Commitment to Global Education

"It is our duty and our interest to cultivate with all nations...a spirit of justice and friendly accommodation."

—Thomas Jefferson, Second Annual Message, 1802

The University of Virginia's commitment to global education, internationalization, and study abroad makes it an ideal academic sponsor. Further points of harmony between both programs include:

U.Va.'s Mission to Promote Internationalization

• The University supports the process of integrating international and multicultural perspectives and experiences into the learning, discovery, and engagement mission of higher education.
• At U.Va., the internationalization effort began in earnest in 1998, when the University embarked on a major strategic planning and development program—called “Virginia 2020: Agenda for the Third Century at the University of Virginia.” International activity was one of the four targets that it identified for concentrated progress over the next 20 years.

Thomas Jefferson's "Academical Village"

• For Jefferson, the college experience should take place within an "academical village," a place where shared learning infused daily life.
• Semester at Sea's traveling campus is, in many ways, a microcosm of the Jeffersonian model. The unique academic community of undergraduates, lifelong learners, faculty and staff, and international counterparts—all living and learning on a passenger ship traveling the world"—enlivens the pursuit of knowledge."

U.Va.'s Significant Academic Standing

• The University of Virginia is a world-class institution, consistently ranked among the top two public universities in the country, and among the top 25 of all U.S. universities. The University is also a member of Universitas 21, an international network of 20 prestigious universities around the world.
• As the academic sponsor, the University brings a wealth of academic resources, and a demonstrated commitment to international education.