International Affairs

The emphasis of International Affairs is to offer and oversee international and intercultural education opportunities for non-U.S. students and faculty. The unit also serves as the point of contact for international partnerships, visitors, and scholars. International Affairs collaborates with University administrators and faculty to assess worldwide opportunities for the betterment of Gallaudet and deaf and hard of hearing people by facilitating the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperative agreements with foreign entities; promoting opportunities for exchanges through the Fulbright Program for Scholars and Students to and from the U.S., and cooperative agreements with other universities; and hosting selected international visitors whose presence on campus supports Gallaudet's priorities of expanding international enrollment, enhancing academic exchange, and advancing current or potential international relations.

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), a unit within International Affairs, provides services and activities to ease new international students' transition to life in the United States and at Gallaudet from their time of arrival to full integration into academics and campus services, and assists other international students continuing their Gallaudet education in maintaining compliance with U.S. immigration regulations.

RSIA is highly involved in Gallaudet's Internationalization Lab (IZN), an invitational learning community led by the American Council on Education (ACE). The University's objectives for participating in the initiative are to reaffirm its aim to be a major global hub for research and outreach by reviewing international activities across campus, clarifying institutional goals, recommending internationalization goals and priorities, and developing a strategic action plan.

The Education Abroad Office in RSIA represents Gallaudet's renewed emphasis on the value of international engagement -- both education abroad and the presence of international students on campus -- in producing graduates who are truly world citizens. The office works with all campus departments involved in international study, internships, research, and other opportunities for faculty and students, to help ensure effective and enriching outcomes, and to help ensure a safe international travel experience for campus members, including keeping them in compliance with U.S. regulations.