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 is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. As the major coordinating body for the nation's colleges and universities, ACE's strength lies in their diverse membership of more than 1,700 colleges and universities, related associations, and other organizations in America and abroad.

ACE is the only major higher education association to represent all types of U.S. accredited, degree-granting institutions: two-year and four-year, public and private. ACE's members educate two out of every three students in all accredited, degree-granting U.S. institutions.

ACE defines comprehensive internationalization as a strategic, coordinated framework that integrates policies, programs, initiatives, and individuals to make colleges and universities more globally oriented and internationally connected. In order to foster sustainable and just global engagement, the comprehensive internationalization model embraces an organizational growth mindset. It frames internationalization as an ongoing process rather than a static goal. To that end, it recognizes that all constituents at a college or university—students, faculty, and staff—are learners and central to the institution's equitable, intercultural transformation. Intentional comprehensive internationalization is not an ancillary enterprise, but a means to advance an institution's distinct teaching-research-service mission. In short, effective internationalization cannot happen in a few siloed offices, confined to certain disciplines, or reserved for a limited number of students. Internationalization is a collaborative, integrated ethos, the meaning of which must be discerned by each institution in the context of its unique mission and culture. []

Globalization is a pervasive and contemporary reality. It is defined as the movement and interdependency of ideas, people, goods, capital, services, and organizations as well as threats that cross boarders, such as environmental and health challenges. Internationalization is higher education's intentional engagement with that reality. It not only impacts an individual institution, but the way an organization and its people relate to their local, national, and global community. Anchored by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), internationalization is a means for understanding and advancing human and technical connectivity; fostering local and global interdisciplinary research and teaching; supporting social, economic, and civic development; and propelling higher education forward as an equitable and agile public good. []

Justice-oriented internationalization is critically self-reflective. It requires institutional and international leaders to actively consider who is part of planning and decision-making. It recognizes the vital importance of internationalization at home—that all students deserve and have access to a global education that prepares them for a contemporary, diverse workforce. It cultivates internationalization that is anti-colonial, anti-racist, and globally and locally inclusive. Whether through teaching, research, or civic engagement, equitable institutions promote historical and global understanding of systemic discrimination and injustice. They and their leaders account for national, economic, demographic, sexual, sociopolitical, gender, physical, linguistic diversity, along with neurodiversity. Overall, they recognize their institution and its constituents as agents in the broader local and global context. []

On March 2, 2021 Cal Lutheran hosted its ACE Internationalization Laboratory Kickoff to provide an overview of the initiative. President Varlotta addressed the linkage of our global

learning work with the university’s mission and the steering committee members addressed the four goals and organizational structure of the Cal Lutheran INZ Lab. ACE Advisor, Dr. Kara Godwin offered a presentation showcasing the importance of internationalization, address of the INZ myths, linkages with equity and inclusion, and the ACE INZ model. The link below provides access to view the recording of the 60-minute presentation. Dr. Kara’s remarks begin approximately 15 minutes into the session, FYI.

Watch the Kickoff Session