Our regional consultants will be visiting your campus soon to answer your questions about study abroad with CEA Global Education. With more than 100 study abroad programs worldwide, we invite you to stop by and find out how you can add global skills to your academic resume and enjoy the cross-cultural experience of a lifetime.

Upcoming dates and locations

Albright College
10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 4 at the Campus Center
Kathleen Ellwood

California State University – Long Beach
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 17 at Maxson Plaza
Matt Janus

If you don't see your school listed and you would like to request a visit from one of our Regional Consultants, please contact our University Relations Department.

Just a few minutes away from Tlaquepaque, lies the smaller artisan town of Tonala. This vibrant community invites students to immerse themselves as they peer into the artistic soul of Guadalajara, watching artisans such as glass blowers perform their craft and bartering for a good price. Both activities provide great practice for Spanish language, too!

Tonala is a craftsmen's town. It's not as tourist-y as Tlaquepaque, but is a city of factories and stores which are open to the public for the products they sell. Many of the ceramics, pottery, and some fine china sold throughout Mexico, are created by some 6,000 artists who love living in Tonala.

The best time to visit is on a Thursday or Sunday, when the center of the town is transformed outdoors into a colorful and crowded open market. The streets are filled with stands offering unimaginable crafts. Some are a true bargain, since the competition can be strong in an open market.

Learn more about Guadalajara, Mexico.

Cassandra Peacock is CEA Global Education's Program Director in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Since the college student's quest for sources of money is a never-ending one, we thought we'd resurrect a popular blog post from last semester to help students navigate the financial aid process and study abroad.

Okay, I’ve got your attention. Let’s talk nickels and dimes. You and/or your student want to study abroad. Bravo! Wunderbar! Bueno! We at CEA applaud the wanderlust that entices you to enter the world’s classroom.

At first blush, the price tag for your study abroad experience may seem like a lot. Remember – this is an extension of your college experience and can be planned for in much the same way. Many of the financial opportunities that exist for college students today also apply to earning credits in another country. So don’t overlook the chance to expand your global competence until you’ve examined these avenues of financial help.

First and foremost, CEA’s financial advisor, Kelly Walker, tells us there’s been a change to the U.S. PELL Grant distribution system. College students who qualified for the 2009-2010 academic year for financial assistance in the form of a PELL Grant, and who sign up for full-time student status during the summer term (12 credits) might qualify for another grant disbursement equal to the fall and spring semesters (check with your school’s financial aid office for details).

For example: If you qualified for $1,500 for Fall 2009 and another $1,500 for Spring 2010, and you sign up to take 12 credits for Summer 2010, then you may qualify to take another $1,500 disbursement to pay for that summer semester - including a variety of destinations, such as our Multi-Destination Programs in France, Italy and Spain!

The same is true for any Fall 2010 offerings that earn full-time credit status. Students qualifying for federal financial aid may also qualify to use their Stafford loans to pay for their study abroad program – again, so long as you take enough credits to satisfy the full-time student requirement.

If you or your student did not qualify for a U.S. Pell Grant this year, here are some other opportunities to consider:

1. First, go immediately to your college/university’s financial aid office. There you can determine if you are eligible for one of the federal loan programs: the student Stafford Loan and the Parent (PLUS) Loan.

2. Talk to your own bank about what personal loan products they have available. The banks that are lending right now are doing so through colleges and universities. So, again, start with your educational institute first.

3. Look at an employer-sponsored scholarship. Depending on where Mom and Dad work, their dependent children may qualify for a company scholarship program. Inquire with your company’s HR department to find out.

4. Examine what other scholarships are out there for study abroad using these search tools: fastweb and NextStudent.

5. Finally, don’t rule out talking to family members. A little birthday spending money here and there, a check instead of another $50 iTunes download card – it all adds up and it’s for your future. Let your loved ones know how they can give you a gift that will last a lifetime.

Download our Financing Study Abroad Brochure for more useful information on paying for your study abroad experience. Or check out our Financing page.

