The Education Abroad Committee
The Education Abroad Committee (EAC) oversees academic policy on all education abroad programs sponsored or approved by the University of Colorado Boulder and is responsible for approval of education abroad programs for academic recognition by the institution and its constituent Schools and Colleges.
The Education Abroad Committee is composed of at least twelve voting members of the University of Colorado Boulder faculty, appointed by the Deans of the Schools and Colleges, and one voting student, appointed by the sitting committee from among the students who participated on an approved CU Boulder education abroad program in the previous year. New members shall be appointed by the appropriate Dean when an existing member’s term is complete. Members’ term of service is four years and may be renewed once, at the discretion of the appropriate Dean. All Committee meetings are open to interested faculty, staff, or students to attend without vote.
EAC Mission and Goals
The Education Abroad Committee (EAC) is a faculty body appointed by the deans of the Colleges and Schools. It is responsible for setting academic policy on all Education Abroad programs sponsored or approved by the University of Colorado Boulder, and is responsible for approval of Education Abroad programs for academic recognition by the institution and its constituent Schools and Colleges. Education Abroad, a unit in Undergraduate Education, is responsible for the management of the education abroad programs so recognized, and for carrying out the academic policy established by the EAC. In addition, Education Abroad is responsible for maintaining and disseminating information on a broad range of educational opportunities overseas, and in supporting the internationalization of the Schools and Colleges. The EAC and EA work in close coordination.
Both groups are mindful that the objectives students wish to pursue in education abroad are diverse. Student in the professional colleges or majors may be more interested in practical experience than in traditional literary and historical emphases; many students may wish to participate in a broad range of experiences abroad including research, internships, field studies, or service learning. We recognize that such varied needs and desires require a broad definition of the mission of Education Abroad to allow students to pursue goals in addition to traditional language and culture study. In that spirit, we are committed to making a wide range of programs available to students.
In the planning and operation of the programs, we therefore adopt the following as our goals:
- Maintain a high academic standard for all programs recognized as University of Colorado at Boulder Education Abroad programs.
- Encourage more students to have an education experience by reducing institutional barriers, by assuring the articulation of programs abroad with degree requirements here, and by maintaining the financial and academic accessibility of international opportunities for all students.
- Strive for diversity of education abroad programs in their geographical locations, in their disciplinary emphases, in the levels to which they are targeted, in their kinds of offerings from traditional integrated academic programs to experiential learning, and in the length of time abroad.
- Strive for diversity among the students who study abroad.
- Maintain a core of education abroad programs administered by the University of Colorado Boulder, and operate reciprocal student exchanges, faculty-led Global Seminars, Global Intensives, and International Internships.
Adopted, 17 October 1995 and ratified, Council of Deans, 28 November 1995
Updated 2008, 2014, and 2017
Last Updated February 2024