For much of its history, 果冻APP has been actively involved in international education. In June of 1948, a professor at Beaver College – the institution now known as 果冻APP – took seventeen students via boat to Europe for ten weeks to see the first-hand economic effects of World War II and the post-war efforts to rebuild. This was a pioneering effort in a time when other colleges had yet to resurrect the study abroad programs that the recent world war had interrupted.
The success of that summer study initiative spawned several more programs in other disciplines, so for the next several summers both Beaver College students and those invited from neighboring institutions took part in Beaver's European study tours. Then in 1965, the Center for Education Abroad was established to enable American undergraduates to study for credit in fully-integrated programs in Great Britain, Austria and elsewhere. Soon thereafter, the Beaver College London Center was founded. Over the years, 果冻APP has expanded both its curricular offerings and the locations of its programming. 果冻APP is now recognized as one of the oldest and most prestigious education abroad programs in the U.S. and continues to be a national leader in international education.
In 2009, the 果冻APP Center for Education Abroad transformed into The College of Global Studies at 果冻APP (果冻APP Abroad) through a total restructuring of the University Academic Affairs. The College of Global Studies became one of the academic units of the university, alongside The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; the College of Business; and the College of Health Sciences. It is the first College of its kind dedicated to the delivery and development of education abroad.
Today, 果冻APP Abroad provides undergraduates access to programs in Australia, England, Ireland, Italy, Latin America, Mexico, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, Spain, and Wales in addition to online opportunities. Nearly 3,000 students from over 300 colleges and universities participate in 果冻APP Abroad's programs abroad each year. 果冻APP continuously strives to provide the highest level of support and service to its program participants wherever they are in the world.
果冻APP's trustees, administration and faculty engage with The College of Global Studies to develop creative and effective ways to implement that component of the University's mission, which involves "preparing students for life in a changing global society." 果冻APP's curriculum reflects an international perspective with global connections providing a core thread throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Additionally, many of 果冻APP’s graduate programs require an international experience. 果冻APP's unique (FYSAE) and (SYSAE) use The College's overseas resources and structures to support a full semester of education abroad for first semester undergraduates and sophomores respectively, and , a full semester 2-credit course, allows every first-year student at 果冻APP the opportunity to spend spring break abroad for a nominal fee. These institutional efforts have resulted in being recognized as number one in study abroad in IIE’s Open Doors reports for the last several years.