Vol. 21 (2026): American Journal of STEM Education (STEM & Internationalization)

Special Issue Editors: Dr. Cristina Alfaro, Associate Vice President for International Affairs, San Diego State University, USA | Dr. Krishna Bista, Professor of Higher Education, Morgan State University, USA

This volume features 12 authors representing 10 institutions across 6 countries: Lao PDR, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Morocco, and Ghana. Together, their work highlights the importance of inclusive international partnerships, diverse epistemologies, and globally engaged STEM education in advancing innovation, research capacity, and workforce development worldwide. Authors in this volume examine how STEM education is increasingly shaped by international collaboration, global mobility, and shifting geopolitical dynamics. The articles in this issue illuminate how universities, scholars, and policymakers are rethinking STEM education within a deeply interconnected world. The volume begins with studies that highlight institutional responses to internationalization in diverse contexts, including Laos and China, demonstrating how global engagement strengthens research capacity and academic development. Other contributions explore innovative international partnerships, such as a U.S.–Mexico dual degree model that integrates medicine and public health to prepare globally competent professionals. The issue also addresses the intersection of STEM education with economic strategy and national security, including workforce preparation for the expanding semiconductor industry and shifting patterns in global STEM student mobility influenced by immigration policy.