Let Gateway be your partner in establishing and managing your School of Record relationship.
Many education abroad programs attended by U.S. students are offered by provider organizations that are not accredited. Because most U.S. colleges and universities require transcripts from accredited institutions to award academic credit, these providers often partner with accredited institutions through a School of Record (SOR) relationship. This arrangement benefits all parties: students receive recognized credit, providers enhance their enrollment and credibility, and accredited institutions expand their international engagement while generating new revenue.
Gateway supports both educational organizations seeking to establish an SOR partnership and accredited institutions interested in offering SOR services. Let us help you design and manage a School of Record relationship built on quality, trust, and shared value.
It is increasingly common for students to take courses abroad at educational institutions or independent providers that are not accredited. In doing so, and in order to earn credit toward their major or degree, students often need to transfer that coursework to their home institution. The School of Record facilitates that transfer and thus solves a simple but vexing matter in education abroad—many institutions do not recognize as credit-worthy, instruction offered at non-accredited organizations whose quality assurance practices may be unfamiliar to them. However, those institutions generally will accept as transfer or resident credit, courses transcripted by “peer” institutions, particularly in the same country as the credit-receiving institution.
Per the Forum on Education Abroad’s Guidance on School of Record Relationships for Education Abroad, “A School of Record relationship is when an accredited institution of higher learning documents and awards credit for programs or institutions that are not accredited.” As an example, if an accredited institution transcripts and awards credit to students for courses or programs taken abroad via a non-accredited educational organization, the accredited institution acts as a School of Record. Moreover, and as a consequence of awarding academic credit, it is the responsibility of the SOR to verify the academic integrity of such courses or programs and to validate their quality before awarding credit.
While both the provider organization and the Schools of Record derive benefit in a well-designed SOR relationship, it is the students—gaining expanded access to new opportunities in education abroad—who benefit most. SOR relationships are highly advantageous for ensuring consistent and excellent academic standards in education abroad as well as increased student access to a greater variety of approved and rigorous programs.
Gateway brings deep expertise in international higher education and a deep understanding of the principles and processes that define effective School of Record (SOR) relationships. We know what it takes to initiate new SOR partnerships, manage them effectively, and leverage them strategically to enhance student and faculty mobility, drive campus internationalization, and strengthen institutional impact. Our team of experienced professionals can support every aspect of SOR development and management—from building strong contractual foundations and ensuring credit equivalency to establishing academic oversight structures, setting equitable costs and fees, and addressing the implications for student financial aid and institutional accreditation.
Gateway provides services that span the full spectrum of School of Record relationships.
For non-accredited organizations providing instruction, the Gateway team will assist in identifying and engaging accredited institutions to serve as a School of Record. For accredited institutions seeking to gain the advantages of becoming a School of Record, e.g., for revenue generation, opportunity, and reputation, Gateway will help find suitable partner organizations.
Academic and operational protocols must be drafted in detail as supplements to the SOR contract. The protocols govern reciprocal responsibilities in areas such as academic standards, curricular review and course approvals, faculty credentialing and approvals, transcript processing, transcript fee processing, reporting, and periodic onsite assessment and evaluation.
At the heart of any SOR relationship is the attribution of academic credit for work completed at the partner organization. Gateway can provide guidance on the technical matters of recognizing, converting, tracking, reporting, and validating academic credits earned by students as well as the corresponding tasks of validating, generating, conveying, and billing transcripts.
Gateway can assist in preparing for and managing the assessment processes inherent in any SOR relationship. From generating self-study assessment reports to preparing for or conducting onsite assessment visits by SOR administrative and faculty leaders, Gateway provides the academic and administrative expertise necessary for successful implementation of SOR self-assessment, quality control, and onsite evaluation.
Gateway can provide professional guidance on implementing effective marketing and communication strategies so that students and their institutions will know that the coursework on offer is vetted and easily credited and transcripted.
Gateway can also provide the training and professional development needed to manage the School of Record relationship. Such training provides technical expertise to both the SOR and the onsite organization. For the former, Gateway focuses on the training needed by institutional and academic leadership, the Office of the Registrar, the Education Abroad Office, and the faculty and academic staff charged with managing the relationship. For the latter, Gateway provides training in the many monitoring, reporting, and academic oversight responsibilities that are necessary to sustain quality, reputation, and a positive working relationship with the SOR.
Gateway’s School of Record (SOR) services are offered in two distinct formats—Referral Services and Consultation Services—designed to meet the unique needs of both program providers and accredited institutions.
Gateway International Group offers experienced international professionals who bring extensive knowledge of School of Record relationships. Led by Drs. Scott Blair and Jeremy Geller, and supported by a team of industry professionals, Gateway will assign a team of specialists as needed to meet your goals. Gateway operates in accordance with established best practices, including those set forth by, for example, the Forum on Education Abroad, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers (AACRAO), and the six regional institutional accreditors in the United States.
Amanda Maurer is a seasoned international education leader with over 25 years of experience driving innovation, operational efficiency, and strategic growth… At the University of South Florida, she led nationally recognized efforts to expand access and equity in study abroad—earning the 2017 Diversity Abroad Excellence Award and the 2019 IIE Heiskell Award. She also established and managed three successful School of Record partnerships, enabling the office to become fully self-funded. Previously, Amanda served as Senior Director of International Programs at Columbia Law School, where she oversaw global partnerships, student mobility, and visiting scholar programs.
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Hannah Hopkins Kilgore is an experienced international educator. She has worked for Harvard University, Trinity College Dublin, the Consortium for… Advanced Studies Abroad, and Columbia University, where she currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Strategic Initiatives for Columbia’s Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement. She is deeply engaged in the field, serving her second term on the Council of the Forum on Education Abroad, and volunteering for several study abroad organizations in the US, Europe, and Ireland.
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Kathleen has been an active international educator for over three decades. She has held senior leadership positions at large public institutions such as Michigan State… Purdue, Arizona State, South Dakota State, and Colorado State. In addition, Kathleen was a tenured Foreign Service Officer, with assignments in the Fulbright Office in Washington, DC, and at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. This breadth of institutional experience has enabled Kathleen to provide expert assessment and recommendations on enhancing international strategy and effectiveness to multiple institutions, and has contributed to her wide network of peers, mentors, collaborators and friends within the international education field.
Read more Dr. Ann Hubbard is a leading international educator with over 25 years of experience in education abroad program management. She is well published … in the area of education abroad, with particular expertise on student reflection, career readiness and employability. From Ann’s high school trip to France to her recent completion of a Ph.D. in Higher Education Internationalization in Milan, she has focused on the benefits of intercultural learning. Ann worked on a K-12 global education project in California where she completed her M.A. at Calfornia State University, Northridge. She served a progression of roles in the International Education Center at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) where a highlight was developing a reflection session with career services colleagues for students to examine their transferable skills as the result of learning abroad. This session continues after 20+ years, has been shared across the U.S. and Europe, and served as the basis for her doctoral research. Ann served as vice president with AIFS Study Abroad, responsible for university relations for customized faculty-led programs, and academic assessment. She authored a longitudinal study examining student outcomes in the areas of personal, intercultural, and career development, published by AIFS in 2018. Dr. Hubbard completed a Ph.D. in Higher Education Internationalization at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy in 2019. She has served as a NASFA Academy coach and a member of NAFSA’s Trainer Corps. She is a QUIP Reviewer as well as a workshop facilitator for The Forum on Education Abroad, and a reviewer for Frontiers: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Abroad.
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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.
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
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 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.
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.
