​​Dissatisfied with the state of international education, in 1932, former Syracuse University personnel director Dr. Donald Watt created a revolutionary new cultural immersion program called “The Experiment in International Living.” On June 23 of that year, The Experiment’s first group of U.S. students set sail across the Atlantic to Switzerland, France, and Germany with the mission of fostering peace through building understanding with their European peers. The 23 U.S. students returned with a different outlook on the world and the possibilities of communication and cooperation, as well as new leadership skills. The following year, Watt conceived the idea of having U.S. students live with German families to deepen their connections. This new concept came to be known as the homestay and allowed students to develop authentic and lasting bonds with their host communities and cultures.

EIL’s Founding Philosophy

• Go to learn, not to teach.

• Expect the unexpected.

• Turn a crisis into an adventure.

• Learn to live together by living together.

• Be quick to observe, slow to judge.

EIL’s Our Mission: To work globally to enhance the capacity and commitment of individuals, institutions, and communities to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and just world.

Browse EIL’s website and learn more about the programs they offer here.