Illinois State University International Teaching Programs Win National Award

Illinois State University’s International Student Teaching and Summer Internships Program has been named the 2026 recipient of the Global Career Readiness Award from the Institute of International Education (IIE) Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education.

The annual Heiskell Awards recognise institutions developing innovative approaches to international education and highlight programmes that can offer models for broader adoption across the sector.

The university’s Lauby Teacher Education Centre within the College of Education and the Office of International Engagement (OIE) collaborated to develop international student teaching and internship opportunities for future teachers. The programmes currently span six offerings across five countries: Spain, Thailand, Panama, Taiwan and Costa Rica.

Combining Teacher Education With International Experience

The programmes are designed to integrate international experience into the teacher preparation process. For many of the student teaching placements, teacher education students complete the first half of their student teaching in Illinois to meet licensure requirements before spending the second half of the semester at an international placement.

Once abroad, students work alongside mentor teachers. Their responsibilities typically begin with classroom observation before progressing to co-teaching and eventually leading lessons.

Several placements are based in English-language or dual-language schools. These environments allow students to gain teaching experience while working with multilingual learners and observing different approaches to classroom instruction.

The structure provides a transition between supervised teacher preparation and more independent classroom responsibilities, while allowing students to apply their existing knowledge in a different educational setting.

Building Global Skills for Future Teachers

The international component is intended to complement the academic and practical preparation students receive at Illinois State. Dr Monica Noraian, director of the Cecilia J. Lauby Teacher Education Centre, said the overseas experience builds on students’ content preparation and their 10-week student teaching experience in Illinois classrooms.

According to Noraian, incorporating international experiences into teacher education can help future educators prepare to work with diverse student populations and navigate an increasingly global education environment.

Living and teaching abroad can also expose students to different school cultures, instructional practices and approaches to supporting learners from varied linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

Expanding International Teaching Opportunities

The programmes have continued to evolve through collaboration between the Lauby Teacher Education Centre and the Office of International Engagement. Dr. Roopa Rawjee, executive director of the Office of International Engagement at Illinois State, said the Heiskell Award highlights the work of the Lauby Center and its continued development of international opportunities.

Rawjee noted that the collaboration has strengthened existing programmes while also using data to inform the development of newer opportunities in Spain and Thailand.

The university says the two offices remain focused on supporting teacher education students and identifying additional international opportunities that can contribute to their professional preparation.

International Placements Across Five Countries

Illinois State students can currently explore international student teaching and internship opportunities in:

• Spain
• Thailand
• Panama
• Taiwan
• Costa Rica

The programmes provide students with opportunities to experience different educational environments while continuing their teacher preparation. Students interested in participating are encouraged to discuss available options with their academic advisers and connect with the Lauby Teacher Education Center.

Strengthening Career Readiness Through Global Learning

The recognition from the Institute of International Education highlights the role that international experiences can play in preparing students for increasingly diverse professional environments.

For future teachers, international placements can provide practical opportunities to develop communication, adaptability and cross-cultural skills alongside classroom teaching experience. Working with mentor educators and multilingual learners can also broaden students’ understanding of how teaching practices can be adapted to different contexts.

Illinois State University’s programme demonstrates one approach to incorporating these experiences directly into teacher education rather than treating international exposure as separate from professional preparation.

Editor’s Note

International teaching experiences are increasingly being viewed as a way for future educators to develop skills beyond traditional classroom training. Exposure to different education systems, multilingual learners and diverse school environments can give teacher candidates practical experience in adapting instruction to varied cultural and academic contexts.

Illinois State University’s International Student Teaching and Summer Internships Program has received national recognition for bringing this global perspective into teacher education. The programme was named the 2026 winner of the Global Career Readiness Award from the Institute of International Education’s Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education. Its model combines classroom preparation in the United States with teaching and internship placements abroad, allowing students to apply their training while developing experience in international school settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What award did Illinois State University’s international teaching programme receive?
The International Student Teaching and Summer Internships Program received the 2026 Global Career Readiness Award from the IIE Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education.

2. Who presents the Heiskell Awards?
The awards are presented by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to recognise innovative international education programmes.

3. Which Illinois State departments developed the programmes?
The College of Education’s Lauby Teacher Education Center and the Office of International Engagement collaborated to develop the international programmes.

4. Where can Illinois State students complete international teaching placements?
Opportunities are available in Spain, Thailand, Panama, Taiwan and Costa Rica.

5. How does the international student teaching programme work?
Many students complete the first half of their student teaching in Illinois and the second half at an international placement.

6. What do students do during their overseas placements?
Students work with mentor teachers, beginning with classroom observation and progressing to co-teaching and leading lessons.

7. Do international placements support multilingual teaching experience?
Yes. Many placements are in English-language or dual-language schools, giving students opportunities to work with multilingual learners.

8. How can students explore these opportunities?
Interested students can speak with their academic advisers and contact the Cecilia J. Lauby Teacher Education Center for available options.