Strategic Budgeting: Championing the Importance of International Education

Paulo Zagalo-Melo is the Associate Provost for Global Education at Western Michigan University. With over 30 years of experience in international education, Paulo has a background in accounting, finance, and management.

Paulo discusses the importance of internationalization in higher education as the most critical growth opportunity to address declining enrollments. He highlights the financial and economic value of international student enrollment and the impact on research, innovation, and cultural understanding. 

“We have to internally show that we are everywhere, that what we do impacts most, if not everything, that the university is doing or could impact if embedded into those activities or those programs.” - Paulo Zagalo-Melo 

Paulo emphasizes the need to align internationalization with the institution's mission and strategic plan, making a strong case for its importance. He also discusses the challenges of securing resources and funding and the role of strategic budgeting in ensuring the sustainability of global engagement programs and higher education overall.

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