A new academic year has begun, promising discovery, excitement, and growth. For the first-year students—undergraduates and graduates—these first weeks on campus mark a moment of profound transformation. It is a time when students forge their academic identities, build social connections, and lay the foundation for future success – both in the classroom and beyond.
In this Fall 2025 issue of the IIENetworker, we draw your attention to the impact of global awareness and intercultural programming at the start of students’ academic journeys. Recently, universities and institutions worldwide have been tailoring first-year experiences to respond to a growing focus on workforce readiness, digital learning environments, and shifting pedagogical paradigms. Our article contributors from across the higher education community demonstrate that in an interconnected world, students must pair academic skills with intercultural competencies and a global mindset from the very beginning of their academic careers.
As a result, this issue:
- showcases how institutions are embedding international perspectives into their programs as early as the summer before the start of the academic year,
- discusses how the integration of global awareness and intercultural learning in first-year curricula can support retention, foster career readiness, and promote holistic development, and
- underscores the importance of intentional design and forward-thinking leadership in creating first-year experiences that resonate across borders.
We hope this edition of the IIENetworker inspires new conversations and collaborations. The transition into higher education is a pivotal moment—and by investing in meaningful, globally informed first-year programs, we support students as they take intellectual risks, face complex challenges, and build their careers.
The semiannual IIENetworker magazine amplifies knowledge and best practices for higher education professionals. Contributors provide strategic guidance and lessons learned from their international education efforts, including building international and academic partnerships, recruiting international students, and advocating for study abroad and student mobility. As a benefit of the IIENetwork, IIE’s global membership association, members can contribute to the magazine and receive copies.