It is hard to believe that it’s been more than a year since I was in Paris. Not so much because of the things that I have done after Paris, but because of how vivid my memories are and how strong the passion and excitement still is when I see something (yes, anything) French.

There are so many things I could say about Paris. I could give you specific places and stories about the 11e arrondissement, my home, Rue de Charonne and, yes, the famous Rue de Lappe (if you ever go to Paris, you will know what I mean). I could talk about Le Marais, Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, and that sneaky area in the 20e arrondissement around Rue the Pyrénées. However, as you can imagine, this short article would extend to a whole book, so I am just going to give you a list of random, sometimes unconnected things that explain why you should go to Paris:

• Walk to your closest boulangerie, get a fresh baguette thinking that it is too big and you will have to eat it for the next seven days – amazed at the fact that by the time you got home, you already had eaten half of it (you will eat the other half later at night with a bottle of Bordeaux).

• Pastries (there is not enough I can say about them, words are just not enough)

• Walk around pretty much everywhere! Paris is a city to explore, it is full of mystery and hidden beauty; you only have to open yourself to it.

• Chanciness. This is one of my favorite characteristics of Paris. Days are never exactly like others; you cannot find monotony even if you wanted it! You walk on the streets and there is always something going on, a protest (several I would say), a brocante, art festivals, concerts, a fait du pan or just people dancing in front of the Latin Quarter metro stop.

• French people are never badly dressed; even if you are one of those “dress down” people, you will find yourself excited about choosing what to wear almost every day.

• Outside and inside Paris Parks: beautiful! You will never get tired of the chairs around the fountains at the Tuileries.

• Making French friends - they are great!

• Hidden bars with people dressed in '40s fashions. (Yes, they have those!)

• French language.

• Museums, history, culture, the Pompidou library and the Seine.

• Wine, cheese and jam; and picnics everywhere, but especially under the Eiffel Tower.

• People from the CEA program are the nicest and most helpful that you will find!

• Philosophers, poets, gays, artists.

Well, this is my short list. It is not exhaustive at all, but it illustrates (I think) the diversity and mélange of things you will find and experience in France. It was the experience of my life.

Giuliana Carducci studied in Paris in Spring 2009.

Last week AIEA held its annual conference in Washington, D.C., and set a new attendance record with more than 530 attendees. For those current and former AIEA presidents who gathered for a dinner Tuesday evening, it was a time to recall how this organization has grown from quite humble beginnings almost 30 years ago.

A striking feature of this conference was the number of sessions (at least 12!) that explored some aspect of the global/intercultural competence/student learning/assessment theme. One senses that the international education profession is moving from a mainly numbers-driven template (percentage of graduates studying abroad, percentage of international students and scholars on campus, number of international fellowships won) to a student-learning focus. This, of course, shifts the focus from campus resource allocation to some hard thinking on what we mean by “competence” – itself a term that was questioned by AIEA conference goers.

CEA organized a session that highlighted strategies at Portland State University (Gil Latz) and Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) (Elspeth Jones), with commentary by Christa Olson (ACE), aimed at achieving global competence (or global citizenship) among each university's students. Presentations may be viewed here. A vigorous discussion followed raising questions about terminology: aren’t global competence and intercultural competence really two, distinct skill sets? And what about the relative usefulness of qualitative vs. quantitative assessment of this competence? In the lively discussion that followed the panel presentations, an intriguing perspective was introduced by Dr. Susan Herrera of North Carolina State University. Herrera has proposed a distinction between global competence and global consciousness in preparing new professionals in international education.

CEA’s own efforts to imbed Global Competence at its Global Campuses focuses on three distinct opportunities: establishing a foundation course on intercultural communication; assessing the shift in student learning and perspective; and learning more about U.S. institutional goals for student learning abroad so that CEA programs can be genuinely integrated with those efforts.

Clearly we are all in new territory when it comes to understanding and assessing global competence. The coming year will surely be filled with vigorous exchanges on this critical theme. CEA will play its part in refining our thinking and engaging in active experiments to test our understanding of this theme.

