USA universities recongised for excellence in campus internationalisation

NAFSA has announced the eight universities and colleges in the USA that have been selected to receive a 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization.

Named after the late Senator Paul Simon of Illinois, the awards celebrate “outstanding commitment and accomplishment in campus internationalization”, NAFSA Association of International Educators said.

“For more than two decades, the Simon Award has stood as a hallmark of excellence in campus internationalization, and this year’s recipients continue that proud tradition,” said Fanta Aw, NAFSA Executive Director and CEO.

“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. Notably, five repeat winners reaffirm that campus internationalization is not a one-time achievement, but a continuous, evolving commitment guided by core principles. We commend this year’s recipients for their unwavering dedication to building a more globally connected future.”

The five 2025 recipients of the Senator Paul Simon Awards for Comprehensive Internationalization, which recognizes integration of international education across all facets of campuses, are: The Pennsylvania State University (University Park, Pennsylvania); San Diego State University (San Diego, California); University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona); University of Georgia (Athens, Georgia); and University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, Indiana).

Meanwhile, the Senator Paul Simon Spotlight Award recognizes a specific program or initiative that contributes to internationalization on campus.

The 2025 Spotlight winners are: Saint Louis University, Missouri, for its Partnership for a Higher Purpose program: the International Public Service Project (IPSP) at University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service; and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for its IGlobal Program.

Click here to read more about the Senator Paul Simon Awards.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators serves more than 10,000 international education professionals in the USA and worldwide and is the largest non-profit organization dedicated to international education and exchange.