Planning for Tomorrow While Confronting Continuing Challenges Today

As NAFSA members, you are acutely aware of the devastating effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the field of international education. International educators have lost family, friends, and colleagues, while pandemic-related restrictions on travel and events have strained our field. In turn, international education professionals have lost jobs as campus and company offices downsized staff. Many of our colleagues who are still employed have fewer resources for professional development. 

The pandemic’s impact on international education also deeply affects our professional association. Like many of your home institutions, NAFSA is operating with extremely constrained resources. The annual conference provides a substantial amount of the association’s revenue. Last year, the pandemic forced us to shift on short notice from an in-person event to the virtual eConnection event, resulting in a significant reduction in revenue. 

NAFSA charges for the annual conference and other programs throughout the year. These fees help pay for the rich content, robust conference and event platforms, and talented staff who organize the events. As your own organizations have learned, these costs are present whether instruction or events are virtual or in person. As in the past, NAFSA will offer reduced registration fees for members who participate in our virtual 2021 Annual Conference & Expo and other events.

We have faced crises together before, and NAFSA has always risen to the challenges and will do so again. Guided by our new strategic plan, we will shape the new NAFSA to meet current and future needs of the field