The American Council on Education, also known as ACE, has selected MTSU as one of the 13 institutions to participate in its 19^th “internationalization laboratory.” 

The cohort will begin officially Thursday, Sept. 9, with a virtual opening meeting. With resources from ACE, each school will assemble a leadership team on campus, analyze current activities aimed at improving MTSU’s international reach and articulate institutional goals and formulate a strategic action plan for increasing its global profile.

Dr. Robert Summers

Schools also will have access to on-campus visits by ACE experts, regular contact from ACE advisers and two additional meetings of the entire cohort in monthly “lab chat” webinars.

Robert Summers, vice provost for international affairs at MTSU, hailed the collaboration as a positive development as the educational community worldwide continues to grapple with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic emphasized just how globally connected we are, and I am excited to explore this connectedness by participating in ACE’s internationalization laboratory,” Summers said.

Since 2002, more than 175 institutions have participated in the program. The other institutions in the cohort are:

• Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinois;
• Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts;
• Bryant University, Smithfield, Rhode Island;
• Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania;
• College of Saint Benedict & Saint John’s University, Stearns County, Minnesota;
• Education New Zealand, with offices in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch;
• Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana;
• Minnesota State University-Mankato, Mankato, Minnesota;
• Pomona College, Claremont, California;
• Saint Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin;
• University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida;
• University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, Nevada.

Summers, who joined MTSU in July 2020, said he is impressed with the university’s international affairs team and its response to pandemic challenges to study-abroad courses and global travel.

“I have seen firsthand the incredible campus support for internationalization,” Summers said. “I have admired the resilience and commitment of our students and faculty. I applaud all those who took this extraordinary year in stride and kept MTSU moving forward.”

The American Council on Education is the only major higher education association to represent all types of accredited, degree-granting institutions in the United States. Its membership includes more than 1,700 colleges and universities, related associations and other organizations in the U.S. and abroad. To learn more, go to www.acenet.edu.

For more information about programs and opportunities offered by the MTSU Office of International Affairs, go to https://www.mtsu.edu/intered/index.php or contact Summers at robert.summers@mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)