ENVIRONMENT
It is necessary to address the environment as a global issue, major solutions are most powerful when addressed collectively. But at any level you can effect environmental change. Communities across the globe are facing a wide range of environmental issues, from water and air quality to landfills and trash collection. With environmental studies you bring both the social and physical sciences together to examine theories, policies, and innovations that impact the local community, the host culture, and the world.
Sustainability management is the future of management and is the next phase of management innovation. Sustainability must be integrated into the heart of what organizations do. Today, organizations throughout the globe are attempting to reduce their carbon footprint, minimize climate and environmental risk, enhance resiliency and incorporate sustainability into their operations. The problem is they do not know how to do it.
In 2017 (Paris Accords) the world collectively came together to admit that more must be done to protect the environment. The next generation of environmental professionals will tackle the issues to meet the goals of these accords. Whether students choose to see the impact on the environment in a traditional country or a developing country they will gain a new perspective about how to solve issues that address that community. Countries vary in what issues are priorities are most important to them, and the infrastructure needed to address them.
Education abroad provides a unique opportunity to gain knowledge and skill sets to think globally as well as locally when it comes to solving the problems of today and issues we may encounter tomorrow. Through an international experience, students improve collaboration and communication skills, particularly in a cross-cultural environment. They build transferable skill sets in versatility, creativity, an increased sensitivity to societal contexts and awareness of ethical differences across cultures.
Subjects
KEI offers a wide range of subjects in environmental studies. Click on a subject area to view program locations that offer courses in that subject.
Alumnus Spotlight
Timothy Jackson
Major: Biology & Chemistry
Program: Environmental Science
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
During Timothy’s program he conducted ecological research on coral reefs in Thailand. His research combined both field work and laboratory work. Timothy surveyed and collected samples of mushroom coral genus Fungia, a fast growing and abundant type of coral in the reef waters of Thailand. The laboratory work involved chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, a popular method used in plant ecophysiological studies.
“After interning for one trimester, I learned some basic fluorometry techniques in measuring photosynthesis in plants and corals. I also learned snorkeling and diving techniques necessary for field research in marine biology. I now have a better understanding of how marine biology research is carried out. When dealing with the environment and nature, it is important to be prepared for all kinds of delays and complications. In the three short months I was at Mahidol University, it was hard to accomplish much more than preliminary work. Getting an ecology research project off the ground is definitely more complicated than I originally thought it was.”
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Priyadarshini Karve
Symbiosis International University
School for Liberal Arts
Pune, India
Dr. Priyadarshini Karve is an avid environmentalist and inventor. After earning a Ph.D. in Physics at the University of Pune, Dr. Karve worked at the Appropriate Rural Technology Institute (ARTI) where she invented biomass-burning cooking devices to reduce dependence on firewood, various technologies for converting agricultural waste into ‘renewable’ charcoal, and an easy-to-use Samuchit Carbon Footprint Calculator. She has been honored by several national and international awards, including the World Technology Award 2005 (by World Technology Network, New York) and the Sahyadri Hirkani Award 2011 (by Mumbai Doordarshan, India).
In 2005, Dr. Priyadarshini Karve founded Samuchit Enviro Tech, a social enterprise focused on enabling individuals, households, institutions and small businesses to embrace sustainability in their daily activities. Samuchit Enviro Tech promotes the use of clean cooking technologies based on biomass fuels, solar energy devices, and upcycled products made from a variety of waste materials.
Dr. Karve teaches a course titled “Sustainability Studies” that takes a historical journey through the consequences of the 18th and 19th centuries, and explores ideas and approaches to create a more sustainable and equitable world. Dr. Karve aims to empower students with a rational and scientific approach to deal with developmental challenges in their professional and personal lives. By the end of the course, students are able to assess the sustainability of any path of development in any sector. The knowledge and skills learned in class will give students a competitive edge in an increasingly environment-conscious corporate world.
Employability & Education Abroad
Education abroad has been shown to have significant impact on learning, academic performance, graduation, careers, and personality development. Below is a summary of results from notable studies on the impact of education abroad.
| Careers, Salaries & Job Skills | |
|---|---|
97% |
of study abroad students found employment within 12 months of graduation, when only 49% of college graduates found employment in the same period. (1) Among study abroad alumni, 90% landed a job within 6 months. (2, 11) |
25% |
higher starting salaries: that’s how much more study abroad students earn than those college graduates who do not study abroad.(1) This equates to approx. $7,000 annually for US students. (3) |
90% |
of study abroad alumni who applied got into their 1st or 2nd choice grad school. (1) |
84% |
of study abroad alumni felt their studies abroad helped them build valuable skills for the job market. (4) A second study confirms this at 85%. (9) |
40% |
of US businesses failed to expand due to a dearth of staff international experience. (13) |
80% |
of study abroad students reported that study abroad allowed them to better adapt to diverse work environments. (4) |
70% |
of study abroad alumni claimed that because of study abroad they were more satisfied with their jobs. (4) |
59% |
of employers said study abroad would be valuable in an individual’s career later on with their organization. (10) |
34% |
of study abroad alumni claimed that study abroad helped them choose their career field. (4) |
19% |
lower unemployment rates were found among study abroad alumni according to a British study. (4) |
| Graduation & Academic Performance | |
100% |
greater improvement in GPA post-study abroad. Students who studied abroad saw their GPAs rise twice as quickly as their peers. (8) |
19% |
more likely to graduate: that describes how study abroad participants are more likely to graduate than non-participants. (5, 6, 7) |
| Personal Growth | |
97% |
of study abroad alumni attributed study abroad to increased maturity. (12) |
96% |
of study abroad alumni claimed an increase in self-confidence attributed to study abroad. (12) |
89% |
of study abroad alumni reported that study abroad facilitated a greater tolerance for ambiguity. (12) |
| Resources | |
| 1 | Benefits of Study Abroad |
| 2 | New Survey Shows College Graduates Who Study Abroad Land Career-Related Jobs Sooner, with Higher Starting Salaries |
| 3 | How Higher Education Affects Lifetime Salary |
| 4 | AIFS Study Abroad Outcomes |
| 5 | UC San Diego Study: 2011 EAP and OAP Retention, Graduation, and Time-to-Degree Combined |
| 6 | Go Abroad and Graduate On-Time: Study Abroad Participation, Degree Completion, and Time-to-Degree |
| 7 | The Effect of Study Abroad on College Completion in a State University System |
| 8 | Academic Outcomes of Study Abroad |
| 9 | The Impact of Studying Abroad on Recent College Graduates’ Careers |
| 10 | Employers Value Candidates Who Study Abroad |
| 11 | Mobile Students More Likely to Have a Job |
| 12 | How More Study Abroad Programmes Could Benefit Society |
| 13 | Paul Simon Study Abroad Act Back on Legislative Cards |
IN THE NEWS
How Studying Abroad Makes You A Better Leader by Shellie Karabell
Once upon a time, doing business abroad was unique: Berlitz and others published books on business etiquette for those venturing across the ocean, language books enabling you to order in a restaurant or to get you through a social encounter. And once upon a time, that was enough. Today, thanks to technology and the internet, the world is global. Business is global. Nearly three-fourths of all S&P 500 companies today report some kind of international revenue. Read more.
Study abroad: the career benefits by James Connington
There are skills to be gained from moving country and adjusting to a new teaching system. It’s also far easier to identify the skills you are lacking when you step outside your comfort zone – and going abroad to study is a fairly serious step. Read more.
