International educators visit San Diego and SDSU for industry conference

San Diego State University continued to build on its leadership in internationalization last week, introducing new programs and hosting several on-campus and off-campus events during the world’s largest international education conference held in San Diego.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the leading trade group for international education, brought about 8,000 professionals working in study abroad exchange programs, global education and international collaborations to the San Diego Convention Center.

The day before the conference, about 300 international education professionals from over 30 countries visited the SDSU campus for an open house and campus tours hosted by SDSU Global Campus, a signature sponsor of the conference, and SDSU International Affairs. Later that evening, Global Campus hosted approximately 150 special guests on a Hornblower Cruise of San Diego Bay, allowing guests to connect and network, setting the tone for the week ahead.

“We know that building a truly global university takes resilience, renewed commitment and a global network of partners like you,” said Sonja Pruitt-Lord, SDSU’s interim vice provost. “Together we are shaping the future of higher education in a way that transcends borders and builds bridges instead of barriers.”

Visitors from Czechia, Ecuador, Bulgaria, Mexico, Japan, Argentina, Hong Kong, and other countries learned what SDSU offers students and academic collaborators abroad.

“SDSU is a place where international students and scholars are not just welcomed but celebrated, where they contribute meaningfully to research, innovation and the very fabric of our campus life,” said Pruitt-Lord.

Award-Winning International Education Programs

SDSU received a 2025 Sen. Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization from NAFSA, with a luncheon ceremony held during the convention honoring this year’s winners. While SDSU previously received the award in 2003, this latest honor recognizes a restructuring to sharpen SDSU’s focus on high-quality academic international experiences.

“We are very proud of that,” said Cristina Alfaro, associate vice president of SDSU International Affairs. “In alignment with our Global Strategic Plan, our staff at San Diego State is always working very hard to make sure students at SDSU develop into global-ready graduates.”

Launching IMPact Projects

One of the highlights of the conference was the launch of Global Campus's innovative initiative, IMPact Projects.

"We view this as more of a movement than just another program," said SDSU Global Campus Dean Ian Gibson, as he took the stage alongside Coursera’s Chief Content Officer Marni Baker Stein and NAFSA CEO and Executive Director Fanta Aw.

The IMPact Project initiative is a six-week international collaboration framework designed to Inspire, Mobilize, and Prepare for Action (IMPact), bringing together university students and faculty from around the globe to tackle urgent global challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

What sets IMPact Projects apart is its bold integration of workforce readiness training with immediate, hands-on application on meaningful cross-border projects aligned with SDGs. The initiative empowers students to become global leaders by equipping them to collaboratively design and deliver real-world solutions, all within a dynamic, tech-enabled, interdisciplinary environment. 

Participants engage deeply through unique content from SDSU, combined with foundations of project management training from Google, all in one seamless experience made possible by Coursera’s platform. Upon successful completion, participants earn valuable microcredentials, including recognition from Google and San Diego State, evidencing their learning and engagement as changemakers via social platforms like LinkedIn.

Gibson shared exciting insights from the pilot cohort currently underway. 

“Twenty-two changemakers from ten countries united around one goal: advancing SDG 4.6—improving literacy and numeracy globally, “ Gibson emphasized, underscoring the powerful impact already being felt by the program.

IMPact Project participants themselves echoed this excitement.

“Being part of an international, values-driven team reminds me that change is possible and all of us can participate in it when we work together across borders, driven with different perspectives,” shared Ana from Tbilisi, Georgia.

Similarly inspired, Thairis from Brazil stated, “What do I hope to get from this experience? I want to grow as a changemaker—to learn, connect with people from around the world, and find new ways to support my country.”

International Internships for SDSU Students

In a separate event during NAFSA, Campus France and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) led delegations from France and Spain to SDSU’s campus. These two countries are popular destinations for SDSU students studying abroad, said Alfaro, and increasingly, domestic students are seeking out international internships and career-focused opportunities as part of their overseas experiences.

“They are looking at what career-centric programs are available to them so there is no gap between college and career,” she said.

This summer and fall, more than 260 SDSU students studying abroad have chosen to participate in international internships — a 60% increase over the same period last year. 

Corinne Peiffert, director of studies at ESSEC Business School in Paris, said the NAFSA conference helps universities build partnerships not just in the U.S. but also from around the world.

“We all meet at NAFSA,” she said. “And from a personal point of view, I don’t know much about the U.S. education system, and I have never been to California before. So, this is a way for me to get exposure.”

At Universidad Europa de Madrid, students with the highest GPAs get first choice on where they want to study abroad, said Daniel Blanco Ruiz, who works in Global Partnerships. San Diego ranks as the top destination for his university’s best students, he said. SDSU and Universidad Europa de Madrid have a long-standing study abroad exchange relationship.

Enrique Nava attended NAFSA and visited SDSU for the first time after starting a new position in international affairs at the 40,000-student University of Málaga in southern Spain.

“I hope we can develop some sort of collaboration with you for students at my university, where we must have mobility abroad, to come here and also for your students to come to the University of Málaga,” he said.

Sharing AI Intelligence

On the final day of the conference, SDSU and NAFSA co-hosted a sold-out on-campus seminar, “Leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence for International Education.”

Sean Hauze, SDSU’s director of Instructional Technology Services, presented the university’s comprehensive survey on AI use in higher education, and introduced SDSU’s AI microcredential and best practices for navigating the fast-evolving technology.