Dr. John D. Heyl is the Vice President for Global Education at CEA. Meet Dr. Heyl and other CEA Global Education leaders at the Forum on Education Abroad's annual conference in March in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Our CEA alumni have so many amazing stories and photos to share that we wanted to pass them along to students still considering a study abroad experience. And who better to moderate the discussion than our own well-traveled, dare I say Olympian, CEA admissions counselor and site specialist: Michelle and Catherine.

Each brings a passion for cultural exploration and study abroad to her job every day. Students who get the chance to meet these two wonderful advisors can't help but catch their enthusiasm! Read what they have to say about their own cultural experiences and check out our CEA Global Education fan page on Facebook!

Meet Michelle



My name is Michelle and I am an admissions counselor at CEA. I help new students navigate the application process by guiding them in their destination decisions and sharing my own international experiences. I have been with CEA for 3 ½ years. I was born and raised in Castle Rock, Colorado, to parents from the country formally known as Czechoslovakia. I found myself spending most of my summers growing up in Europe chasing goats and helping my grandparents make specialty pastries.

I graduated from Johnson & Wales University in South Carolina with a Bachelor’s degree in International Hotel & Tourism Management. I spent one semester during my junior year in Neuchatel, Switzerland, and part of my senior year in South Wales. My study abroad experiences were honestly the best time of my life. I learned so much about myself during that time. I really enjoyed the European way of life and loved to observe other cultures first-hand. It was so easy to make friends because we all had to rely on each other to navigate the city every day. I have met the most amazing people from all around the world and am still in touch with most of them.

Study abroad is something I am extremely passionate about and I think everyone should experience another culture first-hand at least once in their lifetime. If I were to choose a CEA program today, I would study abroad in South Africa. I think it would be such an amazing experience to live on a nature reserve and in a country I have yet to explore.

I feel like I am CEA’s number one fan! I love what CEA represents and, judging by the way they treat their employees, I know they really strive to make the students' experiences priceless.

Meet Catherine



My name is Catherine and I’ve worked at CEA as a Site Specialist for almost three years. I advise students going to France, Ireland and China. CEA site specialists prepare students for their time abroad, assisting in many areas including the visa process, housing and academics. If you have a question about your program or need help keeping on track with the many things to be done before studying abroad, your site specialist is here to help!

I studied abroad in Florence, Italy, in 1998. (A pre-Euro Italy! I still have a pocketful of Lira.) Of the cities I visited while abroad, my favorite was Venice. I spent a day there running around and taking in as much of the city as I could. The other students who came with me couldn’t keep up – so I ended up navigating the canals and museums on my own.

I took a break to have tea in St. Mark’s square at Caffé Florian and watched the crowds walk by and play with the pigeons. A string quartet played Vivaldi, a fitting soundtrack for the scene.

After the day was finished, I rode the train back to Florence, sharing a compartment with a pair of art historians from England. It was pretty much the perfect day.

CEA's new Global Campus in Shanghai, China, is officially accepting applications for its inaugural classes of Summer and Fall 2010! American universities and colleges can now access one of the world's fastest growing economies and China's financial and business center, Shanghai, to enhance their own curriculum and study abroad offerings.

Why Shanghai? Shanghai offers faculty the chance to open a window into a culture that is rich in both history and taste for all things modern and Western. It's no wonder China is growing in popularity among a list of less traditional study abroad options for college students today. To answer the question further, we've invited our esteemed Campus Director and Academic Dean for Shanghai, Dr. Yanfeng Li, to share his thoughts with you.

Dr. Li: CEA's Shanghai Global Campus is hosted on the campus of East China Normal University (ECNU) in near central Shanghai, close to business and commercial areas. Students can easily explore the city and obtain internship opportunities. ECNU is nationally well-known, often rated among the top three universities in Shanghai, and its language teacher training program is one of the largest in China.

CEA's Global Campus facility includes offices, a computer lab, library and classrooms, and the space is being renovated to make use of up-to-date technology.

