Minnesota has six of the recommended schools for studying abroad. Another 12 are in Indiana, Michigan, New York and North Carolina, each of which has three recommended schools. Two each are in the District of Columbia, Iowa, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. Stanford University is the only school in the western United States. Students travel abroad to study science, arts, history, language and cultural studies in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa or South America. Students can study abroad for a few months or an entire academic year. They can take courses offered by their home institutions while traveling under the guidance of a faculty member, or take advanced language and cultural studies in the country they are visiting. Some universities allow students to transfer credits earned at an accredited foreign university.
Out of 170 universities in the United Kingdom that have training programs in tourism, the Guardian lists 10 top institutions. The University of Surrey leads the list, offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees in tourism. In addition to top rank in the UK, the University of Surrey ranks third in the world in tourism research. The university has received the TedQual certification from the United Nations and is known for producing top books and research on tourism. All second-year students spend a term overseas and, remarkably, 98 percent of its graduates are employed within six months.
In 1998, the United Nations chartered a tourism organization to conduct quality assurance on tourism education worldwide. It has developed a universally applicable evaluation for any tourism research, education or training program. The UNWTO also measures the degree to which these programs are incorporated into the tourism industry in their respective locations and the degree to which they consider the student's needs. Finally, they promote values of sustainable tourism.
Nine management schools from three continents have formed a consortium to train people in aspects of international business. In 2002, they introduced an international master's degree in tourism and leisure. Spain, France, Italy, Russia, China, Slovenia, the U.S. and Turkey all participate in this program to provide internships and placement abroad for groups of students who want an international career. Students participate in international trade fairs, visit businesses and meet colleagues from other countries. This school has received the UN TedQual certification.