Malene Torp, Executive Director of DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of The Forum on Education Abroad, a nonprofit organization recognized as the Standards Development Organization for Education Abroad and publisher of the field’s Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad.
“I’m honored and excited for this opportunity to serve on The Forum’s board,” Malene said. “The Forum has been instrumental in bringing this field together, sharing best practices, and promoting a sense of open collegiality as we all work toward the common goal of giving students the best opportunity to study abroad.”
Malene will serve a three-year term on The Forum’s Board of Directors along with 14 other board members from across the field of education abroad. She will contribute to shaping The Forum’s mission and setting strategic plans as it adapts to emerging challenges and changes in the field.
The Forum’s institutional members include over 750 U.S. colleges and universities, overseas institutions, consortia, agencies, organizations, and foundations who are committed to improving education abroad. In addition to publishing the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad, The Forum provides professional training and resources so that members can learn and improve the quality of education abroad for students.
“Over the years, both I and DIS as an organization have really valued the venue The Forum creates for staff and faculty to expand their networks and to learn from the resources The Forum provides,” Malene said. “The whole field of education abroad has seen a good deal of turnover in staff since the pandemic. We need to make sure we have professional development opportunities for staff at all levels so we can be strong advocates for student needs, both on their home campuses and while they are abroad.”
Under the strategic leadership of the Board of Directors, the Forum staff develops and manages member programs, resources, services, and benefits. The Forum relies heavily on the expertise of colleagues in and outside of the education abroad field, and much of The Forum’s work is accomplished through the support of committees, working groups, facilitators, assessors, reviewers, and volunteers.
“After the pandemic, several years of pressure and anxiety, and big shifts in the study abroad field, I’m really looking forward to getting back to that sense of open collegiality The Forum creates,” Malene said. “Conducting good research together, sharing our knowledge with each other, and providing strong arguments for why education abroad is so worthwhile for students, parents, and employers – if the field can return to this sense of open generosity by the time my three years in this position are over, I will consider that a great achievement.”
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