Chinese language instructors and area studies faculty will be recruited from ECNU and other nearby institutions. Faculty training workshops will be organized jointly and regularly to make the most of professional, cross cultural opportunities for sharing best practices.

Chinese language classes at the Global Campus will be small with usually less than eight students. Students have their choice of courses – they may elect to take all Chinese language classes, or all area studies courses taught in English, or a combination of the two. Students taking Chinese language courses also will have access to additional one-on-one tutoring after class.

Area studies feature ample opportunity for excursions, site visits and on-site case studies. CEA also will arrange overnight trips outside of Shanghai.

CEA works with the University of New Haven to provide and carry out strict academic policies. Our strategic relationship with UNH helps ensure CEA students receive a high-quality education comparable to their home schools.

Shanghai is the leader of China’s urbanization and also is one of the most influential global cities in the world. The World EXPO is coming to Shanghai from May through October 2010, which further makes Shanghai a very unique place to study abroad, as students will be able to see both the world’s latest technology and the international culture that accompanies visiting nations and tourists.

Dr. Li received his MA and Ph.D. in Chinese Literature from the University of Hawaii. His professional experience includes teaching Chinese language at the University of Pennsylvania for four years and directing CIEE Shanghai Center's Chinese language and Advanced Chinese Studies Programs for nearly five years.

CEA's new Global Campus in Shanghai, China, is officially accepting applications for its inaugural classes of Summer and Fall 2010!

Shanghai offers the chance to open a window into a culture that is rich in both history and taste for all things modern and Western. It's no wonder China is growing in popularity among a list of less traditional study abroad options for college students today. The Shanghai Global Campus offers elective courses taught in English, including business, communications, cultural studies, history, philosophy and political science. Students also can take Chinese language courses at any level.

Continue learning outside the classroom by exploring an ancient city and its traditions, from Tai Chi, busy markets, old temples and Chinese tea culture to a bustling night life situated under an avant-garde skyline.

We've invited our esteemed Campus Director and Academic Dean for Shanghai, Dr. Yanfeng Li, to share more about why you should consider studying abroad in Shanghai.

Dr. Li: CEA's Shanghai Global Campus is hosted on the campus of East China Normal University (ECNU) in near central Shanghai, close to business and commercial areas. Students can easily explore the city and obtain internship opportunities. ECNU is nationally well-known, often rated among the top three universities in Shanghai, and its language teacher training program is one of the largest in China.

CEA's Global Campus facility includes offices, a computer lab, library and classrooms, and the space is being renovated to make use of up-to-date technology. Chinese language instructors and area studies faculty will be recruited from ECNU and nearby institutions.

Chinese language classes at the Global Campus will be small with usually less than eight students. Students have their choice of courses – they may elect to take all Chinese language classes, or all area studies courses taught in English, or a combination of the two. Students taking Chinese language courses also will have access to additional one-on-one tutoring after class.

Area studies feature ample opportunity for excursions, site visits and on-site case studies. CEA also will arrange overnight trips outside of Shanghai.

CEA works with the University of New Haven to provide and carry out strict academic policies. Our strategic relationship with UNH helps ensure CEA students receive a high-quality education comparable to their home schools.

Shanghai is the leader of China’s urbanization and also is one of the most influential global cities in the world. The World EXPO is coming to Shanghai from May through October 2010, which further makes Shanghai a very unique place to study abroad, as students will be able to see both the world’s latest technology and the international culture that accompanies visiting nations and tourists.

Dr. Li received his MA and Ph.D. in Chinese Literature from the University of Hawaii. His professional experience includes teaching Chinese language at the University of Pennsylvania for four years and directing CIEE Shanghai Center's Chinese language and Advanced Chinese Studies Programs for nearly five years.

CEA Global Education's academic leadership will be at the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) annual conference Feb. 14-17 in Washington, D.C. Dr. John Heyl, our Vice President of Global Education, will participate in a panel discussion, "The Global Competence Curriculum – Three Perspectives," 3:15-4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15.

