AFS Intercultural Programs is honored to announce that the AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative has received The Forum on Education Abroad’s prestigious “Award for Advancing the UN SDGs through Education Abroad.” This award recognizes innovative programs that promote sustainability and advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through education abroad.
The AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative offers full-scholarship, STEM and sustainability-focused intercultural exchange programs for 5,000 people worldwide. The initiative empowers students and teachers to develop critical STEM skills, global competence, and leadership abilities to create positive social impact in their communities and beyond.
Recognizing Excellence in Global Education
The Forum’s award highlights AFS’s commitment to fostering global citizenship and sustainability. Through immersive learning experiences, scholars gain technical STEM skills (such as digital literacy, design thinking, and data analysis) alongside essential global competencies (including emotional intelligence, teamwork, and intercultural awareness).
This award marks the fourth major industry distinction that the AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative has received in recent years, including:
- DA Global’s EDIIE Award for Outreach, Marketing, and Recruitment in 2022
- The PIEoneer of the Year Award in 2023, celebrating innovations and advancement in the field of education abroad for the better, from The PIE News
- The 2024 PIEoneer Award for Championing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, from The PIE News
Learn more about the AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative
Five Ways to Join the AFS Global STEM Changemakers Community
🔬 Global STEM Academies – A 16-week program combining online coursework with a 4-week travel experience in Brazil, China, Egypt, or India. Participants explore sustainability, energy transition, and social impact.
📌 Learn more.
🌍 Global STEM Accelerators – A 12-week interactive virtual exchange designed for young women worldwide to gain leadership skills, develop social innovation projects, and earn an advanced certificate.
📌 Learn more & apply!
👩🏫 Global STEM Educators – A 6-week virtual exchange for secondary-level educators of STEM subjects, equipping them with tools to foster global competence in their classrooms.
📌 Learn more & apply!
💡 Global STEM Innovators – A 6-week domestic exchange that begins online and culminates in in-person workshops in India, Indonesia, the UK, and USA, focused on sustainability and local impact.
📌 Applications open 7 March, 2025. Stay tuned!
🔎 Global STEM Changemakers: Australia-New Zealand – A 12-week virtual exchange program for teens (age 15-17.5) throughout Australia and New Zealand to enhance global competence, investigate local sustainability challenges, and advance positive social impact.
📌 Applications open 7 March, 2025. Stay tuned!
With scholarship support funded by bp, the AFS Global STEM Changemakers Initiative is expected to award more than 5,000 scholarships over five years. This recognition from The Forum on Education Abroad reinforces AFS’s dedication to empowering the next generation of STEM leaders and active global citizens.