This week we kick off Global Impact 2025 in Minneapolis. It’s been almost exactly one year since the DA Global community met in person in the U.S. In October 2024 nearly 600 professionals gathered in Washington D.C., for our 12th annual conference, which had been known as the Global Inclusion Conference. A year later, it’s not hyperbole to say there are tectonic shifts that have taken place in the U.S. and globally that are leading to monumental impacts in education and beyond. As I gear up for the 13th edition of Global Impact, which will take place this week in Minneapolis, there are three words I would use to describe the state of DA Global and our field as a whole: change, challenge, and opportunity.
What’s Changed?
After operating as Diversity Abroad for almost nineteen years, in February 2025 we rebranded to DA Global Access Network or simply DA Global. We didn’t make this decision lightly; after all, changing a brand after nearly two decades has its risks. Still, the time was right. We had grown from our roots as an organization solely focused on increasing access to the benefits of education abroad for historically underserved students, to a strategic partner for higher education institutions and organizations around the globe focused on aligning access to global education to the priorities and outcomes that matter: student success, career readiness, and institutional impact. Diversity Abroad is our foundation; DA Global is our evolution and our future. We codified our work into four areas of practice: Strategy & Alignment, Access & Opportunity, Technology & Digital Innovation, and People Development & Success. Our former name simply no longer fit who we had become. Our rebrand is a recognition of who we are today and the impact we aim to have on the higher education sector in collaboration with our partners around the world.
We’re not alone in that evolution. Across the sector, change is constant. There’s been a growing wave of mergers and acquisitions—particularly among education abroad providers and EdTech companies. Offices are rebranding to reflect broader, more strategic scopes. Geopolitical realities are shifting old alliances and opening doors to new ones. And, as in every era, the students have changed.
Today’s students grew up with technology and social media first. They’re socially conscious and questioning the value of traditional higher education. At the same time, they’re part of the COVID generation, and both they and we are still navigating how years of isolation have shaped how they show up in higher education and beyond.
“The only thing that is constant is change.” We’re experiencing this firsthand. And of course, with change comes new challenges.
The Challenges
While we’re excited about the brand and direction, this past year hasn’t been without its challenges for DA Global and the field as a whole. First, and not surprisingly, we’ve experienced disruption as institutions navigate numerous changes to U.S. state and federal policies. While DA Global is a different organization, our legacy as Diversity Abroad has made some partners cautious about working with us. Call it an abundance of caution—or over-compliance driven by uncertainty in the law. In conversations with colleagues what has become abundantly clear is that fear is a dominant factor in these decisions. We get it. And it’s messy trying to operate in a new and ambiguous policy landscape with seemingly endless changes. We’re trying to adapt in real time and navigate this new terrain with thoughtfulness and flexibility, because that’s what this moment requires of us.
It’s not just us. And as we don’t receive direct government funding, we have more agency on how we articulate our work and our programming. The same can’t be said for partners at institutions or organizations that manage government grants. We’ve seen the erasure of units and divisions that focused on inclusive practices and strategies. Once-reliable grant funding has been cut off and, in many markets across the globe, higher education is experiencing significant budget cuts. Technology is rapidly advancing with the potential to disrupt how students learn, are supported, and the staffing calculus to support it. All of this against the backdrop of unprecedented scrutiny and changes to visa regulations that have thrown international students’ dreams—along with the recruitment process and reliable funding they bring—into flux.
I could easily write more about the challenges we all face in this landscape, but what keeps me hopeful are the opportunities before us.
We all have the opportunity to shape the future of global education into something more inclusive, strategic, and impactful.”
What Opportunities Lie Ahead
I describe myself as a pragmatic optimist. And yes, there have been days this year where it feels like a struggle to have glass-half-full optimism, but here are three opportunities that I see this current landscape presenting for DA Global and our field that give me hope.
First, there’s an increased focus on connecting global education to student success and career readiness. We’re not advocating that the value of global education be articulated solely in career development terms. We do, however, subscribe to the thought that, if global education is to be a meaningful part of the higher education ecosystem, then it must closely align with higher education priorities. The goals of global education cannot be disconnected from retention, persistence to graduation, and career readiness—for all students. As our field continues to collect actionable data, conduct meaningful research, share new frameworks, and build strategic relationships with career services, first-generation, and student success offices, we position ourselves as a vital link to higher education’s future success. I’m excited for how DA Global is and will continue to collaborate with its partners to see this vision become reality.
