Enterprise Risk Management Solutions

An Enterprise View of Risk & Opportunity in International Education

International education is now deeply embedded in the financial, academic, and reputational fabric of today’s institutions. International enrollment, global partnerships, education abroad, and immigration compliance intersect across multiple units often without a unified framework for understanding institutional exposure or strategic opportunity.

As geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory complexity, economic volatility, staffing constraints, and financial dependency intensify, international education can no longer be managed solely at the operational level. These pressures create enterprise-level risk risk that cuts across campus units, affects institutional governance, and demands senior leadership visibility and coordination. At the same time, they can create opportunities for institutions that are able to respond with clarity, alignment, and intentional strategy.

Gateway’s Enterprise Risk Management Solutions provide institutions with a clear, institution-wide lens for reflecting on both risk and opportunity in international education. Grounded in ERM principles and informed by senior practitioner expertise, our approach focuses on exposure, resilience, and strategic positioning—offering leaders a credible, practitioner-informed perspective of where risk resides and where opportunity may be strengthened. This model is intentionally designed as a guided peer conversation rather than a comprehensive institutional evaluation or audit. They are designed to provide perspective, not verification.

Our Services

Gateway’s Enterprise Risk Management Solutions help institutions step back and reflect on international education risk while identifying opportunities to strengthen performance, resilience, and alignment. Our peer reviews are grounded in enterprise risk management principles and informed by senior practitioner expertise across four functional areas: Education Abroad, International Students and Scholars, International Enrollment Management and International Partnerships and Collaborations.

International Enrollment Management (IEM)

International student recruitment and enrollment have become one of the most strategically significant—and institutionally consequential—components of the modern enrollment portfolio. Gateway’s ERM peer reviews explore key focus areas to provide leaders with a high-level perspective on strengths, pressures, and emerging considerations.

International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS)

International student and scholar services operate at the intersection of immigration compliance, student success, and institutional reputation. Gateway’s ERM peer review for ISS provides an experience-informed perspective on how institutions are approaching regulatory, staffing, and service-delivery pressures, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen operational resilience, coordination, and the overall student and scholar experience.

International Partnerships and Collaborations

Gateway provides an experience-informed perspective of the scope, governance, performance, and alignment of the institution’s international partnerships initiatives, including academic partnerships, exchange agreements, and collaborative degree programs. The peer review assesses sustainability, resource alignment, academic oversight, regulatory compliance, and the extent to which partnerships advance institutional priorities and long-term strategy.

Education Abroad (EA)

Education abroad programs present risk related to health, safety, security, finances, partner reliability, and institutional reputation. Gateway’s ERM peer review for EA offers a practitioner-informed perspective on how these risks are currently understood and managed across the institution, while also identifying opportunities to strengthen programming, operations, and sustainability.

ERM Review Timeline

Gateway’s Enterprise Risk Management peer reviews combine targeted document analysis with structured stakeholder consultations to deliver a concise, practitioner-informed perspective on institutional risk, resilience, and opportunity.

Most peer reviews are completed in under four weeks. A campus visit is typically not required.

Launch & Scoping
  • Project kickoff and confirmation of review scope and focus areas
  • Request and intake of key institutional documents and data
  • Identification of participating stakeholders and scheduling of consultations
Stakeholder Consultation
  • Structured consultations with key institutional stakeholders
  • Exploration of documented practices and operational perspectives
  • Identification of perceived risks, pressures, and opportunities across units
Synthesis & Practitioner Perspective
  • Synthesis of document review and stakeholder insights 
  • Identification of patterns, themes, and areas for consideration 
  • Experience-informed observations based on practice 
Synthesis, Reporting & Platform Access
  • High-level synthesis across selected focus areas
  • Identification of strengths, potential areas of exposure, and opportunities
  • Release of findings for institutional use and action planning
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4

Materials That May Inform the Peer Review

Stakeholders With Whom We May Consult

How to Think About This Engagement

Gateway’s ERM offerings are designed as structured, practitioner-led peer reviews. They do not constitute formal enterprise risk audits, legal reviews, compliance certifications, or deep technical analyses. Rather, the intent is to provide senior leaders with an informed external perspective based on targeted conversations, selected document review, and professional experience across the field.

These peer reviews are intentionally high-level, selective, and interpretive. They are not designed to validate every process, test every control, or conduct exhaustive analysis. Rather, they surface patterns, highlight areas for consideration, and support institutional reflection and alignment.

Secure ERM Dashboard & Action Planning Platform

For each ERM peer review, Gateway provides institutions with access to a dedicated, secure, and confidential platform designed to support both decision-making and implementation. The platform presents:

The ERM platform includes an integrated action planning and tracking module that allows institutions to:

The platform enables institutions to generate a professional PDF report that can be shared with senior leadership, boards of trustees, or governing committees. This functionality enables institutions to move from reflection and prioritization to execution, while creating a durable governance record that supports leadership oversight, accountability, and future ERM cycles. 

Our Expertise

Gateway International Group offers highly professional and seasoned international educators who bring years of experience in higher education.

Education Abroad

Stephen Appiah Padi

Dr. Appiah Padi is a seasoned international education professional with an

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Ann Hubbard

Dr. Hubbard is a seasoned international education professional

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Camila Nardozzi

Ms. Nardozzi is a seasoned international educator, with nearly 20 years of experience.

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Heidi Soneson

Dr. Heidi Soneson has been active in international education since 1983, serving as Executive Director

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International Student and Scholars

David Clubb

David Clubb has been a visionary leader in global engagement

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Elizabeth Leibach

Ms. Leibach has an extensive and diverse background in international

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Julie Wilbers

Ms. Wilbers has extensive experience advising international students and scholars

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Ling Zhang

Dr. Zhang has an extensive background in international recruitment, admissions,

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International Enrollment Management

George F. Kacenga

Former president of the American International Recruitment Council (AIRC),

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Bryan Gross

Dr. Bryan Gross, VP for Enrollment Management & Athletics at Hartwick

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Samira Pardanani

Ms. Pardanani brings over 25 years of international education experience,

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Marty Bennett

Marty Bennett is an international educator with a career spanning 30+ years.

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International Partnerships and Collaborations

Harvey Charles

Dr. Harvey Charles, an international education consultant, has served as SIO at multiple

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Kathleen Fairfax

Kathleen Fairfax

Ms. Fairfax has been an active international educator for over three decades.

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Sabine Klahr

Dr. Sabine C. Klahr serves as Vice Provost for Penn State Global.

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Vivian-Lee Nyitray

Dr. Nyitray recently served as associate vice provost and executive director

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Our Pricing

Each Gateway Enterprise Risk Management peer review is currently offered at a flat introductory fee of $4,250. This pricing reflects the intentionally focused and high-level nature of the peer review model. These reviews are designed to provide perspective, not verification. Pricing may be adjusted in the future as the model scales and expands. Pricing includes a one-year access to an interactive ERM dashboard.

For institutions seeking a deeper, multi-stakeholder institutional diagnostic with extensive data collection, benchmarking, and detailed strategic recommendations, Gateway’s GlobalScope 360⁰ offers a more comprehensive engagement model.

2026 Introductory Fee

$4,250

Let’s Get Started

Contact us today to learn more. Please take a moment to complete this brief inquiry form.

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

Sponsored by:

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

 

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.

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.