Shape your future. Change the world.

Arclight Institute connects international education with the study and practice of international cooperation. Through education abroad, university partnerships, international conferences, and applied educational experiences, Arclight brings students, educators, institutions, and practitioners together around the issues shaping our world.

For colleges and universities seeking academically rigorous international opportunities, Arclight offers established education abroad programs as well as opportunities to develop custom, faculty-directed programming. Its model combines academic study with policy dialogue, institutional engagement, and professional development.

About Arclight Institute

Founded by political scientists and developed in partnership with experienced practitioners, Arclight Institute focuses on the study and practice of international cooperation. The Institute brings together academic and professional perspectives to create international learning experiences that connect classroom learning with the institutions, people, and ideas shaping international affairs.

Arclight’s work spans three interconnected areas: education abroad, international conferences, and university partnerships. Across these areas, the Institute emphasizes academic rigor, thoughtful dialogue, institutional engagement, intercultural competence, and meaningful professional preparation.

The Arclight Approach

Policy Dialogue

Thoughtful dialogue brings academic and professional perspectives together, encouraging participants to examine complex global issues from multiple points of view.

Institutional Engagement

International affairs come to life through firsthand engagement with the institutions and professionals turning ideas into policy and cooperation into practice.

Professional Development

Professional relationships, real-world perspectives, and purposeful learning help participants discover new possibilities and prepare for what comes next.

Arclight’s Areas of Work:

Education Abroad

Rigorous international learning experiences that connect academic study with policy dialogue, institutional engagement, and professional development.

International Conferences

Programs that bring scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and emerging professionals together to examine pressing international challenges and develop meaningful professional connections.

University Partnerships

Collaborative opportunities for colleges and universities to offer Arclight programs or develop customized, faculty-directed international experiences.

Career Coaching and Development

Arclight’s career coaching services are designed to help students and early-career professionals translate their interests in international affairs into meaningful career paths. Launching in Spring 2027.

Education Abroad: Scholarship Meets Practice

Arclight Institute’s education abroad programs combine rigorous academic study with direct engagement with the institutions, professionals, and communities shaping international cooperation. Based in Strasbourg, programs connect students with policymakers, diplomats, international organizations, and practitioners across Europe.

Summer 2027 programs include:

  • International Security Studies – A four-week, 6-credit program examining diplomacy, conflict, international security, NATO, cybersecurity, intelligence, and emerging technologies, with institutional visits and professional engagement in Strasbourg and beyond.
  • Global Environmental Politics – A four-week, 6-credit program exploring climate change, sustainability, environmental governance, and global policy through academic study and engagement with European institutions and practitioners.


Programs extend beyond the classroom through site visits, policy dialogue, and professional development designed to help students connect their academic interests with future pathways in international affairs.

University Partnerships: Bring International Affairs into Your Curriculum

Arclight partners with colleges and universities to expand opportunities for students interested in international affairs, public policy, diplomacy, security, environmental policy, and related fields.

Institutions can bring established Arclight programs to their students or work with Arclight to develop custom, faculty-directed international experiences. Faculty bring the academic vision and curriculum; Arclight provides its European network, practitioner relationships, institutional connections, and on-the-ground logistical and operational support.

Interested in developing a faculty-directed program? Connect with Arclight Institute.

International Conferences: Connecting Ideas, Institutions, and People

Arclight’s international conferences bring together scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and emerging professionals to engage with pressing global challenges. Through substantive dialogue and professional exchange, conferences create opportunities to explore complex international issues, build relationships, and develop collaborative approaches to the challenges shaping our world.

Career Coaching and Development: Connecting International Interests with Career Possibilities

Launching in Spring 2027, Arclight’s career coaching and development services will help students and early-career professionals translate their interests in international affairs into meaningful career paths. Drawing on a team that bridges academic expertise with professional experience, including careers in government and international affairs, Arclight will offer career perspectives webinars, individual coaching, and small-group coaching to help participants explore possibilities, clarify goals, and take practical steps toward their futures.

Meet the Founder

Dr. Andrew Armstrong

Founder and Executive Director

Dr. Andrew Armstrong founded Arclight Institute to create international learning experiences that connect academic study with the practice of international affairs. A political scientist and experienced international educator, Armstrong has taught in the United States and internationally and has collaborated with the U.S. Department of State on international education initiatives.

Under his leadership, Arclight brings together academics and experienced practitioners in diplomacy, public policy, international security, and international affairs to create programs that connect students and educators with the people and institutions shaping global cooperation.

