Globalization is making it increasingly easier for people across the world to interact and learn from one another, and according to a report in the International Association of Universities, the rising mobility of students and teachers and the resulting educational opportunities is one of its biggest successes. With this at the core of its ideology, Tufts is at the forefront of the internationalization of higher education, a growing trend around the world.
Provost and Senior Vice President Jamshed Bharucha explained that in today's world, an awareness of the international context in which we live is crucial for success.
"It is extremely important for our students to graduate with a sophisticated knowledge of other cultures," he said. "The world is getting smaller and smaller, and all of our graduates, whether they can see that now or not, are going to find themselves in positions where they work in a global context — either working with people from other countries, working in other countries or working on projects that involve other countries — no matter what their profession is."
For reasons not only practical but educational, Bharucha said, it is important for students to grasp the breadth of the world and gain an understanding of cultures that are entirely different from those present in the United States.
"The more different the cultures are, the more you have to stretch your mind to understand them," he said.
At the same time, Bharucha added, an internationalization of education does not entail changing the American educational system to resemble other systems overseas. Rather, it implies an integration of opportunities for contact with foreign cultures and peoples.
"The American form of higher education is really one of the greatest products of this country, and it is the envy of the world," Bharucha said. "American universities need to increase their engagement with other cultures in the curriculum and in the experiences that students and faculty have."
At Tufts, this has taken the form of an increase in the number of international students, worldwide research and global partnerships with universities in recent years, Bharucha said.
Associate Dean of Programs Abroad Sheila Bayne said that many high school graduates are beginning to recognize the importance of international education and, as a result, are drawn to Tufts' educational style.
"It is one of the elements that distinguishes Tufts from its peer institutions," she said. "The fact that we have ten of our own study aboard programs throughout the world is quite unusual for an institution of our size."
Bayne explained that unlike many other schools that team up with bigger study aboard programs, Tufts has its own programs.
Approximately 50 percent of Tufts students study abroad, according to Bayne. She said this statistic can be partly explained by the fact that the international relations major — which requires the completion of eight semesters of a foreign language — is among the most popular majors for graduating seniors.
Studying abroad is an important contributing factor to the internationalization of education, Bayne said, because it allows students to explore beyond their everyday communities, connect with the world and understand other people.
"It is very powerful if, right at the cusp of adulthood, you are confronted with a whole system, way of life and language that is completely different from what you grew up with and what you know," she said. "You learn that other people are real, they are not stereotypes and their lives actually make sense in their own context."
Another way for students to internationalize their education is by welcoming members of international communities into their own — one of the reasons Tufts is proud to accommodate exchange students from many of the institutions they work with abroad. Every year exchange students from France, Spain, Chile, Ghana, Japan and Hong Kong join the student body.
"However, those students are a small number of the international students at Tufts," Bayne said. "We have quite a large number of degree−seeking international students."
There are currently 384 enrolled international students from 96 countries in the student population, according to the Tufts International Center website.
Bharucha noted that The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, with a student body consisting of over 40 percent international students, is a special case.
"It is a graduate school of international affairs, so it is critical that there be a sizable amount of international students," he said.
But the international component of the Fletcher School's student body is lacking in socioeconomic diversity, Bharucha said, and the scarcity of financial aid available for international students is a hindrance to the internationalization process.
"It is important that the American students have the opportunity of interacting with students overseas that come from all socioeconomic sectors," he said.
The classroom, however, is not the only place for international education to take place, according to Jennifer Simons, associate director of admissions and director of international recruitment.
"Having a roommate or classmates from different parts of the world will add to your education," she said. "We are living in an increasingly global, interconnected world, and sometimes the contacts you make with international students can be just as important in your future as learning in a classroom would be."
Simons stressed that even for students who are not here to study international relations or a language, it is important to be culturally aware, and having international students is key in this mission. For this reason, admissions officers are trained to understand different educational systems around the world.
"We belong to international organizations where we share resources and ideas from all over the world to learn culture and school systems," Simons said.
While there are no quotas or minimums when it comes to admitting international students to Tufts, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions turns to global application trends, different countries' educational models and the advice of Tufts' International Office when making admissions decisions, Simons said.
According to Bharucha, the internationalization of education, while not a new phenomenon, is currently a hot topic among American colleges and universities and will remain a vital goal for Tufts administrators.
"They all understand that it is an increasingly important part of education and that international engagement is the reality that our students have to be prepared for," he said.
