Mission

We offer our students the sophisticated experience of a savvy traveler, rather than that of a tourist shuffling among the masses.
An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.
Benjamin Franklin

Founded by Stanford alumni in 2000, Abbey Road’s summer study abroad programs continue to deliver excellence. Our mission is to provide quality academic summer programs that facilitate cross-cultural understanding, personal growth and academic enrichment. Abbey Road was created through a collaboration of the best young professionals and educators from top schools and esteemed institutions. Our curriculum developers and staff come from places such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Duke, Cambridge, La Sorbonne, the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Parliament and the State Department  …..  just to name a few.

The Founder

The Director of Abbey Road, Dr. Arthur Kian, received his Ph.D. in International Relations from Stanford University. He worked as an instructor for the Stanford Program for Gifted Youth and the Stanford Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education. While at Stanford, Arthur had the privilege of working with National Security Advisors to Presidents Bush Sr., Clinton and Obama. He developed and taught courses on International Politics and Foreign Languages for college and high school students at Stanford and UCLA, and served as an academic consultant to the Carnegie Commission, the State Department and other Federal Agencies.

Our Vision

In the words of one of our parents, we are “simply a cut above the rest.” Our academic credentials, experience and dedication to our students give us an unchallenged position in the fields of summer study abroad programs and pre-college preparation. We offer our students the sophisticated experience of a savvy traveler, rather than that of a tourist shuffling among the masses. Because of our connections to each host community, comfortable group sizes and flexible scheduling, our students are able to experience true culture and language immersion abroad and exceptional pre-college preparation in the U.S.

The staff at Abbey Road is comprised of outstanding professionals who treat teenagers with respect. They are leaders who have the ability to help these teenagers open their minds, stimulate their intellectual curiosity and, most importantly, allow them to feel comfortable with the language in which they are trying to become proficient.

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Our Staff