Bemidji State University’s initiative to provide its students with far-reaching, affordable opportunities to spend a semester studying abroad has received an Innovation in Global Education award from the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

The awards honor the system’s colleges and universities which are providing the creativity, innovation and excellence that the citizens of Minnesota expect as higher education continually evolves to better meet students’ needs. The awards are selected by peer academic and student affairs campus administrators based on criteria including creative approaches to enhancing student access and effective use of partnerships.

“This award reflects the efforts of many people at Bemidji State who work hard to provide international opportunities for all our students,” said Dr. Martin Tadlock, provost and vice president for academic affairs at BSU. “We strongly believe that all BSU students should be prepared to work and live anywhere on the planet after they graduate with a degree from us.

“This expectation applies to all students at Bemidji State, not just those who can afford to study abroad under expensive traditional models. Fortunately, BSU has the international partnerships in place that makes affordable education abroad available to anyone who wishes to participate.”

BSU’s Affordable Semester Abroad program
For the last two years, BSU has built partnerships with other universities around the globe to provide far-reaching opportunities for students to study abroad at an affordable cost.

BSU’s study abroad programs includes partnerships with more than a dozen universities on three continents, allowing students to spend a semester studying in Canada, Iceland, Germany, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, China, Malaysia or South Korea. At nine of these partner institutions, all in China, South Korea or Malaysia, students can spend a semester studying abroad for less than $1,000 more than the cost of a semester at BSU.

Bemidji State’s Affordable Semester Abroad program will be recognized at a reception honoring this year’s recipients of the system’s academic and student affairs awards. The reception will be held May 29 at Normandale Community College in conjunction with the system’s Academic and Student Affairs Leadership Conference.

Contact
• Dr. Martin Tadlock, provost and vice president for academic affairs; (218) 755-2015

Links
• MnSCU Academic and Student Affairs Leadership Conference