This summer, Director of International Studies Stéphane Allagnon traveled to India to review an educational travel partner that specializes in the culture, well-being, meditation, and mental health training. The experience prompted him to post on LinkedIn an answer to the question: “why do we take students abroad?” Below is his response:
By Director of International Studies Stéphane Allagnon
High in the Himalayas, in Ladakh, India, I have been spending time with a group of Global Studies Directors, and the experience has prompted one of the most important questions in education: Why do we take students abroad?
Our conversations have centered on safety, responsible travel, cultural humility, and the profound educational value of experiential learning. These discussions have reinforced a belief I have held throughout my career: international travel is not simply about visiting new places—it is about shaping thoughtful, compassionate, and globally minded human beings.
The world our students will inherit is increasingly interconnected, yet also marked by complex political, cultural, environmental, and social challenges. If we want them to become leaders capable of navigating these realities with empathy and wisdom, we must give them opportunities to experience perspectives beyond their own.
Meaningful global education requires students to engage with cultures that differ from theirs, to listen to people whose lives have been shaped by very different circumstances, and to appreciate stories of resilience, perseverance, and hope. It asks them to confront their assumptions, recognize their unconscious biases, embrace discomfort, and develop the humility to learn rather than judge.
These experiences cultivate far more than cultural awareness. They build empathy, adaptability, critical thinking, resilience, and the ability to communicate across differences—qualities that cannot be fully developed within the walls of a classroom alone.
As educators, we have both the privilege and the responsibility to move students beyond the comfort of familiar environments. Our role is to create experiences that encourage them to ask difficult questions, examine global conflicts and challenges with curiosity rather than certainty, and understand that despite our different languages, traditions, and histories, our shared humanity is what ultimately connects us.
This journey has also been deeply personal. Ladakh has challenged me physically and mentally, pushing me beyond limits I had quietly accepted. Every challenge overcome has reaffirmed why this work matters so deeply. Before we can ask our students to embrace uncertainty, vulnerability, and growth, we must be willing to do the same ourselves.
I will return home rejuvenated, humbled, and even more committed to advancing meaningful global education. More convinced than ever that our greatest responsibility is not simply to educate students for academic success, but to prepare them to become compassionate global citizens who lead with empathy, curiosity, and courage.
Because in the end, the most meaningful journeys are not measured by the miles we travel, but by the perspectives we gain and the people we become along the way.
