Community Colleges, Nursing, and Dance Programs Among This Year’s Recipients
SAN DIEGO, May 27, 2025 – IIE today announced the winners and honorable mentions of the 2025 IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education. The award was created in 2001 to promote and honor outstanding international higher education initiatives conducted by IIENetwork members. By recognizing excellence and innovation, IIE supports IIENetwork members in their endeavors, encourages the expansion and creation of initiatives based on these successful models, and amplifies the important role of international higher education on campuses and communities. Each winning initiative receives $1,000 to contribute to its ongoing success.
“It is a great privilege for IIE to present the Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education,” said Jason Czyz, President of IIE. “Each year, we are inspired by the university professionals and leaders who bring their vision to life through transformative educational exchange programs. Congratulations to the Heiskell Award recipients and honorable mentions.
The award is named in honor of Andrew Heiskell, a former Executive Committee member of IIE’s Board of Trustees; he was a renowned international and cultural philanthropist and long-time supporter of international education. Over the course of 20 years, IIE has granted 94 IIE Heiskell Awards to institutions and organizations around the world.
IIE thanks the IIENetwork members who submitted nominations and the selection committee for their time and effort. Learn more about the awards and honorees at iie.org/HeiskellAwards.
Congratulations to the 2025 IIE Heiskell Award recipients!
Widening Access for International Education
Winner: Lone Star College’s The Global EdVantage
In 2017, Lone Star College (LSC) had a four-person office to develop and sustain internationalized programming for the seven colleges and 15 centers across the greater Houston area, serving approximately 85,000 students. Out of a necessity to develop a strategic framework to encapsulate the breadth of their reach and integrate a system-wide approach, LSC created The Global EdVantage. This initiative serves as an innovative systems approach to designing dynamic, intercultural learning experiences and an International Studies (IS) core-course curriculum. The Global EdVantage offers all students the opportunity to develop the skills necessary for success in a globalized world by providing access to IS-designated courses, study abroad opportunities, language and culture programs, intercultural co-curricular activities, and faculty-led efforts to expand intercultural engagement. Since launching, the Global EdVantage has grown to directly impact over 12,000 students and hundreds of faculty. In addition, the International Faculty Fellow working group is increasing intercultural co-curricular and study abroad programs. It has also allowed LSC to build capacity for faculty training, and this has resulted in LSC being named a 2023 Fulbright Top Community College Sender and designated a Fulbright HSI Leader in 2024.
Honorable Mention: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid’s International Foundation Program
The Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) International Foundation Program (IFP) is a pioneering initiative that has transformed access to higher education in Spain. This one-year, pre-university program allows international students to begin their academic journey at UC3M without taking Spain’s traditional national access exam. It prepares students for undergraduate studies in English and Spanish, equipping them with the academic and linguistic skills to succeed.
The IFP addresses key barriers for international applicants: late exam timing, the requirement for advanced Spanish proficiency, and the emphasis on specific local knowledge. By offering an alternative path, the program fosters diversity and creates equal opportunities for global talent. Over the past decade, the program has significantly increased global access to Spanish universities, inspiring others to adopt similar models and driving innovation in international education.
Student Mobility & Exchange
Winner: The University of Oklahoma’s Pigmentos Dance Festival
The Pigmentos International Dance Festival is an artistic platform and student exchange opportunity for U.S. and Mexican dancers, an often underfunded demographic of students who study abroad. The brainchild of colleagues from the University of Oklahoma and partner institutions in Mexico, it has taken place in Puebla, Mexico, annually for three years with plans for growth and expansion well into the next decade. The festival is a unique opportunity for dance students and faculty from Mexico and the U.S. to share, interact, and learn from each other about dance and life in the two countries. Beyond dance classes and performances, there are also roundtable talks and lectures that discuss the field of dance and art in general and that aim to grow unity and mutual understanding among the participants. It is a unique space where academia, art, and culture come together on a literal and figurative global stage.
