What Faculty Should Look for in an Experiential Learning Partner

Designing a faculty-led program abroad involves more than booking flights and accommodation. The right local partner can make the difference between a meaningful academic experience and an expensive field trip.

This article is for faculty and academic administrators evaluating experiential learning partners for international programs.

Learning Purpose

A good partner understands that your program has academic goals — not just logistical ones. They should:

• Ask about your learning outcomes, not just your itinerary.
• Help shape activities that serve those outcomes.
• Understand the difference between tourism and education.
• Be willing to say no to activities that do not serve the learning purpose.

Preparation

A good partner helps you prepare — both before departure and on arrival:

• Providing pre-departure briefing materials.
• Offering orientation on cultural and practical context.
• Helping with risk assessments and safety planning.
• Being available for faculty questions before the program begins.

Student Engagement

A good partner creates conditions for genuine student engagement:

• Activities that require participation, not just observation.
• Opportunities for interaction with local people, organisations and contexts.
• Reflection opportunities built into the schedule.
• Space for students to ask questions and process what they are experiencing.

Context and Local Knowledge

A good partner brings genuine local knowledge:

• Understanding of the cultural, historical and social context.
• Relationships with local organisations, institutions and communities.
• Ability to facilitate meaningful engagement, not just surface-level visits.
• Awareness of what is appropriate and what is not.

Reflection

A good partner understands that reflection is where learning happens:

• Built-in time for group discussion.
• Opportunities for individual reflection.
• Frameworks that help students connect experience to learning.
• Willingness to adjust the program based on what students are experiencing.

Clear Roles and Communication

A good partner is clear about who does what:

• Who is responsible for logistics, academics, safety and student support.
• How communication works during the program.
• What happens in an emergency.
• How faculty and partner staff work together.

Risk Awareness

A good partner takes risk seriously without being alarmist:

• Understanding of local risks — health, safety, political, environmental.
• Clear emergency procedures.
• Communication plans for incidents.
• Insurance and liability clarity.
• Honest assessment of what can and cannot be guaranteed.

Academic Alignment

A good partner understands academic requirements:

• Credit hours and contact time.
• Assessment and evaluation.
• Academic standards and expectations.
• Institutional requirements from your university.

Key Takeaway

The right experiential learning partner is not a travel agent. They are an educational collaborator who understands that the purpose of the program is learning — and who has the local knowledge, relationships and professional approach to make that learning possible.

Explore More

• When Does an Experience Become Learning?
• Why Short-Term Programs Can Still Create Meaningful Learning