SAF was founded on the belief that international education matters most when the world feels uncertain. After decades of working in international student mobility, I have witnessed cycles of openness and restriction – periods when economies faltered, borders tightened, and global cooperation felt fragile. As I often remind our partners, throughout our shared history there have always been moments when international education and study abroad were challenging. We are living through one of those moments again today.
And yet, it is precisely during these periods that global learning becomes most essential. When borders feel harder to cross, students must still be given the opportunity to transcend them. The world’s challenges cannot be solved in isolation. We need young people who are prepared to engage thoughtfully with the world’s problems and contribute to its solutions.
We need only look to the origins of international student mobility to be reminded of this truth. In 1950, during the aftermath of the Second World War, a group of young American students traveled to Austria for a year of study abroad. The experience changed them so deeply that it became the foundation of what would become IES Abroad – a response to division and an investment instead in understanding, cooperation, and peace. That same belief continues to guide the work of SAF and its leadership today. History has shown us that in times of global flux, student mobility becomes more important, not less.
IES Abroad has carried that mission forward for 75 years, while SAF has built on it over the past 25 years. Across our organizations, our commitment has remained consistent: to ensure that students continue to benefit from transformative international experiences, even amid shifting global realities.
Today, we are recommitting ourselves to this mission with renewed purpose. Despite visa uncertainty, geopolitical change, and evolving global challenges, we believe that access to study abroad must expand, not contract.
This work means widening access for a broader scope of students, strengthening partnerships with universities, and working closely with students and their families as they navigate an increasingly complex world.
These are challenging times, but they are also defining ones. When the moment calls for it, the tough must get tougher. Across IES Global, IES Abroad, and SAF, we are ready to do exactly that, continuing our work with focus, optimism, and a belief in the power of global education to shape a more connected future.
Warmly,
Carol Carmody
Senior Associate Vice President for International Partner Development, IES Global and Co-Founder, SAF
