Northeastern University is among five American universities to receive the 2010 Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. The honor, given by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, recognizes Northeastern’s expansion into global education and research.

In recent years, Northeastern has developed a series of international initiatives that strengthen its renowned co-op program. Students participating in global experiential learning and research programs, including co-op, study abroad, Dialogue of Civilizations and Engineers Without Borders, are in 52 countries on all continents.

“In our rapidly changing world, students need to become inquisitive, life-long learners with a global perspective,” said Joseph E. Aoun, president of Northeastern. “Higher education today must be driven by the mission to prepare students to succeed in a global economy and become engaged members of a global society.”

Named for the late Senator Paul Simon, a strong supporter of international education and foreign language learning, the award recognizes overall excellence in campus internationalization through outstanding and innovative efforts. Winners of the award have demonstrated achievements across areas, including; institutional commitment to internationalization through funding and partnerships; research and faculty exchange with a global scope; curricular and programmatic initiatives that engage students in global learning opportunities; and alumni and community engagement in internationalization efforts.

As part of receiving the award, Northeastern will be profiled in International Educator magazine and in NAFSA’s annual report, “Internationalizing the Campus: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities,” which will include exemplary practices and model approaches demonstrating major trends in internationalization on U.S. campuses.

The other universities recognized along with Northeastern for their overall excellence in campus internationalization are: Carnegie Mellon University; Hobart & William Smith Colleges; Loyola University; and the University of San Francisco. Previous winners include Yale University, UCLA,Georgia Institute of Technology, and Duke University.