Travel Abroad

The study-abroad program at IUI provides students with a first-hand learning experience in philanthropy and for this program in particular: comparative European perspective. Students have the opportunity to learn from Dutch and German professors, researchers, policymakers, and leaders from the nonprofit sector. Students visit local community foundations, corporate foundations, and fundraising organizations.

The Netherlands has the largest nonprofit sector in the world, closely followed by Germany. These two countries provide relevant comparative perspectives on philanthropy and public provisions because most basic needs are met through extensive social welfare policies, thus leaving philanthropic organizations to concentrate on addressing needs that are considered not being served as primary public goods and services.

We rotated between lectures on current development in philanthropy and field trips –including service learning– to organizations in the Netherlands and in Germany.