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About IILE

Our Mission

At the Institute for International Liberal Education (IILE) at Bard College, our mission is to empower students by providing transformative opportunities for cross-cultural engagement that foster critical thinking and adaptability. We are dedicated to promoting the ideals of international liberal arts education through intellectually rigorous and immersive programs that cultivate globally minded leaders equipped to navigate and contribute to an interconnected world. Our efforts extend beyond traditional students; we actively partner with initiatives that support international and displaced students to enhance educational access and career readiness for all. We believe that every student’s journey abroad or away can lead to personal growth and deeper intercultural understanding, paving the way for global competency and professional success in today’s global landscape.

Who We Are

  • IILE staff are located in the Ottaway Gatehouse, at the corner of 1 Blithewood Ave. and Annandale Rd.
    OISSS staff are located at Shea House, 2nd floor, at 1348 Annandale Rd. 

Our History

Bard’s involvement in international education started around the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the wide-ranging changes in the world order it brought about. In 1991, we began sponsoring undergraduate students who came to Bard from Eastern and Central Europe as part of the Program in International Education (PIE), which continues to this day. For many of these young people, learning at Bard was a profound experience that transformed their lives. The experience of these students encouraged us to explore possibilities for collaboration with institutions abroad interested in educational reform and the liberal arts model. Over time, we have expanded our partnership programs from Eastern and Central Europe to become a leader in global higher education. Browsing this website, you will find more information about broad-ranging partnerships and the scope of our work.

Our Partnerships

The Institute, acting as Bard Abroad, administers direct exchanges of students with several leading international universities and language intensives for undergraduates. In 2012 the Institute joined the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) at Bard College. The IILE and CCE work in close coordination to develop and promote international partnerships in liberal education and civil society. The Institute also participates in the partnerships below.

  • Al-Quds University (Palestine)
    We started considering the possibility of forging a partnership with Al-Quds University in Palestine in 2008 and decided to move forward with the hope of making a significant contribution to peaceful development and a just solution to the problems of the Middle East. The Al-Quds Bard partnership is one of Bard’s most comprehensive international partnerships to date. It includes the creation of a liberal arts college within Al-Quds University, a Master of Arts in Teaching Program (the first in the region), and a model school. Al-Quds Bard currently participates in our Program in International Education (PIE), which provides scholarships for nominated students to attend Bard College in New York for a semester.
  • American University of Central Asia (AUCA-Kyrgyzstan) 
    In 2009, Bard signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the American University of Central Asia (AUCA) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, to offer a dual B.A. degree. This partnership offers opportunities for students from North American colleges and universities to spend a semester or a year at AUCA as visiting/exchange students through our Bard Abroad in Bishkek program. Bard and AUCA had previously collaborated on a successful summer practicum program, Development, Sustainability, and Conflict: Contemporary Issues in Central Asia, which is no longer offered. AUCA currently participates in our Program in International Education (PIE), which provides scholarships for nominated students to attend Bard College in New York for a semester.
  • Bard College Berlin (Berlin, Germany)
    Bard College Berlin was founded in 1999 as the European College of Liberal Arts (ECLA) to provide a high-quality, small-group seminar, and teaching-oriented international program of advanced study for undergraduates. In November 2011 the institution merged with Bard College in Annandale (US) an early supporter and the first U.S. college (in 2002) to grant academic credits for work done in Berlin. Bard College Berlin is a crucial part of the Bard network, attracting students and faculty from around the world interested in liberal arts education, the arts, and the meaning of global citizenship. Students from across the globe have the opportunity to participate in the Bard Abroad study away program, Bard in Berlin, for a semester, academic year or summer.
  • International Human Rights Exchange (IHRE-South Africa)
    The overthrow of Apartheid inspired us to expand our reach to South Africa and Zimbabwe. In 2000, we created the International Human Rights Exchange (IHRE), a summer program run by a partnership of 13 Southern American universities and American liberal arts colleges. Later, IHRE became a semester program jointly offered by Bard and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. IHRE is no longer running.
  • Smolny (Russia)
    After the end of the Soviet Union, faculty members from St. Petersburg State University (SPbU) approached Bard, and the joint venture that became the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences (FLAS - Smolny) was launched in 1997. It became both the largest liberal arts program in Russia and the most robust Russian-American partnership in the higher education sphere. The program in St. Petersburg ended in 2021 and in 2022, A group of former Smolny College faculty, with the support of Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, and Bard College Berlin (BCB) established Smolny Beyond Borders (SBB). The Smolny Associate Degree is a two-year online program that represents the first stage of higher education. Upon successful completion, graduates are awarded the Associate of Arts degree from Bard College.

Professional Associations

The Institute for International Liberal Education is a member of the Forum on Education Abroad and adheres to the Standards of Good Practice. The IILE also holds memberships with DA Global and the Institute of International Education. Educators). Many of the IILE staff are members of, and participate in events sponsored by, NAFSA (Association of International Educators). In addition, our Berlin Programs Manager is a member of the Consular Affairs Liaison Subcommittee, World at Large, specializing in advising on short- and long-term visas for Germany.

Information on the current Clery Report for Bard College may be found at the Dean of Student Affairs website.

Contact Us

  • Study Abroad
    For Bard College students interested in studying abroad, or non-Bard students interested in studying at Bard College, email [email protected]
  • Bard Abroad
    For any student interested in Bard Abroad programs in Berlin, Germany, or Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, email [email protected]
  • Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS)
    For Bard College students with visa-related questions, email OISSS at [email protected]