At issue: New study abroad program in Austria

Our take: A positive addition to Emerson’s international programs

This summer, for the first time, Emerson students will be able to study media and global change in an 18th-century Austrian castle used in the 1965 film The Sound of Music. The Salzburg Academy, directed by Emerson professor Paul Mihailidis, focuses on helping communities through media literacy projects.

This is the latest step in the positive trend of Emerson adding more study abroad programs to its admittedly feeble roster. In the past two years, the college has announced partnerships in Japan, Spain, Greece—and now, Austria. Although the Academy only runs for three weeks over the summer, it’s still a welcome addition following President M. Lee Pelton’s strategic initiative to increase the college’s global presence.

The program should also be lauded for encouraging students to use their skills to benefit more than their GPAs. “We’ve taught media literacy to rural communities in Mexico,” said Mihailidis, “and we’ve had our case studies published in UNESCO curriculum guides in Africa.” Now that’s a song we should fill the hills with.