Every year, universities invest millions in study abroad, but how do you actually prove its impact? Stop saying your programs change lives. Start proving it

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Show the real value of your study abroad program by measuring and certifying your students' competency development

Access to Global Compass Study Abroad Analytics

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FAQ & Steps to Become a Research Partner

University or Study Abroad Provider Certification

As an official research partner, participating universities and study abroad providers are eligible to earn the Study Abroad Global Experience Certification® Certified Seal, recognizing their commitment to measuring and promoting the development of students' global competencies through evidence-based assessment.

The Certified Seal may be displayed on the institution's website, promotional materials, brochures, and other marketing communications for the duration of its active partnership with SAA.

To maintain the integrity and credibility of the certification, SAA requires that at least 70% of eligible study abroad participants complete both the pre-departure and post-program assessments during each academic year. Institutions meeting this participation threshold are authorized to use the Certified Seal as a visible symbol of their commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and measurable student outcomes in global education.

Does the university/ study abroad partner need to dedicate any additional resources (staff or employee time)?

Not at all. The program has been designed to require little to no administrative effort from the participating institution.

Once students are enrolled, SAA communicates all program guidelines and instructions directly via email, enabling students to complete their initial global competency assessment before departure. Throughout their study abroad experience, students receive automated email or Learning Management System (LMS) notifications with reminders, practical activities, and guidance to help them develop and strengthen their global competencies while abroad.

As a result, universities and study abroad providers can offer the Study Abroad Global Experience Certification® as a value-added benefit without requiring additional staff, training, or ongoing administrative support.

The lenght of the sponsoring

The sponsorship commitment spans three (3) years. Sponsoring institutions maintain their participation by making an annual sponsorship contribution, which may be paid in two installments (Spring and Fall). During the sponsorship period, research members are granted the right to display the official "Study Abroad Global Experience Certification® Certified" logo on their website, brochures, and other promotional materials, recognizing their contribution to advancing evidence-based research in global education.

Does each student receive a certification documenting their development while abroad?

Yes. Each student is assigned a unique personal access code and registers their name on the Global Compass® platform. Using this secure platform, students complete the online assessments during the designated pre-departure and post-program assessment windows.

After both assessments have been completed, the platform automatically analyzes the student's results, measuring their level of development across the assessed global competencies. It calculates the student's competency scores, identifies the level of improvement achieved during the study abroad experience, and generates a personalized development report.

Upon completion, each student can download:

  • A personalized PDF Competency Report summarizing their results and competency growth.

  • An official Study Abroad Global Experience Certification® Certificate of Achievement, co-branded with the university or study abroad provider's logo.

These documents provide students with objective, evidence-based proof of the professional and personal competencies they developed while abroad. They can be included in résumés, LinkedIn profiles, graduate school applications, and job interviews, helping students demonstrate the measurable impact of their international experience to future employers.

When the program starts for the study abroad/university provider?

Once the agreement has been signed, all implementation materials will be prepared to ensure a smooth launch for the next academic term (Spring, Summer, or Fall).

SAA will provide the study abroad program or university partner with a unique participation code for each student. These codes should be distributed to all enrolled students, either directly by SAA via email or by the university or study abroad provider using their institutional email accounts.

The implementation of the Study Abroad Global Experience Certification® program is flexible and determined by each participating institution. Some partners may choose to make participation mandatory for all students, while others may offer it as an optional value-added opportunity.

If requested, SAA can also send automated email reminders to students throughout the program, encouraging timely completion of the required assessments according to the established schedule.

Confidentiality and Data Retention

The privacy and confidentiality of all student assessment results are of the highest importance for the SAA. Individual test responses, competency scores, and personal reports are treated as strictly confidential and are accessible only to the participating student through their secure personal account.

Universities and study abroad providers will receive only aggregated and anonymized data for research, benchmarking, quality assurance, and program improvement purposes. No individual student's results or personally identifiable information will be disclosed to the institution, faculty members, employers, or any third party without the student's prior written consent, unless required by applicable law.

The information collected through the Study Abroad Global Experience Certification® platform is used exclusively for educational research, competency measurement, certification, and the continuous improvement of study abroad programs.

Data Retention and Deletion Policy

Individual student assessment data and personal reports are securely retained for a maximum period of one (1) year following the completion of the student's post-program assessment. This retention period allows students sufficient time to access, download, and share their competency reports and certificates.

At the end of the one-year retention period, all personally identifiable assessment data will be permanently deleted from the platform's operational databases. Anonymized and aggregated data may be retained for ongoing statistical analysis, academic research, benchmarking, and the publication of research findings, provided that no individual student can be identified.

By participating in the program, students acknowledge and consent to this confidentiality and data retention policy.

Contact us

Contact with our Director Dr. George Monray gm@saanaltytics.tech and setup a meeting to fully understand the philosophy of the Study Abroad Global Experience Certification Program. Tell us about the philosophy of the program, cities and total estimated number of yearly students received. We will prepare and adjusted quote depending on your number of students and always in the parameters of the size of the program.