Ever since the true impacts of the Covid-19 global pandemic became apparent in early 2020, the IEP has been holding its breath, waiting for the decision on when study abroad would be possible again. Following the formal recall of our students during the Spring 2020 semester and the cancellation of all international summer programs last summer, we were saddened but not surprised when the university announced  that international programs would not be running during the 2020-21 academic year.

During the intensive process of vetting the viability of study abroad opportunities this fall, IEP Director Sigrid Berka, along with the directors of URI’s other signature dual degree programs, played an active role in advocating for our students. It required close coordination with URI’s International Travel and Risk Management committee (ITRC), chaired by Dr. Gifty Ako-Adounvo, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives, both Deans Jen Riley and Ray Wright, and an open dialogue with our international university partners to explore the options and opportunities available to our students in the coming year. Our advocacy and persistence – combined with the in-depth analysis by the ITRC, the availability of vaccinations for the student population and improvements in Covid-19 situation – paid off when it was announced on the evening of May 11th that all IEP programs could proceed for the fall.

The long-lived uncertainty surrounding this decision and the desire to be able to make solid academic and career choices caused many students to reconsider their plans and graduate early. From around 80 students who were in theory eligible to go last year, we lost nearly half before the start of classes last fall; in the time between then and when the decision was officially made for 2021 study abroad in May, approximately another 30 also chose to drop their signature year abroad from their schedules in favor of graduating early, or in the rare case postponing until 2022, leaving us with 19 seniors still planning to go this fall. Paired with the 10 juniors who are on track for their typical fourth year international experience, we now have a group of 29 students who are slated to travel abroad later this year. Twenty-five more eligible juniors postponed their international experience to 2022-2023.

Of this group, one student will be spending the year in Japan, with his semester of study taking place at Niigata University. The remaining 28 students will be going to Europe, with the breakdown as follows: 

• Three French IEP students studying in Compiègne 
• Three Spanish IEP students – two out of the three SIEP students will attend the University of Cantabria. The other will go to the University of Zaragoza. 
• Five Italian IEP students – two studying at the University of Naples Parthenope and three at the University of Calabria
• Seventeen German IEP students – fifteen will go to TU Braunschweig, while two will be at TU Darmstadt.

With the majority having postponed this experience to now, we know that this group will double-down and make the most of every moment they are abroad – both for themselves, who were not able to accompany them.