Second, with challenges, there are almost always opportunities. Yes, the challenges we face are concerning, fast-changing, and broad, but the proverb “necessity is the mother of innovation” is particularly applicable in moments like these. It can be hard to think about the future and innovation while it feels like we’re playing whack-a-mole, putting out one fire after the next, but we must persist. This moment calls for innovation, creativity, and tenacity, which we are already seeing. From increased interest in transnational education (TNE) and first-year abroad programs to virtual international internships and digital advising tools that expand access, our field is finding ways to innovate to ensure all students have access to the benefits of global education. And perhaps, in an ironic way, this current environment has unmasked what the good times hid: for too many students, families, and institutions, global education — particularly place based — didn’t work for them. We have an opportunity to recommit to ensuring global education is inclusive of all students and institutions. And in today’s environment, that’s not just the morally right thing to do, it’s essential to our future.
Finally, the emergence of new educational hubs, from Hong Kong to the UAE, is creating novel opportunities for engagement. Why does this matter? For too long global education has been dominated by the West, primarily English-speaking countries, sometimes dubbed the Big Four. Changing political, educational, and economic dynamics are shifting the landscape and opening opportunities for new educational hubs. This draws scholars, students, entrepreneurs, innovators and leaders to new destinations, which opens the door to nuanced educational experiences, deeper cultural understanding, and innovation.
What’s Next
I’m bringing these thoughts with me to Global Impact 2025. Changes and challenges are inevitable. Seeing the opportunities during trying times is a choice. It’s never easy, but often necessary. As I walk the conference floor, talk with attendees, and listen in on thought-provoking sessions, I’ll be holding both truths: the weight of this moment and the very real opportunities in front of us. Top of mind is that we’re in this together—whether you’re an institution in the U.S. or Saudi Arabia, an education-abroad provider or a recruitment agency, a nonprofit association or a consulting firm, a donor-backed NGO or a VC-backed edtech company. We all have the opportunity to shape the future of global education into something more inclusive, strategic, and impactful. I’m looking forward to the role DA Global will play—alongside you—in that future.
I’ll come back to this theme before Global Impact 2026 Abu Dhabi (March 25–27) and Atlanta (November 3–6). My sense is that we’ll still be navigating change and challenges, but as a sector we’ll be that much more positive about the future and the impact we’ll have on students, institutions, and communities.
Andrew Gordon is an award-winning social impact entrepreneur and leading voice in global education, edtech, inclusive student success and workforce development. As founder of DA Global Access Network, an educational consortium and strategic partner advancing access to global opportunities, he has spent nearly two decades helping higher education institutions strengthen academic achievement, career readiness and institutional impact through access to global education.
It’s that time again—looking back at the academic year behind us and ahead to what the coming one has in store.
There’s no shortage of troubling headlines, from international students facing increased visa scrutiny to attacks on lawful equity practices that help ensure global education supports academic success and career readiness for all students.
But with all the negativity dominating the news cycle, I thought I’d share a few reflections, ones that left me hopeful about where we are and where we’re going.
Last week I joined my DA Global colleagues in San Diego for the annual NAFSA Conference. Something felt different this year. Maybe it was me. After nearly twenty NAFSAs, the conference doesn’t hit quite the same, and I don’t mean that in a bad way.
Over the years, I’ve evolved. NAFSA used to be mainly about business for me: more contacts, more partners, more members. Now, it’s become a space to reconnect with my chosen tribe. We build each other up, swap ideas, share laughs, and at times, commiserate. With everything going on in the world and its impact on our field, I needed the connection more this year than most. I get the sense I wasn’t alone in that feeling.
My schedule was a mix of long-time friends and partners and a few new faces. I resisted the urge to stack six, seven, or eight receptions into one night and instead spent more quality time at fewer events. There’s no right or wrong way to do NAFSA, but this approach worked for me. I left recharged and ready for what’s ahead. And I walked away with a few observations and reminders. I’ll share three of them here.
“They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well, we’re in a moment of necessity. And if what I saw last week is any indication, our field is ready to rise to the occasion.”
Technology is essential, but this work is about people
Walking through the exhibit hall it was clear that tech is booming. Apps, platforms, CRMs, AI tools. Many of them are impressive, and there’s no doubt technology will continue to shape our work.
But no one I know got into international education because of the tech. We’re here for the people. For the smiles when students learn they’re going abroad. The pride on the faces of international students’ parents at graduation. The warm embrace from a colleague you haven’t seen since the last conference. The work of international education is about the lives our work touches.
As tech’s footprint grows, we need to keep it in perspective. Let’s use it not just to streamline operations, but to deepen human connection—the real reason most of us chose this field.
