International Sustainable Development Studies Institute

ISDSI has an amazing program for students interested in development, social issues, environmental issues, biology, anthropology/sociology, outdoor ed/recreation, sustainable agriculture, and more! Each course looks at a different environmental and social issue in Thailand, giving you hands on experience. This is not a study abroad program where you just take classes at another university. You take "classes" from nationals in a remote village, or from a government official in a National Park or district office, or from a NGO worker at their project. Regardless of your background/major, ISDSI prepares you to excel not only in field courses, but also in Thai culture. While unconventional teaching methods can be difficult to adjust to, what you learn is much more valuable and is (in my opinion) much more than if you were to just take classes at a university.

Studying with ISDSI was the highlight of my college academics. The broad scope of the program allowed me to further my understanding of environmental science, making it more concrete, and it also stretched me as I had to match my science background with cultural studies. ISDSI covers a lot of aspects of sustainable development, but the instructors are intentional about allowing the students to explore concepts individually and work as a foundational framework and guide for this exploration. All of this, combined with travel, remote homestays, language instruction, and outdoor adventure made for an unforgettable experience.

ISDSI's strong focus on language competency and cross-cultural understanding provided a foundation for effective learning and rewarding, memorable experiences. The relationships with local people I made as a student 4 years ago continue to remain central to my most memorable moments on study abroad.