Recruitment, mentoring, and development of STEM faculty to lead international programs

Faculty-led experiential study abroad is an increasingly popular vehicle for internationalizing STEM education. However, STEM faculty can lack the necessary knowledge and experience to lead study abroad programs, and may be reluctant to get involved. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, half of all STEM undergraduates complete interdisciplinary research projects abroad under faculty guidance, and over 25% of STEM faculty have some level of involvement in offcampus project programs. WPI´s faculty development approach involves recruitment, training, mentoring, and support. In this paper, we discuss strategies to engage and prepare STEM faculty to lead experiential study abroad programs that are scalable and sustainable. Examples are given of how overseas experiences can benefit faculty work on campus in teaching and scholarship.