Honorable Mention: University of Minnesota – Twin Cities’ Mental Health in Education Abroad
The University of Minnesota created the first-of-its-kind position focused on mental health in education abroad. The role is primarily proactive, offering training for education abroad staff, program leaders, and on-site colleagues to provide the skills and knowledge needed to proactively support mental health and manage situations as they arise.
In emerging critical situations, the strategist and educator provide consultations to faculty and staff to ensure students get the care and support required. The position is the result of a partnership among the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance, Learning Abroad Center, Carlson Global Institute, and Office for Student Affairs. The partnership is key to this position’s success, connecting services and resources across the campus system, as well as sites across the globe, to support students’ mental health abroad.
Strategic Partnerships
Winner: Alamo Colleges District, Universidad Tecmilenio, & Methodist Healthcare System’s International Nursing Pathway
The International Nursing Pathway Program is a groundbreaking initiative launched in 2023 by the Alamo Colleges District (ACD) and Universidad Tecmilenio in partnership with Methodist Healthcare System to address two interconnected challenges: the critical nursing shortage in the United States and the surplus of highly trained nurses in Mexico who face limited employment opportunities in their home country. As is in the program name, this partnership creates a pathway for Mexican nurses to join the U.S. healthcare workforce. The program equips participants with the skills, knowledge, and cultural competencies needed to pass the National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX) and transition seamlessly into the U.S. healthcare system. It integrates NCLEX preparation, medical terminology, and cultural competency education, ensuring that participants are well-prepared for their roles. Additionally, the collaboration with Methodist Healthcare System provides scholarships and employment pathways, bridging the gap between education and workforce needs. By simultaneously addressing a critical healthcare shortage in the U.S. and empowering Mexican nurses with professional opportunities, the program serves as a model for international education and workforce development.
Honorable Mention: Bard College’s Open Society University Network Courses
The Open Society University Network (OSUN) Courses, led by Bard College, has developed, at scale, a distinctive model of global learning, grounded in deep institutional partnerships. This program has re-envisioned international education as a full curriculum of regular undergraduate courses taught by faculty around the world to students across a broad range of geographies and backgrounds. These courses come in two formats: online courses, which bring together students from around the network into synchronous, interactive online classrooms, and network collaborative courses, which are codesigned and taught simultaneously across partner institutions.
Each year, about 7,000 students across 23 partner institutions enroll in 120+ courses taught by over 300 faculty. About half of the enrollments consist of displaced students, including those at universities in exile. These courses promote global learning among students who have no opportunity to study abroad and enable students to pursue international education throughout their four years of undergraduate study.
Sustainability
Winner: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign & University of Birmingham’s BRIDGE-Birmingham-Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement & Education
The BRIDGE Partnership, a groundbreaking collaboration between the two universities, was established to drive innovation, tackle global challenges, and foster impactful research and education. At the heart of the BRIDGE Partnership is a commitment to addressing critical global issues aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, including climate change, health disparities, and sustainability. This commitment is realized through joint research projects, academic and professional exchanges, tri-lateral partnerships, and shared research fellows. With over 120 cross-faculty connections spanning diverse disciplines, the partnership has facilitated impactful collaborations, supported by $800,000 and £600,000 in fellowship awards, which have generated over $10 million in external grants. Programs such as the Global South Fellowship, Water Research Fellowship, Signature Initiatives, and the Staff Exchange further exemplify BRIDGE’s innovative approach. These initiatives not only address pressing societal challenges but also cultivate academic leaders and inspire a shared vision of discovery and engagement.
Honorable Mention: State University of New York at Buffalo’s First-Year Global Experience
The First-Year Global Experience provides new first-year and transfer students from all majors with the opportunity to learn about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, develop intercultural communication skills, and enhance their ability to live and lead in a global society. Offered in both Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, the program combines a 3-credit course with an embedded 10-day study abroad experience during the winter term.
Since the program focuses on the UN SDGs, faculty from different disciplines are recruited to teach courses each year. The program is an initiative to help increase student participation and provide international experience during their time at the university. Through subsidized fees, scholarships, and a simple application process, these programs have regularly attracted a diverse range of students, including first-generation college students and many students who had never traveled outside of the U.S.