Eurocentric education

JMU’s Center for Global Engagement should increase study abroad options outside of Europe

PATRICK HANOVER contributing columnist

JMU offers many study abroad options, both short-term — over breaks or parts of summer — and long-term, a semester. Short-term study abroad options are offered in places all over the world, including a few that don’t leave the U.S. The long-term options right now, all of which are open for applications, include semesters in Antwerp, Belgium; Edinburgh and St. Andrews in Scotland; Florence, Italy; London and Salamanca, Spain. For shortterm programs, 17 of 53 options are outside of Europe.

The five long-term study abroad options that currently exist are all in Western Europe. This could be due to safety concerns associated with various parts of the world. Eastern Europe, which was relatively safe prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has been on alert in various places, with the epicenter being eastern Donbas. That being said, pockets of the region are relatively safe.

Most countries outside of Europe and North America are labeled as either “partly free” or “not free” by the Freedom House index.

Some countries are considered free; however, being free doesn’t automatically guarantee a functional democracy, and neighboring countries could also contribute to apprehension about sending students to that country for a whole semester. Even a safe and developed country such as Taiwan, which is in danger of being invaded by China, according to the Associated Press, can be problematic.

“At this point we are not looking to expand additional study centers or exchange partnerships,”

Kathleen Sensabaugh, director of study abroad at JMU’s Center for Global

Engagement (CGE), said. “We are still in a rebuilding period as we bounce back from COVID, so our priority now is to get all our JMU international study centers back on track to pre-pandemic numbers and continuing to foster existing relationships with our exchange partners.”

Sensabaugh cited trends at JMU and nationwide that students are choosing to participate in shorterterm programs and that these trends must be observed before considering expanding any options. She also said risk factors such as mental health support must be considered. However, the CGE is open to increasing options, Sensabaugh said.

If the CGE is ever to consider the expansion of these programs beyond Europe, countries such as Japan, Australia and New Zealand are viable options for semester-long study abroad trips, as they’re relatively safe and currently host short-term programs.

Despite issues such as the fallout from COVID-19, which universities are still recovering from, looking into expanding long-term study abroad options in the future would provide students an opportunity to experience diverse cultures. However, it might be important to exercise caution while international tensions remain high in some regions around the world. Assuming these issues are eventually resolved in the near future, it would be a good idea to consider these countries for study abroad locations.

CONTACT Patrick Hanover at hanovepv@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.