HECUA's Track Record

HECUA has operated educational programs in the U.S. and abroad using experiential learning (field work, internships, deep community involvement) for more than 35 years. HECUA was the first to offer a study abroad experience in Colombia, was one of a select group of study abroad providers licensed to operate in Cuba, and was the first to offer a study abroad program for North American students in Bangladesh. HECUA’s exemplary record of safety comes from long experience across the world—in Central America (Guatemala), South America (Colombia and Ecuador), Cuba, Northern Ireland, Scandinavia, and South Asia (Bangladesh and New Zealand); from the domestic and international staff and faculty’s expertise in logistics, communication, and planning; and from the close connections HECUA has forged with local scholars, community workers, and extraordinary people. HECUA follows these principles in its safety and security practices:

• HECUA considers the safety of its students and faculty of paramount importance, and will not knowingly place students or program staff or their families in danger.
• While no area in the world can be considered "absolutely safe," and HECUA cannot guarantee the safety of any student or other person involved in its programs, HECUA endeavors above all to ensure safety.
• HECUA acts responsibly in advising and informing students, parents, and representatives about programs, sites, and HECUA's policies and practices.

Wide communities of support stand behind the stability and safety of HECUA’s programs. All faculty who lead the programs (program directors) have deep roots in the cities, nations, and regions of sites where programs take place. These professionals are products of the region’s educational systems; often, their families and friends live, work, and go to school in the area. HECUA and its program directors have close ties with educational institutions that serve and teach young people, and these institutions (in large part through their connections with HECUA) work toward global education for their own students and for the students who come to study and work.