Virginia International University (VIU) was established in 1998 with the goal of providing affordable, quality higher education for students preparing to meet the ever-evolving needs and opportunities of the 21st Century workforce. Located in Fairfax, Virginia, just minutes from Washington, DC, VIU is an independent academic establishment combining a liberal arts tradition with emphasis on career orientation. They are currently offering graduate and undergraduate level programs in computer science, business, and management, as well as full and part-time certificates in a variety of professional and technical fields, including English as a second language (ESL). their Student body comes from 40 different countries.

At VIU, they are committed to setting a new standard in higher education. Through their student-centered approach, they endeavor to provide the most positive environment for learning available anywhere. VIU programs are structured to allow students great flexibility in the design and direction of their own studies. At the same time, every student is assigned a personal mentor who acts as a guide in course selection and career orientation. VIU offers tuition scholarships to high potential students, because they believe that good education should be available to those who do not have the necessary funds to pursue higher education.

To keep pace with the latest developments in technology and teaching, VIU curriculum and materials are regularly reviewed and revised, and their instructors receive further training, as necessary. As students near completion of their programs, VIU career counselors help place them in internships and other work-study positions with local companies and organizations.

But unlike the philosophy of other institutions, where students' involvement in the learning process rarely extends beyond the classroom, at VIU, they believe that learning is not confined to the formal instruction of the traditional class period. Thus, VIU offer a full schedule of diverse educational activities, such as their unique Collegiate Colloquia, regular, informal meetings open to all university members, as well as members of the community, for a casual, informed debate of current issues and other topics of international concern.

In addition to these, VIU offers a variety of other exciting educational activities involving day or overnight travel to off-campus sites, such as Niagara Falls, New York, Historic Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and Assateague Island National Seashore.

Virginia International University's mission is to educate students from all over the world through a highly qualified equally diverse faculty and staff.

As an institution of higher learning, VIU will strive to provide an academic program that will engender the intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity that are urgently needed as they enter a new millennium. VIU systematically encourage the development of the knowledge base, study skills, and personal motivation necessary for competent scholarly inquiry and the lifelong pursuit of learning.

As a community of students, staff, and faculty drawn from diverse national, cultural, and social backgrounds, VIU aims to improve the environment in which freedom of thought and diverse interpretations of human experience are cherished.