Study Israel booth at the 2025 NAFSA annual conference. (Photo by MAA) Here's an email I sent last week to nine Israeli colleagues who attended the 2025 NAFSA annual conference in San Diego, including some as representatives of the Study in Israel booth in the expo hall. Can you guess how many have responded? 😉 … Continue reading Message from Vietnam – Seeking Your Perspective on the Genocide in Gaza
NAFSA
ChatGPT’s Take on NAFSA: Association of International Educators
I recently had an illuminating conversation with my digital friend and servant, ChatGPT, about NAFSA: Association of International Education. Here was my initial question: What are the main criticisms of NAFSA: Association of International Educators? Anything you want to add? I mention a couple of points in this November 2024 article: The glaring hypocrisy of … Continue reading ChatGPT’s Take on NAFSA: Association of International Educators
The glaring hypocrisy of establishment US international education
Click on the image to view the video slideshow I created. Think of this as my contribution to International Education Week (IEW) 2024, which is next week. Here's the introduction. Follow this link to read the entire essay. The day after the US presidential election, Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA, posted the following … Continue reading The glaring hypocrisy of establishment US international education
The Hustling Culture of International Education: Conference Sessions for Sale
Below is an article I pitched to a well-known international higher education media outlet that has published my work in the past. The initial answer was YES but later changed to NO. I did some checking using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine and found that this company has taken advertising dollars from NAFSA. This is … Continue reading The Hustling Culture of International Education: Conference Sessions for Sale
I Had a Dream: From Vietnam to Gaza
A boy carries a humanitarian aid package provided by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees: UNRWA) in central Gaza City [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP] “There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. There is a bigger price for living a lie.” – Cornel West I recently … Continue reading I Had a Dream: From Vietnam to Gaza
International students are so much more than cash cows
Image: iStock Here's my latest article for University World News. My original title was Towards a More Inclusive Approach to International Student Advocacy. Truth be told, the tone and direction of the essay changed after some email exchanges with Fanta Aw, the new CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Her perspective is a breath of … Continue reading International students are so much more than cash cows
A Call for Universal Empathy: We Are “The Other”
Here's my latest essay for University World News. Below is an unedited version, including quotes that do not appear in the published version. Image: iStock While I was deeply gratified and moved to see the outpouring of support for Ukraine and its people on various social media channels in response to the Russian invasion, I … Continue reading A Call for Universal Empathy: We Are “The Other”
Russian Invasion of Ukraine Elicits Selective Outrage & Sympathy
While I'm gratified to see the outpouring of support for Ukraine and its people on various social media channels, I realize how selective it is knowing that the US government and military have done the exact same thing. In a sense, Russia is taking a bloody page out of the US foreign policy playbook, which … Continue reading Russian Invasion of Ukraine Elicits Selective Outrage & Sympathy
“Ethical agents should support direct student admissions”
Students occasionally ask one co-author, who has lived and worked in Viet Nam since 2005, whether or not they can apply directly. The answer is an enthusiastic ‘Yes’, if they feel sufficiently confident. The original working title, Imagine a World Without Agents, We Wonder If You Can - with a grateful nod to John Lennon … Continue reading “Ethical agents should support direct student admissions”
Laura W. Bush, Plenary Speaker at NAFSA 2018. Say What?!?
I'm still shaking my head in disbelief, wondering why NAFSA: Association of International Educators chose Laura Bush as a plenary speaker for its 2018 annual conference in Philadelphia, PA, USA. What does she have to offer international educators who attend these speeches to learn something, gain a new insight or two, be inspired? Here's her … Continue reading Laura W. Bush, Plenary Speaker at NAFSA 2018. Say What?!?
An International Educator in Vietnam 
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