Hans de Wit is named Director of Center for International Higher Education
We are delighted to share that Hans de Wit, one of the EAIE’s ‘founding fathers’, has just been named the Director of the Center for International Higher Education (CIHE) at the Lynch School of Education, Boston College, USA. He comes to the Lynch School from the Universita Cattolica Sacro Coure in Milan, Italy, where he has served as the Founding Director of the Center for Higher Education Internationalisation (CHIE).
The EAIE is pleased to congratulate Hans de Wit on his new appointment. De Wit assumes leadership of CIHE from Research Professor Philip Altbach, the J. Donald Monan, SJ, University Professor of Higher Education (until his retirement in 2013), who had served as Director of CIHE since he first became associated with Boston College in 1994. Altbach has also been a prominent speaker and contributor to EAIE conferences over the years. De Wit will join another active EAIE member in his new position, Associate Director of CIHE, Laura Rumbley, who is also the Chair of the EAIE Publications Committee.
The EAIE’s Executive Director, Leonard Engel, praised de Wit for his accomplishment, saying “this is without a doubt a well-deserved crown on Hans’ long and rich career in international higher education. We are looking forward to a continued cooperation with the CIHE”.
Beyond his work as Director of CHIE in Milan, Hans de Wit continues to teach at the University of Applied Sciences in Amsterdam, as well as conduct research at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He is also currently leading a research study on the internationalisation of higher education commissioned by the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education. The EAIE is contributing to this study primarily through the European and national results of the EAIE Barometer: Internationalisation in Europe.
Hans de Wit is a founding member and Past President of the EAIE, as well as Co-chair of the former EAIE Special Interest Group Researchers in International Education (RIE). Additionally, he is Editor emeritus of the Journal of Studies in International Education, as well as Co-editor of the EAIE’s anniversary publication, published in celebration of the EAIE’s 25th anniversary year. De Wit was honoured with the EAIE Constance Meldrum Award for Vision and Leadership in 2008, where it was acknowledged that his achievements would continue to have an impact on international education not only in Europe, but worldwide. As seen through de Wit’s wide-reaching efforts and this tremendous achievement, there couldn’t be more truth to this assertion.