George Mason is a founding member of the Alliance for International Education (AIE), an organization devoted to establishing reciprocal partnerships across institutions of higher education and international schools. Focused on issues of social justice and ethical leadership in the field of international education, AIE brings together all those who are committed to advancing international and inter cultural understanding through education. It promotes collaborative ventures that enhance the learning of relevant concepts, skills, and values.

Ethical leadership is fundamental to the program. In fact, it is a specific performance standard expected of aspiring and in service school leaders. Students in the program study ethics and its relation to leadership practice, and prepare a personal platform of ethical leadership as one of the culminating performances in the program.

The Elementary Education Program supports ethical leadership in two ways. First, students are taught about this concept from the beginning of their program and are expected to model this ideal. Second, the program supports the leadership of all school- based participants in the program. Specifically, exemplary teachers participate in a training program to become clinical faculty who mentor students through their internships. One individual at each school is selected to be the site facilitator who becomes responsible for leading the program, selecting placements of the interns, and resolving any difficulties that may arise. These individuals are encouraged to take on leadership roles in their schools and school divisions.

KIDLAB (Krasnow Investigation of Development Learning and Behavior), a joint project with the Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study, is becoming a laboratory known for providing opportunities for young women in science. It offers training and support to a high school senior, a college sophomore from Washington and Lee University, a college junior from Virginia Tech, two George Mason freshmen, and two George Mason graduate students—one from CEHD’s Educational Psychology Program [and one from the graduate Neuroscience program].

A PhD Program faculty member has completed a case study investigation of ethics and professional identity in student affairs. The research highlights the social and political structure of ethically in higher education. It also establishes the need for enhanced awareness of ethical standards and development of reflective ethical reasoning.