Challenging times often birth innovation
It’s no secret that the current environment for international education isn’t easy. As a self-professed pragmatic optimist,I try my best to find the hidden opportunity in challenges. To be fair, this is often easier said than done, especially when staring down political, regulatory, and financial headwinds.
Still, in my conversations in San Diego with colleagues from different roles, institutions, and countries, what stood out was the creativity. There was an acceptance of the heaviness of the moment, but people weren’t retreating; they were reimagining.
The ideas were flowing—from education abroad program models and inclusive support for international students to nuanced approaches to technology and deeper collaboration with industry. That’s what our field needs. If we want to grow our impact on students, institutions, and communities, we have to keep innovating.
They say necessity is the mother of invention. Well, we’re in a moment of necessity. And if what I saw last week is any indication, our field is ready to rise to the occasion.
Future thinking is key
In one conversation, a colleague pushed me to think bigger. She simply asked, “how are you preparing for the 2030s?” It took me a moment but then it hit me. The incoming class this fall will graduate in 2029. The 2030s are almost here.
It’s easy, and at times necessary, to stay focused on the current moment. But we also have to think long-term. What does international education look like for the class of 2035?
How are we positioning global learning to drive student success, career readiness, and institutional impact ten years from now? Big-picture thinking might feel like a luxury these days, but we can’t afford not to do it.
Our ability to question old paradigms, invest in our own growth, and build new models—some for needs that haven’t even emerged yet—will determine how international education contributes to the broader higher ed and workforce ecosystems in the decade ahead.
Conferences can be exhausting and energizing at the same time. NAFSA this year was a marathon, but I left hopeful.
Hopeful for our field, for our students, and for the role DA Global can play as we prepare for the future. As we move into summer planning and gear up for the Global Impact Conference, these reflections—and the many more that came from hallway chats at receptions—will shape how I show up for the work ahead.
We’ve got a lot to look forward to.
Andrew Gordon is an award-winning social impact entrepreneur and leading voice in global education, edtech, inclusive student success and workforce development. As founder of DA Global Access Network, an educational consortium and strategic partner advancing access to global opportunities, he has spent nearly two decades helping higher education institutions strengthen academic achievement, career readiness and institutional impact through access to global education.
Thank you for your interest in the DA Global Impact Fellowship Program. The application period for the 2025-2026 fellowship program has closed. We look forward to receiving your application for next year’s cohort once the application period opens. Please continue to check our website for updates.
DA Global Impact Fellowship program is an enriching fellowship designed to support our mission to empower student academic success, career readiness, and institutional impact through access to global education. The fellowship program runs from July 2025 to June 2026. Successful applicants must be DA Global members or affiliated with an active DA Global member organization/institution.
The Impact Fellowship is geared toward mid-career and senior level professionals who are eager to commit their expertise and experience to further DA Global’s mission. The fellowship program runs from July 2025 to June 2026. Successful applicants must be DA Global members or affiliated with an active DA Global member organization/institution.
Fellowship Commitment:
Thought Leadership: Fellows contribute bi-monthly articles, participate in or facilitate digital fireside chats, and collaborate on select publications, focusing on topics aligned with DA Global’s areas of expertise and four pillars.
Conference Participation: Fellows represent DA Global at one industry conference annually, providing a platform for them to share their insights and learn from others in the field.
Social Promotion: Promote their work and DA Global’s mission within their networks, enhancing the organization’s outreach and impact.
Fellowship Benefits:
Thought Leadership Opportunity: The fellowship offers a prominent platform for being at the forefront of thought leadership in advancing student success through access to global education.
Conference Registration Support: 50% reimbursement of early registration fees for industry events where fellows represent DA Global.
Networking & Learning: Quarterly collaboration calls with fellows and DA Global leadership and members from the Impact Council.
Stipend: A $1,500 stipend to support the fellows’ academic and professional development.
Consulting & Training: Priority consideration to work with DA Global on paid training and consulting engagements.
Ideal Candidates:
The program seeks individuals dedicated to fostering access to the benefits of global education for all students. Candidates should be eager to contribute to DA Global’s mission, demonstrating an ability to think critically and creatively about how to leverage access to global education to drive student success, workforce development, and institutional impact. Applicants must be DA Global members or affiliated with an active DA Global member organization/institution.
How to Apply
To apply, please submit the following materials:
A cover letter describing your interest in the Fellowship, how your skills and experience align with the responsibilities, and how this opportunity fits into your career goals.
A current résumé or CV.
A writing sample (where you are the primary author).
