The University of Virginia was selected last month as the new academic sponsor for the… The University of Virginia was selected last month as the new academic sponsor for the Semester at Sea program, emerging from a group of 20 universities and colleges.

The decision came after negotiations led to choosing from a pool of four schools.

Then, senior administrators, presidents and provosts awarded UVA the academic sponsorship because of its involvement in internationalizing the student experience, said Les McCabe, president of the Institute for Shipboard Education, Semester at Sea’s parent organization.

Pitt announced this summer that it would be ending its relationship with Semester at Sea after this spring term.

“I think in some way [UVA will] improve the stature of the program,” McCabe said.

He added that because of UVA’s written commitment to providing students with a global perspective, he believed that UVA will make the Semester at Sea program one of its many focal points.

In 2000, UVA launched a 2020 Commission of International Initiatives that seeks to secure a global presence for the university and to provide the university community with an international view.

McCabe also pointed to the “national reputation and ranking” of UVA as another determinant in the overall decision.

According to U.S. News ‘ World Report’s most recent ratings, UVA ranks as the second best among public universities and 23rd best among all public/private national universities – tied with Georgetown University.

Even though Pitt will end its sponsorship after this spring session, McCabe said that he hopes administrators and faculty will maintain a relationship with the program so that Pitt students and faculty still participate in the program.

This transfer of sponsorship, McCabe added, will not necessarily lessen the amount of Pitt students the program will accept. Pitt students will have to meet the same application criteria as all other applicants.