‘Academic mission’ is still not clearly defined. For our purposes, the following categories help to identify three ways that Simeon Network members might become involved in overseas academic mission.
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Agency-supported overseas mission - a member becomes a candidate for mission through a dedicated mission agency. He/she undergoes theological and missionary training, raises support, and commits to at least one period of service (usually overseas) in a university teaching or research placement followed by a period of home assignment. They are primarily accountable to, and supported in the field by, their sending church and the mission agency.
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Independent outbound work - a member moves away from his/her home community to work as an academic in another community, either on a temporary or permanent basis. This could include going to a remote research station in Australia. The choice of destination may be impacted by the member’s mission orientation. As with home-based cross-cultural mission, the academic treats the new situation as an opportunity to reach the lost in their institution and local community, through prayer, gospel proclamation, godly living, and public engagement as an academic teacher or researcher. As an independent worker, the academic may not be well supported as a Christian academic in the new community, either within the institution or by the local church, or, if in Australia, they may be out of reasonable reach of Simeon Network members or events.
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Repatriating overseas work - an international student who completed his/her PhD or other postgraduate research studies (or postdoc) in Australia returns to his/her home country to work in a university or research organisation. As with all other categories, the academic treats the new situation as an opportunity to reach the lost in his/her institution and local community, through prayer, gospel proclamation godly living, and public engagement as an academic teacher or researcher. As with (2), he/she may not be well supported as a Christian academic by the local community or institution.
In each category, the key feature is intentionality: the academic is prayerfully intentional about going somewhere else as an academic to participate in the work of the Lord Jesus in seeking and saving the lost. The table below summarises some of the main points.
| Agency-supported overseas mission | Independent outbound work | Repatriating overseas work | |
| Working outside home community |  |
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| Formally supported through mission agency | |
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| Must have theological training | |
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| May lack Christian support in the local context | |
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| Intentionally seeking to reach the lost with the Gospel | |
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