DA Global is proud to introduce the Global Impact Conference, the next evolution of its flagship event, formerly known as the Global Inclusion Conference. This transformation reflects a continued commitment to expanding access to international education and ensuring global experiences drive academic, career, and personal success for all students.
Bringing together international educators, student success professionals, diversity & inclusion leaders, and student affairs experts, the Global Impact Conference will continue to serve as the premier convening for professionals dedicated to advancing inclusive student success through access to the benefits of global education. With the tagline “Where Global Education and Success Meet,” the conference will highlight innovative strategies, foster collaboration, and drive meaningful impact in international education.
Grounded in Four Pillars of Global Engagement
The Global Impact Conference will continue to center on DA Global’s four key pillars, ensuring a holistic approach to global learning and student success:
• Outbound Mobility
• International Students Success
• Global Engagement at Home
• Success for Global Professionals
These pillars remain at the heart of DA Global’s mission, reinforcing the role of global education in advancing students and professional success.
An Event Rooted in IMPACT
The Global Impact Conference will be structured around DA Global’s IMPACT Framework, guiding its focus on:
I – Inclusion & Innovation – Advance innovative solutions to achieve equitable access to global education’s benefits.
M – Mentorship & Support – Provide exceptional guidance and advocacy for international and domestic students.
P – Personal & Professional Growth – Cultivate resilience, leadership, and lifelong learning.
A – Academic & Career Success – Power academic and career success through access to global education opportunities.
C – Collaboration – Strengthen home campus and international networks for student and institutional success.
T – Transformational Leadership – Shape the future of international education through vision and impact.
What’s Changing?
While global inclusive excellence remains a core value of the conference, the evolution to the Global Impact Conference reflects a broader and more intentional focus: ensuring global learning translates into measurable outcomes in academic achievement, personal growth, and career success for all students.
This shift makes the conference a vital space not only for international educators, but also for professionals across career development, student success, DEI, employer engagement, and other fields seeking to harness global education as a high-impact strategy.
Just as with the Global Inclusion Conference, themes related to global inclusive excellence are not only welcomed—they’re encouraged. Especially when they support efforts to expand access and ensure global education drives meaningful, inclusive student outcomes and institutional transformation.
Join Us at the Global Impact Conference
The 2025 Global Impact Conference will take place on October 29 – 31 in Minneapolis, MN, bringing together global education leaders, institutions, and organizations dedicated to expanding opportunity and fostering student success.
The Global Inclusion Regional Summit will continue to serve as a one-of-a-kind immersive experience that explores the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion and international education. The 2025 Global Inclusion Regional Summit will take place in Barcelona, Spain, June 25-27, 2025.
Diversity Abroad Becomes DA Global Access Network: Expanding Our Mission and Impact
For nearly two decades, Diversity Abroad—fondly known as “DA”—has led the charge in ensuring that global education is accessible to all students. Through our work, we’ve helped institutions and organizations leverage global education as a tool for academic achievement, retention, and career readiness for all students.
Since our inception in 2006 we have grown into a global network of over 300 institutions and organizations working to expand access to global learning and professional opportunities. Together, we’ve developed innovative programs such as the Global Inclusion Conference, the Go Global Campus Tour, and DiversityAbroad.com, which supports students in aligning global experiences with their academic and career aspirations.
As our community and mission have grown, so has the language and scope of our work. While “abroad” was in our founding name to reflect our original focus on education abroad, our impact now spans the full breadth of the international education sector:
Education Abroad: Expanding global opportunities for all students.
International Students & Scholars: Supporting the success of inbound students and scholars.
Global Engagement at Home: Advancing international initiatives on campuses and in local communities.
Success for International Educators: Building workplaces where professionals of all backgrounds can thrive and lead.
To better align with our expanded mission and reflect the full scope of our work, we are thrilled to announce that Diversity Abroad is now DA Global Access Network, or simply DA Global. Our new name embraces our broader focus on aligning international education with higher education’s student success goals, while reaffirming our commitment to global education for all.
More Than a Name Change—A Mission Expansion
This transformation is an expansion. As DA Global, we will advance three key goals:
Leverage Global Opportunities as a Driver to Success: Promote global education as a driver for student success, professional growth, and institutional impact.
Broaden Access to Global Education: Advance strategies that ensure access to the benefits of global education for all students.
Recruit and Retain Talented Professionals: Champion practices that increase professional access to the international education sector and promote belonging in the workplace
The Future with DA Global:
The transformation to DA Global marks an exciting new chapter for our organization. With expertise at the intersection of global education, student access & success, technology, and workforce development, DA Global is uniquely positioned to help partners develop the knowledge, insights, and infrastructure needed to meet higher education’s evolving goals. Our work elevates global education as a key driver of student success, career readiness, and institutional impact.
