A trip to explore sustainable agriculture in a tea garden in Bangladesh or a volunteer opportunity at teaching English in a K-10 school in Indonesia—both are international trips available to IU School of Education students. 

The trip to the Teatulia Tea Gardens in northeastern Bangladesh will take place during Spring Break 2024 and will allow students to examine the topics of sustainability, community development, and access to schooling, all while working with local farmers who supply tea to IU dining halls. IU Dining is a co-sponsor of the trip. 

During the trip to Indonesia, students will volunteer as teacher aides and guest student mentors at a K-10 school called Sekolah Misi Bagi Bangsa on the island of Batam, a short ferry ride from Singapore. Through this program, students will also have the chance to visit Singapore schools. 

These trips will give students professional competitiveness that comes with international experience—but also can, as Professor Faridah Pawan puts it, serve as a “stepping-stone” international experiences for students under the guidance of faculty.

“These short term overseas trips can help students to decide whether or not to pursue more extended and long-term opportunities to study abroad,” Pawan added. “[Trips like these] contribute to students’ abilities to reimagine and create new inclusive pathways across societies and borders for themselves and for others.”

The IU School of Education provides many international engagement opportunities to both graduate and undergraduate students, including programs like Global Gateway for Teachers.

Katie Cierniak is director of INSPIRE Living-Learning Center and sees these trips as a wonderful chance for students to experience something entirely new.

“There's something really special about connecting with people across culture and across language that provides unique opportunities for growth and connection,” she said.

Food and lodging will be provided, though students will be responsible for some costs of the trip.

Students interested in the trip to Bangladesh are encouraged to email Cierniak or fill out an interest form for the trip to Indonesia.

Besides Indonesia and Bangladesh, even more international opportunities are coming for education students: planning is underway for trips in 2024 to Costa Rica, India, Ghana and Germany.