Who We Are
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Our Mission
We educate students to become global leaders through premier study abroad and internship programs, which offer students worldwide experiential learning opportunities that set the highest standards of academic quality.
What Does IES Abroad Stand For?
Our full name is the Institute for the International Education of Students. We know, it's kind of a mouthful!
What it means though, is that we're passionate about making meaningful academic and cultural education opportunities available to students around the world.
In fact, we've had a few names in our 70 year history. We started as the Institute of European Studies, then became the Institute of European Studies/Institute of Asian Studies (IES/IAS), next Institute for the International Education of Students (IES®), then finally our name became who we are today: IES Abroad.
Why Do We Do It? Our Passion Drives Us.
Everything we do is about the IES Abroad student.
We’re a passionate team of study abroad professionals who believe in creating once-in-a-lifetime educational adventures that transcend expectations.
We work at IES Abroad because we believe that every student should have the opportunity to go abroad—especially in a fun, safe, and superior academic and cultural environment.
We believe so strongly in the power of our program, that we actively recruit students from underrepresented populations and provide more than $6 million in scholarships and aid. We are proud that our students are as diverse and exciting as the countries they study in.
We’re not ashamed to admit, we're a little bit obsessed with study abroad.
We believe study abroad is a catalyst for peace and a long-term antidote to systemic racism.
We’ve had a front-row seat to observing how study abroad changes people—no matter who they are. Study abroad humanizes us. It expands our potential by honing our language, intercultural and other skills, and, deepening our capacity for humility, empathy and fairness. It forces us to reconsider how we think about history, politics, migration, commerce, technology, health care, education, and community.
At IES Abroad, we use our knowledge of travel, cultures, and places to cultivate global citizens who reflect the world’s rich diversity. This is our form of social justice. This is our platform for change.
Learn more about our commitment to diversity and our steadfast belief in the power of study abroad.
Our History
We launched the first IES Abroad program in 1950, more than 70 years ago.
In September 1950, 23 American students boarded a ship to Vienna, where they would spend a year studying abroad in the Austrian capital.
They traveled with Paul Koutny, an idealistic Austrian student who envisioned the program while studying in the United States on a Fulbright Scholarship. Among those wide-eyed, eager students were Clarence and Alberta Giese, young newlyweds from Chicago.
The year abroad inspired the Gieses so deeply that upon returning home, they sold everything they owned and helped Mr. Koutny bring another group of students to Vienna—and then another, and another.
Today, more than 70 years later, the IES Abroad experience still elicits the same response from students as it did in 1950: that it irrevocably changed their lives.
1950
The first group of IES Abroad students board the SS Volendam to Vienna.
1954
Customized Programs begin to be offered, the first in the industry.
1957
First official affiliation established with a university abroad, Universitat Wien.
1961
First study abroad scholarship is awarded.
1961
Second Center is opened, in Paris, France.
1965
The Academic Consortium of U.S. colleges and universities is established.
1965
First IES Abroad Annual Conference for study abroad professionals is hosted.
1976
First program review is conducted, making IES Abroad the first provider to formalize its review process.
1986
Expansion into Asia with opening of Nagoya Center.
1999
A Dean of Students is hired, the first in the field.
1999
The IES Abroad Model Assessment Practice (MAP), initiated by President and CEO Dr. Mary Dwyer, is established; it’s the first educational tool to design and evaluate study abroad programs.
2001
President and CEO Dr. Mary Dwyer is one of the founders of the Forum on Education Abroad.
2002
Completion of a 50-year longitudinal study of alumni, the first in the field.
2008
Diversity Initiative is launched, first in the field.
2009
CORE (Comprehensive Orientation and Re-entry Experience) launches, helping students cope with new cultures and reverse culture shock.
2010
Completion of the Forum on Education Abroad’s Category 2A Quality Improvement Program (QUIP) review, first in the field.
2011
Publication of IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication, a tool designed to codify our holistic approach to language instruction that provides guidelines for students and teachers at each stage of a student’s development.
2013
IES Internships unit launches.
2013
Publication of IES Abroad MAP for Student Health, Safety & Crisis Management, a set of guidelines for addressing student safety and crisis management in study abroad programs.
2014
IES Abroad enrolls its 100,000th student.
2014
Study Abroad Film Festival premiers, the first in the field.
2015
Approval of The Forum on Education Abroad's Quality Improvement Program (QUIP) Interim Report.
2017
IES Abroad and the Study Abroad Foundation merge to offer students from around the world the most enriching study abroad experience available.
2018
Named GoAbroad.com’s Top Study Abroad Organization for the second year in a row.
2018
The IES Abroad Diversity Initiative, now the Initiative to Diversify Education Abroad (IDEA), turns 10.
2019
Named Overall Best Study Abroad Provider of 2019 by GoOverseas and a Top Rated Organization by GoAbroad.com.
2020
Dr. Gregory D. Hess Named President and CEO of IES Abroad.
2020
Celebrated 70th anniversary of IES Abroad!
Our Global Leadership
Across our organization, you'll find global leaders. Meet some of our leadership including our President & CEO and Executive Team. As a not-for-profit organization, we are managed by a Board of Directors—a group of leaders in the fields of study abroad, higher education, as well as local, national and international business. Meet our Board of Directors and Emeritus Board.
Want to join our profoundly passionate team of study abroad professionals? Check out our current job openings to be a part of the life-changing adventures we create every day.
Statement of Ethical Principles
IES Abroad represents a consortium of more than 235 U.S. colleges and universities. As a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, IES Abroad has an all-volunteer Board of Directors and an extensive academic governance system that includes 5 committees featuring democratic representation from the IES Abroad consortium. Additionally, IES Abroad is overseen by 14+ extra-governmental organizations in specific countries where IES Abroad programs exist. Since its founding in 1950, over 150,000 students have participated in IES Abroad international study abroad programs. IES Abroad operates 140+ programs in more than 85 locations in Europe, Africa, Asia, South America, Australia, the United States and New Zealand. With 10,000+ students enrolled in IES Abroad programs each year, IES Abroad is among the largest study abroad providers in the United States, and an innovative leader in the study abroad field.
IES Abroad is committed to placing the interests of our students first, to the delivery of superior academic programs and to providing excellent service to our students and educational partners around the world. These are our highest priorities. IES Abroad believes transparency, best practices and maintaining the integrity of our business principles are in the best interests of our students, our global academic partners and our organization. The governance structure of IES Abroad features a system of oversight characterized by consortium member and third party driven checks and balances.
Read more about our core principles which guide our day-to-day.
