While the world is heading to the most obvious destinations to study abroad – Australia, New Zealand, Europe – you should take a leap of faith and go to Africa, for what your students will discover and learn there, other places in the world can’t teach.
Many study abroad programs involve interesting field work and close interaction with its local communities. Africa is a great study abroad destination for many different interests such as: international development, anthropology, sociology, politics and public policy, healthcare, environmental studies, biology or zoology and much much more.
This beautiful country in Eastern Africa has it all when it comes to study abroad programs. It has the nearby island of Zanzibar’s coastlines and turquoise waters which are perfect for students of marine biology and conservation. The landlubbers can study sustainable development and ecology in Arusha, the nearby Serengeti National Park, Mount Kilimanjaro, and the Maasai villages. The big city of Dar Es Salaam, home to several universities and Swahili language programs is also always a winning option.
The country is home to the top 3 highest ranked universities in the continent. South Africa is one of the most developed countries in the world having infrastructure like those in Europe and elsewhere. It offers students the opportunity to explore the dynamic socioeconomic, political and culture of a country with a rich history and unique blend of traditions. South Africa is also home to various prominent sites such as table mountain, penguin colony and the infamous robben island where the iconic Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 18 years, to name just a few.
For decades, Uganda’s economy suffered from economic policies and instability, leaving it as one of the world’s poorest countries but recent reforms have caused that to change. Uganda is a place of cultural immersion, bursting with innovative thinkers, artists and leaders. Traveling to Uganda allows students the ability to explore contemporary issues and cross-cultural definitions of health and the chance for language absorption. Challenge your curiosity while expanding your global outlook and fall in love with Uganda’s people and culture.
If you decide to lead a short-term study abroad program in Africa, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to explore different cultures, landscapes, sights and general adventures in this huge and diverse continent.
Africa also strives to offer a healthy balance between theory and practice through “action learning”. This encourages the students to step outside of the conventional classroom and step into the communities where faculty and the students are able to apply their knowledge, whilst making progressive change. This ensures a meaningful cultural exchange and helps in transforming students into global citizens equipped to meet the demands of the future.
Global news tends to focus on the negative, so many people around the world only hear of the wars, disease, and poverty that Africa has experienced. Negative associations and common misconceptions about Africa lead many people to falsely believe that all of Africa is unsafe to visit. Though there are parts of Africa that may not be recommended for foreigners to travel, that is not reflective of the continent as a whole. The tourism industry is a massively growing market in Africa and a large source of revenue for countries and local businesses, therefore governments and businesses are investing heavily into crime prevention to ensure the safety of their visitors. Major crime is also mostly found in certain areas that are outside of the city and away from the usual travelers routes.
There are also cases of tropical diseases like Malaria and epidemics such as HIV/AIDS. Even with limited resources within most of the healthcare systems in African countries, it may interest you to know that there are very good and well structured hospitals which are either government or privately owned that provide healthcare services to the population and its visitors. African countries are constantly monitored by the relevant US department, and most are safe to travel to with very few countries having a travel ban.
There’s a lot that goes into your decision of where to do a faculty-led program – budget, distance, language, culture, academics and safety. Africa offers a learning experience second to none and is the next learning destination. Those who have never traveled to Africa tend to have a wide variety of perceptions of what Africa may be like. I can tell you one thing: your ideas will definitely change once you go there.
With our support, you can create the ultimate tailored educational experience. We handle all the logistics to help bring your dream to reality while keeping in mind the desired expected learning goals for your trip abroad.
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