Dr. Heyl will speak about two challenges CEA is tackling in order to make better use of the short time students typically spend studying abroad (usually up to a semester), as well as align and integrate our academic goals with sending institutions. We are establishing a foundation course, "Intercultural Communication and Global Competence," as part of every Global Campus curriculum and, where feasible, at partner universities.

CEA also is assessing students at the beginning and end of their study abroad term to measure advances in global skills and attitudes. We also are developing closer ties with sending institutions so that CEA's academic approach reinforces campus-based Global Competence goals.

Other panel speakers include Dr. Gil Latz, Vice Provost for International Affairs at Portland State University, and Dr. Elspeth Jones, International Dean for Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom. Read more at www.GoWithCEA.com/AIEA2.

You're invited to stop by the CEA table and meet Dr. Heyl and other CEA leadership at the AIEA National Conference Feb. 14-17 in Washington, D.C. We will be conducting a drawing for a $500 voucher for Dr. Heyl's inaugural Global Issues Seminar for Faculty, "Sustainable Development and the Global City," set to take place June 13-22 in Madrid, Spain. Home to one of CEA’s Global Campuses, Madrid offers undergraduate teaching faculty the chance to discuss environmental initiatives with academic experts, government officials, EU agencies, nonprofit advocates and citizen groups.

Our deadline for CEA Global Education's first Global Issues Seminar (GIS) for Faculty in Madrid, Spain, is approaching – April 1.

We know that faculty need first-hand experience abroad to support their in-class innovations.  Our inaugural GIS – "Sustainable Development and the Global City" – focuses on a crucial issue as the second decade of the 21st century opens: environmental sustainability.  Therefore, CEA is taking advantage of one of its key strengths—the global city—as the platform for this exploration.

Our first Global Issues Seminar will address environmental sustainability issues facing Spain, with a particular focus on Madrid.  The seminar will be held at CEA’s Global Campus in Madrid and will draw on a wide range of experts in government, advocacy and academia to bring the challenges of Spain’s environmental agenda into focus.  Participants will hear from a Madrid City Council Member, Greenpeace Spain, urban specialists, and academic counterparts and will visit key sustainability sites in the area.

The goal of these seminars is to provide meaningful professional development experiences that enable faculty members to move in new directions and revise current courses to include leading global issues.   We know these are financially tough times for colleges and universities.  CEA has subsidized this seminar to keep the cost to faculty and institutions as low as possible.  Join us for what promises to be an exciting and enlightening 10 days in Madrid this June 13-22.  For more information on CEA’s Global Issues Seminar in Madrid, visit www.gowithcea.com/GIS.

To learn more about what’s going on at CEA, please visit our table at AIEA’s upcoming annual conference in DC and enter our drawing for a $500 voucher off the price of our first Global Issues Seminar for faculty.  I hope to see many of you at the DC conference.   

All the best for 2010!

John

CEA Global Education and the University of Arizona are partnering to promote a unique study abroad experience unlike any of their other respective offerings.  The Arizona in Ukraine program springs from the successful Arizona in Yalta summer program that provides students with a taste of what life is like in a post-Soviet nation that is in the process of establishing itself as a viable democracy in 21st Century Europe. 

This partnership builds on CEA’s assistance with several custom faculty-led programs through the University of Arizona and provides both CEA and UA the exciting opportunity to expose students to a part of the world that few in North America have visited, let alone studied to such a great capacity. 

Arizona in Ukraine is the only study abroad program that offers a semester-long program in Ukraine for undergraduate students interested in political science, sociology, international relations and Model UN while also providing the opportunity to study Russian.  Classes are taught in English at the Kharkiv National University of Economics (KhNUE), one of the leading universities in Ukraine.  Kharkiv is a scientific, educational and cultural center in Ukraine.  Exciting academic field trips to Kyiv, Odessa and Crimea boost cultural immersion and complement the material studied in the classroom.