Connect with Arclight Institute

Explore opportunities to bring Arclight programs to your campus or discuss the development of a custom faculty-directed international experience.

Gateway Spotlight Episode

Connect with the Arclight Institute Today

Episode 29: Cultural Lens on U.S. Higher Education: Analyzing International Perceptions of 'Anti-Woke’ Discourse

Dive into a nuanced exploration of the global discourse surrounding higher education in the United States. Join us for a panel discussion with esteemed international educators as we embark on a journey through the lenses of culture and international perspective, examining how global audiences interpret and engage with the ‘anti-woke’ discourse within the context of U.S. higher education. This engaging panel discussion will delve into the intersections of culture, ideology, and education, and the complex landscape of how international audiences perceive the ‘anti-woke’ narrative that has emerged within U.S. academia.

Whether you’re a senior international officer, or simply curious about the diverse viewpoints shaping U.S. higher education, this podcast episode will provide an invaluable space for critical analysis and insightful conversations.

Speaker Biography:

Fanta Aw is a distinguished leader in international education, renowned for her extensive contributions to global learning, cross-cultural understanding, and educational equity. With a deep commitment to fostering connections between diverse cultures and promoting educational excellence, she has significantly impacted the international education community.

Fanta Aw’s career has been characterized by her dedication to advancing global education initiatives, promoting diversity and inclusion, and nurturing partnerships that transcend borders. She has held influential roles in various organizations, advocating for the importance of international collaboration and learning experiences that empower individuals to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.

As a thought leader and visionary, Fanta Aw’s insights and expertise have shaped discussions on the future of international education, emphasizing the significance of equitable access, cultural exchange, and lifelong learning. Her work has not only elevated institutions but has also inspired countless individuals to embrace the transformative power of global education.

Date: September 14th, 2023
Time: 12 noon ET

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Mark Beirn

AFFILIATE

An experienced global researcher and administrator, Mark Beirn brings a critical approach to risk management, factoring structural racism and identity-based violence into his rubric for supporting equitable global mobility.

Specialization Areas:

– Global Risk Management
– Education Abroad
– Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in International Education
– Health and Safety
– Curriculum Development

 

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Stephen Appiah-Padi

AFFILIATE

Stephen Appiah-Padi is an international educator with several years of teaching and administrative experience in both 4 and 2-year HEIs. An experienced global education practitioner-scholar, with a demonstrated history of success in the field.

Dr. Appiah-Padi has a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada in Educational Policy & Administration with a specialization in International/Intercultural Education.

At Northwestern College, he provided oversight in the administration of education abroad and international student services. In Lansing, Michigan, he first oversaw diversity and intercultural education at Lansing Community College, and later created the Center for International and Intercultural Education (CIIE) which merged intercultural engagement and international education programs of the institution, and he became its first director. Additionally, Dr. Appiah-Padi taught a course, “Diversity in the American Workplace”, to undergraduate management students of the College. In his current position, he provides leadership and vision in advancing strategic internationalization initiatives, including international partnerships and study abroad programs at Bucknell University.

Dr Appiah-Padi has created and facilitated several workshops for faculty and staff development in higher education and in business organizations. He has presented at several national and international conferences. In NAFSA, among several volunteer leadership positions, he has served as Dean of the Fundamentals of Intercultural Communication Workshop, the Leadership Development Committee member, Chair of the Africa Special Interest Group, and a Fellow of the Global Fellowship Program for mentoring emerging leaders of internationalization in African HEIs. He currently serves as a member of the NAFSA Board of Directors.

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Rosa Almoguera

AFFILIATE

Dr. Rosa Almoguera has worked as an international educator for over twenty years. She was trained as a Hispanic Philologist at the Universidad Complutense, in Madrid, and did her M.A. at the University of Pennsylvania. Her Ph.D., from Universidad Complutense included a field study and edition of written balladry “Romancero”. During many years Rosa combined teaching and her role as a senior administrator at the Fundación Ortega-Marañón in Toledo, Spain. At the Foundation, Rosa directed and, in many cases created, programs for the University of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Princeton, Ohio State, Arcadia, and the University of Chicago. She has also been a visiting professor at the University of Minnesota, University of Portland, and Interamericana de Puerto Rico.

Beginning in 2016, Rosa works as an international education consultant for both public and private European and US higher education institutions. Rosa has been successful in developing new partnerships and programs, as well as helping improve already existing ones.

Rosa is a member of Forum and NAFSA and has presented with higher education professionals on innovative academic and research programming, STEM in study abroad and Nationalism in Europe. Rosa is currently completing the final Professional Certification from the Forum on Education Abroad.

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