•  The Western Michigan University Board of Trustees established the Institute in 1998 to promote and support efforts towards globalization and internationalization of the academic activities of Western Michigan University. The Institute is comprised of 30 professional staff/faculty led by a dean who reports directly to the University Provost.

•  WMU has a long history of international involvement, dating back to 1911, when the University granted its first degree to an international student. The University’s first study abroad program was launched in 1945 and the establishment of exchange relationships with international institutions began in 1961.  WMU opened its first transnational education program (twinning) in 1987.

•  The Institute, in collaboration with the WMU College of Arts and Sciences, coordinates a family of interdisciplinary programs and courses devoted to the study of global and international issues, including an undergraduate major and minor program in Global and International Studies. University degree programs include an international general education requirement.  WMU was the first American University to require all students to include study of the non-Western World.

•  Currently, more than 500 students participate each academic year in WMU study abroad programs through the Institute to more than 35 countries.  Programs are available for undergraduates and graduates in a broad spectrum of disciplines for academic year, one semester, or summer terms.

More than 11 percent of WMU undergraduate students study abroad annually before graduation according to Open Doors, a report on international student mobility (opendoors.iienetwork.org).

Language-intensive study abroad programs are offered in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Russian and Spanish.

The Institute provides students with opportunities to undertake international internships, conduct international field study, perform international service, and study abroad for academic credit.

•  WMU enrolls more than 1000 international students representing about 80 countries each academic year.  The top-five countries typically sending international students to WMU: India, Japan, Malaysia, the People’s Republic of China and Canada. 

•  The Institute is responsible for international student recruitment and retention, international student admissions for all undergraduate and graduate programs in collaboration with academic departments, and international marketing. The Institute provides support services for international students including immigration services, counseling, and orientation programs.

•  The Institute offers comprehensive immigration counseling and services to international students, visiting scholars, foreign-national faculty and staff, and their WMU hosting or sponsoring departments. 

•  The Institute, in collaboration with the student-run International Programs Council, facilitates regular and ongoing international activities on campus, such as an annual Study Abroad Fair and an International Festival, and a weeklong celebration of International Education Week in November. It works with 30 international student organizations. A complete orientation program for international students is organized at the start of the fall and spring semester.

•  Nearly 10,000 international students representing 110 countries have studied at WMU since 1911.  The Institute’s International Alumni website serves as a conduit for alums to encourage the continuation of a campus connection beyond graduation. The Institute hosted recent alumni events in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

•  WMU runs one of the largest and oldest Transnational Education Programs (formerly called ‘twinning’) in the U.S.  From WMU’s collaboration with Sunway College starting in 1987 to develop their educational programs in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, TNE at the University has grown to seven programs.  In 2006, the Institute launched the first U.S.-based TNE program in sub-Saharan Africa with Egerton University in Nakuru, Kenya. WMU undergraduate TNE programs currently exist at Sunway College in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Christ College in Bangalore, India, Hindustan College in Chennai, India, Saint Too College in Hong Kong, RASET—Rajagiri Institute in Cochin, India, and Egerton University in Nakuru Town, Kenya. A graduate TNE MBA program is available at RISER—Rajagiri Institute, in Cochin, India.

•  The Institute prepares international students in intensive English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs. The Career English Language Center for International Students (CELCIS) was founded in 1975 and is fully accredited.  Its seven faculty specialists and master faculty specialists hold advanced training in ESL and/or applied linguistics and enjoy tenure-track faculty status. WMU CELCIS is one of two Michigan-based English as a Second Language (ESL) programs accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) and is a member of the American Association of Intensive English Programs (AAIEP) and University and College Intensive English Programs (UCIEP). CELCIS enrolls more than 100 students per term.

•  The Institute is home of the Center for African Development Policy Research (CADPR), an interdisciplinary academic program established at WMU in October 2000 intended to foster collaborative research activities with relevant WMU academic departments and units. CADPR has organized a series of conferences on Ethiopian studies in Kalamazoo and Addis Ababa.

•  The Institute is home of the Michitoshi Soga Japan Center that is dedicated to promoting research to advance knowledge about Japan for students, scholars, government and community and corporate leaders, and the general public. The Soga Center works with an extensive alumni network in Japan and benefits from the Japan Friends of WMU endowment.

•  The Institute works with the International Education Council of the WMU Faculty Senate towards the internationalization of the WMU learning experience.  The Institute and the IEC work with the Internationalization Collaborative of the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Association of Land Grant Universities and Colleges (NASULGC).  In addition, the institute works closely with internationalization committees in the following colleges:  Haworth College of Business, College of Fine Arts, College of Education, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, College of Health and Human Services.

WMU faculty includes more than 200 scholars with academic or research experience outside the United States, who engage actively in collaborative inquiry with scholars, professionals and specialists spanning the globe.

•  The Institute is the beneficiary of $7.5 million in endowments used to advance the internationalization of the University mainly through student scholarships. The Institute actively seeks funding for international programming and is the recipient of private, federal, and state funding for international education.  It also provides funding to support full-time faculty in leading study abroad programs, teaching at institutions abroad, participating in international conferences, conducting research abroad, and to internationalize their courses. Six WMU faculty are 2006 recipients of Fulbright research grants.

•  The Institute is a member of NAFSA—The Association of International Educators, AIEA—The Association of International Education Administrators, EAIE—The European Association of International Educators, AAIEP (see above), UCIEP (see above), ACE—American Council on Education Internationalization Collaborative, CIEE—Council on International Educational Exchange, IIE—Institute of International Education, AMIDEAST—America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, and CIS—Council of International Schools.