Webster University is one of only eight U.S. colleges or universities to be recognized this year by the National Association of Foreign Student Advisers’ (NAFSA) Association of International Educators, the largest professional international education association in the world.

Webster earned recognition in NAFSA’s annual Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, which honors outstanding and innovative efforts in campus internationalization.  Senator Simon was a strong advocate of international education throughout his years in public service. He supported national programs to address deficiencies in foreign language and cultural expertise, and endeavors to expand Americans’ knowledge of the world.  Each year, NAFSA issues a report highlighting institutions that are leaders in preparing their students for international commerce and global connectivity. The report, Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities, will be published this fall. 

The 2008 reports names Simon Award recipients as well as spotlighted institutions that demonstrate outstanding and innovative work in a specific area or program related to international education.  In addition to Webster University, this year’s honorees include Colorado State University, Miami Dade College, the University of Illinois, Goucher College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Pittsburg State University and Valparaiso University.

The honorees will be recognized at NAFSA’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., in May.

Webster University has been a leader in global education since opening its first international campus in Geneva in 1978.  In the past 30 years the University has expanded to eight international locations in Europe and Asia and offers many global-study programs throughout the world.  Recently, the University announced its new 11-month Global MBA degree in which students will study at Webster’s campuses located in major business capitals including Geneva, London, Shanghai, Vienna and Leiden in the Netherlands.  The University is considering additional global business capitals in Japan, India and South America as the program expands. 

Webster University (www.webster.edu) is an international, multi-campus university, headquartered in St. Louis, Mo. Founded in 1915 as a small private college, Webster now offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs through five schools and colleges in more than 100 domestic and international campus locations. The student population of more than 21,000 men and women ranges in age from traditional college-age students to adult learners, and represents more than 150 nationalities. The University is committed to excellence in teaching, to joining theory and practice, to small class sizes, and to educating students to be lifelong independent learners, fully prepared to participate in an increasingly international society.

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Learn more about NAFSA online at http://www.nafsa.org.