Global Engagement
GLOBAL
ENGAGEMENT
Expanding Perspectives, Connecting Communities, Shaping Global Futures
At the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD), global engagement is at the heart of our mission. We believe that education is a force for positive change across cultures and nations, and we prepare scholar-practitioners to address today’s most pressing challenges through international collaboration, immersive experiences, and research grounded in comparative and international education.
Academic Degree Programs
Master's in International Education
This program is designed for those interested in training, adult learning, and development in diverse settings that require international understanding. Deepen your expertise in critical areas of the field, including International Education Development, International Higher Education, and Global Education.
Grad Certificate in Incorporating International Perspectives in Education
Strengthen your understanding of internationalization as it relates to school systems and the development of K-12 curriculum. Learn to incorporate global perspectives into curriculum, pedagogy, and school policy and practice.
PhD in Education: Comparative & International Education Concentration
Research education as a means of developing individuals, communities, nations, and the world, as well as the institutions that support educational improvement and the common good.
International Students: Learn more about applying to GSEHD programs >
Research & Hands-on Experiences
GSEHD offers a wide range of global engagement opportunities designed to connect your studies with real-world impact. From international fellowships and research labs to study abroad and global partnerships, our students and faculty work across borders to shape more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable education systems worldwide.
- UNESCO Chair & Fellowship
IEP maintains a partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), serving as a designated UNESCO Chair that offers a UNESCO Fellows program.
Established in 2014, GSEHD’s UNESCO Chair in International Education for Development (IED) promotes international collaboration, research, outreach, teaching, and the preparation of a new generation of educators. Through this initiative, students gain unparalleled access to global networks, thought leadership, and mentorship rooted in the values of global citizenship, social equity, and inclusion.
The UNESCO Fellows program offers selected graduate students the opportunity to intern at UNESCO headquarters, a UNESCO-affiliated field office or institute, or a UN agency. Recent placements include Chile, Costa Rica, Geneva, Germany, Morocco, Seoul, and Thailand.
- Refugee Educational Advancement Laboratory (REAL)
The Refugee Educational Advancement Laboratory (REAL) at GW focuses on empowering students as scholar-practitioners to research, publish, and drive meaningful change for refugees and at-risk migrants globally. Through joint research and advocacy projects, REAL addresses pressing issues affecting displaced communities in the DMV region, across the U.S., and worldwide. Led by two IEP faculty members, the interdisciplinary team from GSEHD, ESIA, and Columbian College explores education at all levels, from primary to lifelong learning. By conducting research, analyzing data, and engaging with policymakers and advocacy organizations, REAL serves as a catalyst for positive change in refugee and migrant education.
- Global Education Lab
The GW Global Education Lab examines how global trends—such as shifting labor markets, new technologies, and international policy movements—shape education reforms worldwide. The lab researches initiatives like global competence education, mobility programs, virtual exchanges, and sustainability-focused policies, analyzing their development, implementation, and impact across different contexts. By exploring how these trends influence students, educators, and policymakers, the lab aims to provide insights into the evolving landscape of global education.
- International Education Association
The George Washington University International Education Association (IEA) is a student organization whose mission is to advocate for increased awareness of international education through: fostering professional development, providing networking opportunities, and facilitating cultural and service events for students and alumni of GW’s International Education Program (IEP). The IEA also seeks to promote communication between other student organizations and GW as a whole.
GOALS:
-Increase involvement of IEA and other interested parties
-Increase communication with GHSED and IEP
-Create organized and efficient communication strategy
Learn More about IEA >Faculty Advisor: Dr. Laura Engel (%20lce
gwu [dot] edu (lce[at]gwu[dot]edu))- Ukrainian Research Group on Education and National Transition (URGENT)
URGENT is a nonpartisan research group driven to advance rigorous scholarship and teaching. It is comprised of a team from the George Washington University, including Dr. Bernhard Streitwieser, and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) in Kyiv, Ukraine. The group is exploring how Ukrainian universities operate and adapt during wartime in an effort to provide recommendations for universities on improving preparedness and response to crises.
Study Abroad Opportunities
GSEHD prepares graduates for careers in an increasingly interconnected world by expanding global perspectives and deepening cultural competence. Through short-term, faculty-led study abroad tours, students engage directly with international partners and institutions—participating in conferences, academic exchanges, research practicums, and training workshops. These short-term abroad experiences offer an immersive, high-impact way for students to deepen their skills while traveling with GSEHD faculty to regions where they have extensive expertise.
Global Collaborations
GSEHD faculty facilitate the inter-cultural exchange of ideas by collaborating on research and projects with scholars, institutions, and organizations in other countries. Current collaborations include:
- District of Columbia Public Schools' Office of Global Education
As the lead research consultant for the District of Columbia Public Schools’ Global Education, Dr. Laura Engel and her team evaluate the impact of the study abroad initiative, which has sent over 900 eighth and eleventh grade students and educators on fully-funded short term study abroad opportunities since 2016.
- Taibah University, Saudi Arabia
Dr. Abe Tekleselassie leads a partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Taibah University to create a bilingual Ph.D. program in educational leadership based on GSEHD’s existing post-master's certificate (PMC). Graduates of the program receive their Ph.D. from Taibah University and a certificate from GW.
- University of Pécs, Hungary
Dr. Maria Cseh, an honorary faculty member at the University of Pécs in Pécs, Hungary, collaborates with the University of Pécs Research Center for Labor and Health Sciences: A Multidisciplinary Center for Excellence on the development of the Center's new interdisciplinary projects. Dr. Cseh was a member of the research initiative that led to the formation of this Center for Excellence, inaugurated in June 2017.
- Ukrainian Research Group on Education and National Transition (URGENT)
URGENT is a nonpartisan research group driven to advance rigorous scholarship and teaching. It is comprised of a team from the George Washington University, including Dr. Bernhard Streitwieser, and the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (NaUKMA) in Kyiv, Ukraine. The group is exploring how Ukrainian universities operate and adapt during wartime in an effort to provide recommendations for universities on improving preparedness and response to crises.
Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University
GSEHD is proud to partner with Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University (ASPU) to strengthen teacher preparation, educational leadership, and research collaboration. This partnership brings together faculty expertise and innovative practices from both institutions, fostering cross-cultural exchange and advancing shared goals of improving education in Azerbaijan and around the world.
Visiting Scholars Program
GSEHD's Visiting Scholars Program (VSP) hosts faculty, researchers, and advanced doctoral candidates from around the world who are interested in conducting independent research and presenting findings at GW. The VSP offers the opportunity to interact with GW faculty and students, introduction to experts at national and international organizations and institutions in the Washington, D.C. area and a unique opportunity to create a network of colleagues from all over the world through engagement in research utilizing the multitude of resources in the Nation’s Capital.
Scholarship with Global Impact
A Day in the Life of a PhD Student
January 28, 2026
Beyond the Buzzwords: How DC Education Policies Shape Youth Activism
September 19, 2025
