Senior International Officers: Essential Roles and Responsibilities

Effective leadership for internationalization is necessary for higher education institutions to remain relevant within an increasingly interconnected and competitive global higher education landscape.

While the formal titles and functions of senior international officers (SIOs) vary across institutions, these individuals have a legitimate authority stemming from their unique positions, skills, and expertise to lead internationalization initiatives in ways that support and sustain institutional values, goals, and priorities. This book offers a comprehensive look at SIOs' various roles and responsibilities across four major areas: strategy, administration, faculty and academics, and partnerships and outreach.

The chapters are written by a diverse and experienced group of international education leaders, balancing leadership considerations with managerial concerns and offering insights for SIOs of all types and backgrounds.

David L. Di Maria has more than 20 years of experience as an international education scholar and practitioner. He currently serves as vice provost for global engagement at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Di Maria is the editor of two other NAFSA books: Managing a Successful International Admissions Office: NAFSA's Guide to International Admissions and Senior International Officers: Essential Roles and Responsibilities, as well as the sole author of Achieving More with Less: Lean Management in the International Student Office. He earned a doctorate from the University of Minnesota, where he studied internationalization from a prekindergarten through college perspective.