bestowed by NAFSA upon eight US institutions on February 11, stands as a “hallmark of excellence in campus internationalization”, said NAFSA CEO, Fanta Aw.

“The inclusion of minority-serving institutions and public land-grant universities among the honorees underscores that global education can thrive in a variety of institutional settings,” said Aw, commending the colleges’ “unwavering dedication” to building a more globally connected future.

Named after the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois – a long-standing advocate of international higher education – the award has been recognizing colleges for their fostering of global partnerships for over two decades.

This year, the Comprehensive Award was received by Pennsylvania State University, San Diego State University, the University of Arizona, the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame.

Additional institutions receiving a 2025 Spotlight Award for specific initiatives were Sant Louis University, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.

This year’s list includes five repeat winners, reaffirming that campus internationalization is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous, evolving commitment guided by core principles, said Aw.

San Diego State University, one of the Comprehensive Award winners, said internationalization had been woven into the fabric of SDSU for decades, but its 2020 Global Strategic Plan took efforts “to the next level”.

“We’ve added pillars around global education access, diversity, cultural humility, linguistic competence, and safety,” Cristina Alfaro, SDSU associate vice president of international affairs, told The PIE News.

“Additionally, we have elevated our commitment to international education diplomacy, research, and transborder engagement with our neighbors in Mexico,” she added.

Given its position along the US-Mexico border, the university’s internationalization strategy has sharpened SDSU’s binational focus, including its opening of a Centre for Mesoamerican Studies in Oaxaca, Mexico in 2022.

Elsewhere, SDSU partners with universities in the Republic of Georgia, offering accredited STEM degrees to address local workforce shortages.

It also has ties with institutions in Paula, Oceania, to train teachers and promote nation building.

“SDSU students want a global education and SDSU faculty want to conduct global research,” said Alfaro: “It is an ongoing process in a dynamic global environment, and we are grateful to NAFSA for this recognition”.

Meanwhile, the University of Arkansas’s Clinton School was recognized for its International Public Service Project (IPSP), an 8–10-week study abroad program which sees students travelling to over 100 countries, contributing to public service and community projects run by host organizations.

“The IPSP experience serves as a transformation point for countless students as they learn the importance of community-driven projects, global connectivity and cultural humility,” said Clinton’s director of international programs Tiffany Jacob.

“We have found the IPSP experience to be critical in best preparing our students to be responsible leaders in global public service,” she added, sharing the recognition with the institution’s “dedicated network” of international partners.

The awards come amid a barrage of executive orders, funding threats and attacks on diversity by the Trump administration that are presenting unprecedented challenges for US institutions to hold up internationalization efforts and protect international students.