November 2, 2020:

International Programs in Engineering has and will continue to work closely with the Provost, U-M’s International Travel Oversight Committee (ITOC), which monitors guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of State, the World Health Organization (WHO) and a number of other CoE, U-M, national and international committees and organizations to monitor the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) situation worldwide.

Although state and federal restrictions are being loosened, the global threat posed by COVID-19 still remains high. While no decisions regarding international travel during spring/summer 2021 and beyond have been made yet, we intend to have more updates early in the winter semester.

Regardless of when travel resumes, it’s never too early to start planning!  We encourage you to begin the planning process by reaching out to one of our advisors, who will be happy to discuss the implications of having an international experience during (and after) a global pandemic. 

Please sign up for IPE’s Newsletter to be informed of the latest travel updates.

September 29, 2020:

The university has made the difficult decision to cancel all U-M study abroad programs for the Winter 2021 semester, which means that IPE will not be offering our Winter 2021 programs. Unfortunately, there is not enough evidence to suggest that the public health situation around the world, including here in the U.S., will have stabilized enough for the university to confidently offer winter programs. U-M is making this decision now in order to give you sufficient time to make alternative plans for the winter term. Please refer to the university’s COVID-19 Travel page for more details and FAQ’s. 

IPE is currently investigating options for Fall 2021 as an alternative. As for Summer 2021 travel, the university is currently monitoring the worldwide situation, and will make decisions in early Winter semester about whether Summer 2021 international travel will be offered. 

Please sign up for IPE’s Newsletter to be informed of the latest travel updates.

June 19: 2020:

Black Lives Matter. IPE stands in support of the community at U-M and beyond who are utilizing their voices and actions to address the systemic racism that has been present for far too long in the United States and abroad. The fact that the horrific murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others in the Black community are still occurring today is a testament to the work that needs to be done in order to create a world in which these injustices are no longer a regular occurrence. With a renewed commitment to specific actions that support our staff’s professional and personal values regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, which are core to our mission as an intercultural education provider, we are hard at work creating our initiatives for the upcoming academic year. You can find IPE’s DEI mission, as well as updates on our plans, on our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion webpage.