New questions have arisen in light of today’s demands for innovation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), increasingly global jobs markets, worldwide competition, and imbalanced opportunities for study abroad. One such question: Should the selection of study abroad location be tied to local resources and assets? Using two STEM-focused study abroad programs in Europe as examples, we’ll discuss this question, and bring together innovators in STEM education to identify major challenges and best practices, and develop new roadmaps for creating successful STEM programs.