By Marwa Ikhmayes
Brooklyn College’s International Programs and Study Abroad is now officially accepting applications to study abroad for the summer and fall 2022 semesters after an extended COVID-19 shutdown. IPSA currently offers two international opportunities: exchange and study abroad.
“We’re excited, we’re very optimistic this summer will send students abroad, it will not be a huge number or at least the number we usually send, but at least it’s a good start for us,” said Mohamed Tabrani, IPSA’s Director.
Prior to the pandemic, BC’s study abroad programs sent around 170-200 students overseas. Two years later, with the programs’ return, some students are hesitant to travel because of COVID.
“It will take some time for us to go back to normal,” said Tabrani. “Our goal, and definitely my personal goal, is to increase the number of students from Brooklyn College that have the opportunity to study abroad.”
Applications for the summer abroad programs are open until April, with destinations such as Italy, South Korea, France, and more, pending CDC guidelines. Exchange programs for this coming fall are currently open for international exchange students who come to Brooklyn College for one to three semesters and complete their degrees in their home country.
Brooklyn College is currently hosting five exchange students with plans on “relaunching 20 abroad,” according to Tabrani. BC and CUNY will decide study abroad locations based on CDC guidelines in cooperation with the Department of State Travel Advisory.
“[…] They also rely on CDC for travel that could allow us or tell us if this country[’s] pandemic numbers or COVID-related numbers are high or not high,” Tabrani said. He noted that travel advisories would likely be updated by the middle to the end of March, prompting for possibly more destinations to study abroad this summer.
South Korea is currently one of the countries where the Television, Radio, and Emerging Media (TREM) department plans to study abroad, but the program is pending official approval, according to Professor Young Cheong, the trip’s director.
The course to South Korea will be held for three weeks during the summer, starting in mid-July. The program will accept up to 12-14 students for the upcoming summer trip after Professor Cheong personally interviews students for enrollment.
“I interview everyone to know what they know about South Korea, what they want to learn from Korean culture, and what do you want to experience,” said Cheong. “When I go to Korea, I invite Korean students and make a group project together, and that’s the best way to make friends from similar age groups.”
Brooklyn College had a mutual exchange program at Dongguk University in South Korea. Due to the pandemic, the school administrations paused the program for students and public safety. However, with the reopening of study abroad, students can develop new media-related skills such as editing and filming by creating documentaries throughout TREM’s South Korea program.
“Students create documentaries, where the team usually do a comparison between Korea and whatever culture they’re familiar with; usually, they compare food culture in Korea to America, or dating culture,” said Cheong, who noted that study abroad can allow for students to develop different connections and experiences for future careers.
“Students here must go out to find real experience,” said Cheong. “After you graduate, you can’t have a three-week trip unless you get a job and pay your bills.”
For more information on study abroad and exchange programs, contact studyabroad@brooklyn.cuny.edu