Bernard Burrola

Bernie Burrola joined APLU in February 2020 and serves as Vice President for International, Community and Economic Engagement. In this role he is charged with strengthening global engagement efforts and advancing economic development and community engagement at over 250 member universities across North America.

Burrola is a leading expert in his field and has testified on international education and economic development before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety. In his testimony, Burrola championed the economic contributions of international students and advocated for more competitive immigration policies to protect the research and talent pipeline to the United States.

Prior to APLU, Burrola led a five-year bilateral Presidential Initiative to increase higher education partnerships, research collaboration, and student exchange among U.S. and Indonesian universities. He previously worked within the Office of Global Educational Programs at the U.S. Department of State to promote U.S. higher education abroad and increase the number of international students studying at American universities.

Burrola is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and received his graduate degree in Development Economics from the Fletcher School at Tufts University and his undergraduate degree in international relations from Claremont McKenna College. Bernie Burrola is a former Peace Corps Volunteer having served in Cape Verde, West Africa.