In recognition of its outstanding commitment to internationalization both on campus and across the globe, the University of Notre Dame has been selected to receive the 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization.

Named for the late Sen. Paul Simon, a longtime proponent of international education, the award is given by NAFSA: Association of International Educators to honor excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses.

Notre Dame — which has 12 global locations, 92 study abroad programs, and active research projects in 67 countries — was one of only five universities to receive the award this year.

“At Notre Dame, our global engagement strengthens our research programs, prepares our students to be capable and compassionate leaders, and enhances our Catholic mission,” said University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. “ Since its founding, Notre Dame has been committed to being a great force for good in the world.”

Notre Dame Global leads the University’s internationalization efforts, which are focused on fostering an inclusive global community throughout campus, in addition to offering integrative learning experiences, collaborative global research and equitable international partnerships, said Michael Pippenger, vice president and associate provost for internationalization.

“This award is a testament to the time, talent, energy and passion contributed over many years by our colleagues on campus and across Notre Dame’s global network,” Pippenger said. “This work will continue to propel the University into becoming an ever more global institution, and reinforce our shared belief that at Notre Dame, everyone has a role to play in creating a welcoming community that allows all to flourish.”

From 1998 to 2023, Notre Dame increased its percentage of international students in the first-year class from 1 percent to 8 percent, and as part of its new strategic framework, the University has committed to continuing to raise that percentage. To that end, the University announced its Pathways to Notre Dame program last fall. The program expands Notre Dame’s need-blind policy to include both domestic and international students — making the University one of only nine institutions in the U.S. to do so.

The University has also received national recognition for its commitment to internationalization and global education from the Institute of International Education, consistently appearing in the institute’s top 10 rankings for study abroad participation for more than two decades. For the 2022-23 academic year, study abroad participation among Notre Dame undergraduates increased by more than 10 percentage points from the previous year — from 77 to 87.5 percent.

Additional recipients of the 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization include Pennsylvania State University, San Diego State University, the University of Arizona and the University of Georgia. Awardees will be honored during NAFSA’s annual conference this spring. With more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide, NAFSA is the largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange.

Originally published by Carrie Gates at news.nd.edu on February 12, 2025.