Each year GoAbroad.com recognizes organisations, institutions, and colleagues that have displayed innovation in international education. The 2015 Innovation Awards event, which took place at Laugh Boston on Thursday, May 28th during the NAFSA annual conference, was the fifth annual, and had a record amount of attendees. The GoAbroad team, together with co-sponsor STA Travel, was pleased to present 11 awards for innovation in international education.
Maynooth University were among the 5 finalists for the Innovative New Program - Study Abroad category and were honored and delighted to be announced as the winner on the night. Maynooth University International Office received the award for establishing the 'UNCW FYSA @ Maynooth Program' in fall 2014.
Maynooth University and the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW), partners for student exchange, last year discovered a need for a destination and institution abroad for UNCW First Year Spring Admit (FYSA) students to spend their fall semester. Maynooth and UNCW worked together to create a UNCW FYSA@Maynooth program which brought 31 freshmen students to Ireland for their very first semester of university.
The program comprised on-campus housing, meal plan, excursions, a core Irish cultural heritage class, an Academic Advisor, and an On-site Coordinator for the duration of the semester. The students were immersed into Irish university life and life as a student with great guidance and support from Maynooth and UNCW. Maynooth customized the program to cater to a study abroad, freshman, new university student who would be experiencing many things at once for the first time.
The success of the program has been overwhelming and the relationship between Maynooth and UNCW has been strengthened immensely. The students’ feedback was extremely positive and they returned to UNCW prepared and ready to transition into life at UNCW's campus. The UNCW FYSA@Maynooth program will run again in fall 2015.
As a result of the growing partnership with UNCW, a new customized program has been developed which will bring 12-16 MA and PhD Higher Education students to Maynooth University in October 2015 for a two week internship in various offices such as International, Residence, Disability, Student Engagement, Career Development and Chaplaincy. Maynooth strives to develop multi-layered partnerships with a holistic approach, and the development and success of the FYSA program is evident of how international institutions can work together to establish new and innovative programs for students today.
GoAbroad.com website announces winners
Details on all GoAbroad.com winners