Less Is More: Building an Intentional Study Abroad Portfolio (feat. Aley Bedair)
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Less Is More: Building an Intentional Study Abroad Portfolio (feat. Aley Bedair)
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When it comes to education abroad, is more choice always better? At the University of Arkansas, a portfolio of more than 900 program options presented an unexpected challenge: students were overwhelmed, staff resources were stretched, and it was increasingly difficult to intentionally guide students toward programs that reflected institutional priorities and student needs.
In this episode, Zac sits down with Aley Bedair, Director of Study Abroad and International Exchange at the University of Arkansas, to explore how her team reimagined its approach to portfolio management. Aley shares how student data, campus stakeholders, institutional values, and objective program evaluation helped Arkansas move toward a more focused portfolio of sponsored programs while preserving student choice. They discuss what makes a strong university-provider partnership, why portfolio refinement and curricular alignment shouldn't necessarily happen at the same time, and how education abroad offices of any size can begin by asking a deceptively simple question: What story does our portfolio tell?