Leveraging nearly two decades of experience and an extensive partner network, we remain committed to delivering meaningful outcomes for both students and the professionals shaping the field. Together with our partners, we unlock opportunities that shape the future of students, educators, and institutions alike.
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. Together, we’ll continue to inspire global success and drive meaningful impact.
Title: Sustainability in Action: Integrating SDGs into International Education
Presenters:
Sean Reilly, AFS
Saskia Kaya, AFS
Description:
Integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into international education programs enhances their global impact. This session explores how SDG-focused curricula prepare students and educators for responsible and informed global citizenship..
Discuss how SDGs can be seamlessly integrated into curriculum and program design.
Highlight the value of aligning international education goals with global sustainability objectives.
Share examples of collaborative projects or community engagement initiatives tied to SDGs.
Explore the benefits of preparing students with sustainability-focused learning outcomes.
Title: Identity & Inclusion at the Crossroads: Involving Students in the Development of Practical Support Strategies in the European Context
Leadra Reeves, CASA Granada Spring ’24 Alum & Travel Grant Awardee
Dani Kaufman-Sedano, CASA Granada Spring ’23 Alum & Travel Grant Awardee
Description:
Join a seasoned study abroad director and two program alums as they share their stories, effective strategies, easy-to-implement practices, and the measurable outcomes that result from incorporating student voices in the development of inclusive support services onsite. In this deep-dive session, we invite you to engage in the exercise of validating the lived experiences of recent graduates whose identities span a range of both visible and invisible identities that we often encounter among our student cohorts, and of translating those experiences into concrete strategies. More specifically, based on both research findings and direct personal experiences, we will:
Come to a comprehensive understanding of inclusion, drawing from the different approaches utilized in Europe and the U.S., and the lived experiences of our students at this crossroads, and use it as the foundation for building inclusive programs and practices.
Explore the importance and the impact of inclusive approaches in academic and cultural adjustment support on students’ overall wellbeing and personal growth.
Identify specific challenges that students of varying identities face while studying abroad in Europe, with a particular focus on students of low-income backgrounds, Black students, LGBTQ+ students, and students of different religious backgrounds.
Discuss intentional support services/resources that study abroad programs can provide for diverse student populations in close collaboration with their host partners – institutions, host families, faculty, community organizations – and how to approach potential obstacles that may surface.
Engage with the process of developing, implementing and evaluating the success of inclusive initiatives, and measuring the direct impact on your students and the future of your program!
Title: From Abroad to Beyond: Turning European Experiences into Career Success
Presenters:
Nicola Sullivan, AIFS
Maya Edwards, AIFS
Description:
Global education experiences in Europe equip students with unique skills for careers in public and private sectors. This session highlights how these experiences translate into employability and career preparedness.
Explore how global education in Europe impacts students’ employability and career preparedness.
Identify transferable skills developed through international education and their alignment with workforce demands.
Discuss reverse culture shock and strategies to leverage the abroad experience professionally.
Showcase alumni success stories to inspire future students.
Concurrent Session Block 3
The Role of the Global University in Navigating Conflict, Dialogue, Transformation — How campuses cultivate dialogue, resilience, and civic readiness amid geopolitical tension while keeping learning and community at the center.
Partnerships that Drive Real Collaboration & Innovation — Models that move beyond finance-only deals to co-created programs, research, and talent pathways linking MENA and global institutions.
Concurrent Session Block 2
Making the Student Success Case for International Education to Campus Leadership — How to build deeper support for global learning among campus leadership by framing international education as a key driver to improving student success.
Inclusion in MENA: Narratives, Demographics & Opportunity — Public narratives about MENA are often formed at a distance. This session examines inclusion through societal trends and the policy frameworks that enable openness and stability.
The Value of International & Experiential Study Through the Lens of Global Employers — What employers say global and experiential learning uniquely delivers, from teamwork across cultures to problem-solving on real projects.
Concurrent Session Block 1
Preparing Today’s International Students for Tomorrow’s Workforce — How institutions align global and experiential learning along with employer partnerships so international students translate global study into career readiness and impact.
Unique Mental Health & Wellbeing Considerations for Study to & from MENA — Culturally grounded approaches that support student wellbeing across languages, faith, family expectations, and cross-border transitions.
Tech for Global Education: What’s Actually Working? — Practical, people-first uses of digital tools that expand reach, improve student support, and strengthen collaboration without turning staff into technologists.
