Every year, the EDU Africa team collaborates to produce our Academic Reflection Report. This report provides an opportunity for us to reflect, both as individuals and as a team, on various facets of our partnerships and work; it also invites us to consider our impact and ensure that our work remains aligned with our purpose of transformation. Importantly, it allows us to share a unique perspective on the realities and rewards of study abroad across sub-Saharan Africa.The following feature is a specific article drawn from this year’s report. Written by Aaron Bezuidenhout, this piece explores the often-overlooked impact of international education on the educators themselves, shedding light on the critical role of faculty development in global learning. By examining how a structured, in-country support ecosystem can elevate faculty leadership and deepen intercultural sensitivity, this article highlights EDU Africa’s commitment to a sustainable model of internationalization that empowers the entire academic community.
While students are often viewed as the primary beneficiaries of international education, the faculty leaders who guide them are equally central to the experience. At EDU Africa, the integrated presence of regional program facilitators and on-call office teams does more than just manage logistics; it serves as a support structure that faculty leaders can lean on in their professional and scholarly growth.
The Faculty Blind Spot in International Education
According to a recent Open Doors report, faculty-led short-term programs have grown to become a dominant vehicle for student co-curricular mobility in the USA (Institute of International Education, 2025). For accrediting bodies like the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, this shift represents a vital alignment with experiential learning and the internationalization of domestic curricula. It fosters the global mindset valued highly by higher education institutions like New York University and multinational groups like the United Nations. Within this growth, traditional scholarship logically remains focused on student outcomes. While illuminating, this student-centric lens often overshadows the impact such experiences have on the faculty members who organize and chaperone these journeys. Far from being just a nice change of scenery for faculty leaders, these two to eight-week programs can act as powerful catalysts for pedagogical innovation and scholarly insight under the right circumstances. Data suggests that international study abroad is a highly effective tool for increasing teaching effectiveness (Dechert, 2023). In fact, nearly two-thirds of faculty participants report a direct impact on their teaching, with many noting an increase in international research collaborations (Barbour, 2021; Huang, Cheung, & Xuan, 2023).
Despite these clear benefits, a gap can be identified in faculty preparation. While school and university study abroad offices provide excellent logistical and risk-management support, there is a marked lack of evidence-driven guidance on pedagogical execution, particularly regarding the in-country experience. This “blind spot” is most evident in the realm of intercultural development. Research utilizing Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (Goode, 2008) reveals that many faculty leaders reside in a state of “minimization.” In this state, cultural differences are often obscured by a focus on universal similarities. Without specific training in intercultural facilitation, faculty may default to merely instructing students on how to behave, rather than guiding them through the complex process of navigating a new cultural reality (Sherman, Namaste, Gibson, & Spira-Cohen, 2024).
The EDU Africa Solution: A Holistic Eco-system
EDU Africa bridges this gap by transforming the study abroad experience into a capacity-building tool for institutions. EDU Africa’s support structure is designed to organically promote faculty leaders’ intercultural growth, moving them from ethnocentric minimization toward the higher stages of ethnorelative adaptation and integration. This is achieved through a multi-layered approach:
- Pre-Departure: Intercultural workshops and country-specific Program Coordinator-led preparation calls.
- In-Country: Regular briefings with locally sourced Program Facilitators, and intentionally crafted reflection sessions by Program Designers that nurture intercultural competence and global citizenship.
- Post-Return: Feedback reporting on the transformative aspects of the study abroad experience.
EDU Africa creates an ecosystem that promotes deep intercultural sensitivity. This is achieved through on-the-ground facilitators bolstered by local (regional) on-call office teams, and by actively integrating faculty into the transformation process. Faculty leaders return to their home campuses with a richer experiential background of contextual relevance, allowing them to add more nuance to curricula design and engage more effectively in global research collaborations. Ultimately, by supporting faculty leadership, EDU Africa can foster a more holistic and sustainable dynamic of internationalization that benefits the entire academic community.
This article was written by Aaron Bezuidenhout, one of our Harare-based Program Designers. Aaron holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree and is currently undertaking a Master of Social Science program to deepen his understanding of social structures and human behavior. His expertise lies in designing programs for school groups, and he excels at conceptualizing, planning, and executing educational initiatives. This is complemented by his skill in crafting compelling proposals to secure essential resources for these programs.
Central to his professional drive is an unwavering passion for educating young people and a deep commitment to facilitating positive, active change in their lives. His core belief is that through innovative educational approaches and strategic interventions tailored to their evolving needs and challenges, he can guide their development into productive, valuable, and engaged members of society.