Students will interact with leaders of the community and local social sciences scholars. They'll also learn about Ukrainian culture and post-Soviet politics first-hand.

Comfortable and modern housing on the KhNUE campus together with extensive support from the Arizona in Ukraine staff in Kharkiv will provide all the necessary ingredients for a successful and rewarding study abroad experience.

Students will see the modern aspects of Ukrainian society and experience its rich traditions.   In some respects, Kharkiv is a living open-air museum where one can see the remains of its communist past and how this has transitioned into some of Europe’s youngest democracies.  Arizona in Ukraine students will get the chance to observe in person this process of transformation and Ukraine’s crucial relationship to world affairs today. 

Additionally, through the leadership of University of Arizona’s capable Model United Nations student participants, the program will offer Model United Nations (MUN) courses aimed at students creating, organizing, recruiting and developing a MUN program in Kharkiv, providing an as-real-as-it-gets opportunity to work closely with American, Ukrainian and other international students in a hands-on learning experience for credit. 

Learn more about The Arizona in Ukraine program.

- Molly DeStafney, Study Abroad Advisor at the University of Arizona

Up to $3,000 is Available for Summer & Fall Programs

Looking for some extra cash to help pay for your Summer or Fall study abroad program? CEA wants to help.  Apply for a Summer or Fall scholarship and you could get up to $3,000 to help pay for your program.

Don’t wait until the last minute.  The deadline for Summer 2010 scholarships is March 1 and the deadline for Fall 2010 scholarships is April 15.

Sneak a peek at examples of past winners.

To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

• Be accepted into a CEA study abroad program
• Meet requirements for the scholarship to which you’re applying
• Have a minimum 3.0 GPA, unless otherwise specified
• Complete an original essay of 400-500 words answering the required question for their scholarship.
• Complete a scholarship application form and include an unofficial transcript
• Obtain an academic letter of recommendation

CEA offers plenty of study abroad options for students from a variety of academic backgrounds, majors and language options, including courses taught in English at our Global Campus locations.

Start planning now! We look forward to hearing from you soon.

One of the best things about studying abroad in Australia is discovering the youthfulness of its culture. With a newfound confidence since the overwhelming success of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Australians are quietly going about defining their sense of nation and, along the way, creating new traditions.

When you're granted a public holiday with the title "Australia Day," it could seem pretty obvious what you're celebrating. But what is Australia Day and what's it all about? 

Historically Australia Day marks the day in which the First Fleet landed in Botany Bay in 1788 to set up the first European settlement on the continent that would become Australia. While that event may have been a significant milestone in the history of modern Australia, the celebrations that take place on Australia Day are firmly focused on present-day Australia.

Australia Day is a celebration of the present while paying only scant homage to the event that took place on the 26th of January way back in the late 18th century.

Australia Day celebrates the Australian lifestyle and, with summer in full swing, it's all about getting outdoors and on the water. Sydney's Hyde Park overflowed with picnickers searching for a shady spot under the huge Moretin Bay Figs that line the park's boulevards while live entertainment entertained everyone from toddlers to grandparents.

BBQ's sizzled to the sounds of beer caps and chardonnay corks being pulled while people from the many cultural backgrounds that make up Australian mingled as one.

The CBD streets were closed to make way for art and cultural artifacts that embody Australia.  More than 100,000 Sydneysiders cruised the streets enjoying what it is to be Australian, even if they weren't quite sure what that meant.

On the water, the Sydney Harbour ferries were decked out with costumes for the Annual Sydney Harbour Ferry Race while a flotilla of pleasure boats jostled for the best vantage spot. The Sydney Harbour foreshore rocked into the evening with five stages of free, live acts as diverse as the Aussie crowd watching.

With modern Australia evolving at such a rapid place, it's great to be able to take a day off, look around and celebrate what Australia is now.

Murray Fraser is the Program Director for CEA Global Education in Sydney, Australia. He is responsible for the day-to-day management including student services, host institution relations, program academics, and more. He was born in Queensland and moved to Sydney in 2001 to further his career in International Education.