Apply for the International Impact Award

Jump to:

• Purpose and Outline
• Eligibility
• Submission Dates and Requirements
• Submission Components in Detail
• Award Timeline and Review Process

Purpose and Outline

The APLU International Impact Award recognizes innovative and impactful global engagement efforts by an APLU member institution.

A successful application will demonstrate innovative global engagement efforts and how they impact your institution in one or more of the following areas:

• Local/Global Community Engagement
• Global Teaching and Learning
• Research

The global engagement efforts in you application will be evaluated with emphasis on innovation, impact, and sustainability all within the context of your institution.

Eligibility

All APLU member institutions*, including previous Award winners, are eligible to apply for one or more Impact Awards. Only complete applications will be reviewed.

*Note: University systems are not eligible for award consideration. For a list of APLU member institutions, please visit our member page.

Submission Dates and Requirements

Submissions for the award are due by Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT

A complete application will include the following elements:

1. Executive Summary (maximum of 2 pages)
2. Institutional Context Form (can be downloaded here)
3. Narrative (maximum of 6 pages)
4. Letter of support from the president/chancellor
5. A list of who was involved in the development of the application
6. Optional Appendix (maximum of 5 pages)

All application components must be combined into a single PDF file and submitted via email to Jordan Merker, Assistant Director for International Engagement, at jmerker@aplu.org.

Submission Components in Detail

Executive Summary (maximum of 2 pages)
The Executive Summary should encapsulate your Narrative (main initiatives and the key outcomes achieved) and highlight your institution type, reporting structure, and the key takeaways from the demographics questions in the Institutional Context Form (ICF). This is your opportunity to synthesize your Narrative and ICF to contextualize for the review committee your institution’s global engagement efforts.

Institutional Context Form (ICF)
The APLU International Impact Award celebrates the impact of global engagement; however, we recognize this work happens in varied contexts. To ensure a fair and holistic review process, we request certain information about your institution, including student demographics, commitment from leadership, and available resources for your global engagement efforts.

Understanding your institutional context helps our selection committee assess your application relative to the opportunities and challenges unique to your institution. This approach allows us to recognize and elevate innovative and effective global engagement efforts, whether they emerge from resource-rich institutions or those making an impact with more limited support.

You can download the ICF here.

Narrative (maximum of 6 pages)
Your narrative is a detailed report on specific global engagement efforts (current or from within the past ten years), with a focus on their objectives, implementation, and evidence of impact. The narrative should address four fundamental questions, each answered in its own section.

• What have you done?
  • Highlight the approaches your institution has implemented to advance global engagement.
• How did you do it?
  • Provide insight into the processes behind your initiatives and how you have built institutional commitment for your efforts. Describe how your team worked across campus, engaging with stakeholders outside the international office to further these initiatives. Highlight how you have achieved institutional commitment for your global engagement efforts. If you do not have strong institutional commitment, please describe the challenges you currently face and how you might address them under question number four, “What is your long-term vision?”
• What has been the impact?
  • Describe the outcomes and impact of your global engagement initiatives. Use data, examples, etc. to illustrate the impact your initiatives have had both on and off campus.
• What is your long-term vision?
  • Reflect on your institution’s long-term vision for global engagement. How will you sustain and build on the initiatives described? What strategies are in place to ensure the continued impact of your efforts? If there are specific goals or areas for growth moving forward, share how your institution plans to pursue them. If you do not currently have strong institutional commitment, this is where you should describe the challenges faced and how you plan to overcome them in the future.

Letter of Support
Provide a letter of support from the president/chancellor. This letter demonstrates that leadership is supportive of your application for this APLU institutional award.

List of Involvement
Provide a list of who was involved in the development of your application (name, title, office).

Optional Appendix (maximum of 5 pages)
Applications may include additional relevant information (such as data, metrics, research outputs, links, media, promotional materials, etc.) to support your application.

Award Timeline and Review Process

Monday, February 2, 2026: Launch request for applications

Thursday, February 12, 2026, from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Eastern): Award Information Session #1 (Register)

Tuesday, February 25, 2026, from 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Eastern): Award Information Session #2 (Register)

Monday, February 2, 2026 – Wednesday, July 8, 2026: Application preparation period

Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 11:59 PM (Eastern): Deadline for application submission

July & August 2026: Review panel will review proposals and determine the award winner

Early September 2026: Award winner notified

November 2026: Award winner honored at APLU Annual Meeting in San Antonio, TX

Review Procedures
APLU will appoint a panel of senior international officers from member institutions to review applications. The panel membership will not be allowed to compete for the Impact Award to avoid conflicts of interest.

For questions please contact Jordan Merker, Assistant Director for International Engagement at APLU.