Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

News and Events

Fall 1996

Faculty

Students

Faculty

Commitees Advise on U's International Strategy

President Nils Hasselmo has taken positive action on reports submitted to him earlier in 1996 on a University strategy for East Asia and on a broader, long-term international strategy for the University.

The reports will be discussed widely throughout the University during the 1996-97 academic year. In the meantime the president has allocated $175,000 in one-time funding to support a number of the recommendations concerning East Asia and $140,000 in one-time funding to support specific programs recommended by the long-term strategy committee.

Long-term strategy

The long-term international strategy committee chaired by Regents’ Professor Vernon Ruttan urged that the University’s international programs and activities should be based on opportunities that derive from the unique capacities and strengths of the University as well as on the needs of Minnesota and the region.

Noting that more resources will need to be generated locally, regionally, and internally to initiate and sustain commitment to international scholarship and programs, the committee argued that the University needs to adopt a much more open pattern of interaction with local and regional communities engaged in international activities. These range from transnational advocacy networks promoting human rights, sustainability, and environmental protection, to business and professional communities whose interests, perspectives, and livelihood are increasingly global.

The committee recommendations to which President Hasselmo is providing support during 1996-97 include the creation of research and teaching networks in order to address the important international issues of the day, the funding of international internships and pre dissertation fieldwork grants, seed grants to develop research and exchange activities with international colleagues, and the establishment of a network with strategically located flagship universities abroad that is based on a set of complementary interests and strengths.

Guidelines for competitions for these funds will be issued by the Institute of International Studies and Programs in October and made available on the ISP web site.

Long-term International strategy commitee

Regents’ Professor Vernon Ruttan, chair
David Brown, pediatrics
Allen Isaacman, history
Robert Jones, agronomy and plant genetics
Timothy Kehoe, economics
Robert Kudrle, Humphrey Institute
Stephanie Lenway, strategic management and organization
Edith Leyasmeyer, dean, School of Public Health
Paul Magee, genetics and cell biology
Elaine Tyler May, American studies
Michael Metcalf, Institute of International Studies and Programs
Yijiang Wang, industrial relations

U strategy for East Asia

The report of the East Asian strategy committee emphasized the importance of East Asia to the economic future of Minnesota and the need for Minnesotans to know how to deal effectively with East Asia, its peoples, and its societies. Looking to the year 2010, the committee articulated a vision for a University of Minnesota deeply connected with universities and research institutes in East Asia through its students, its faculty, and its alumni.

Among the committee's specific recommendations for strategic investments are: a major scholarship fund to support study, research, internships abroad, and a cluster of new faculty lines dedicated to the creation and transmission of knowledge concerning East Asian societies, economies, ecologies, cultures, and populations, and major support for seven deep partnerships with leading universities in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

East Asian Strategy Committee

Michael Metcalf, chair
Mario Bognanno, chief of staff to the president
Robert Burgett, alumni association
Edward Farmer, history
Gerald Fischer, president, University Foundation
David Kidwell, dean, Carlson School of Management
David Pui, director, China Center
Yechiel Shulman, director, Center for the Development of Technological Leadership

Read the Committee Reports and Join Others in Discussion Both Committee reports are available as downloadable PDF files on ISP's web site.

ISPUMN-L, a listserv for discussion of U of M internationalization issues based on the committee reports is now available. See ISP's web site to subscribe to the listserv

Semester Conversion and Internationalization

by Imed Labidi

Imed Labidi, a graduate student in the comparative and international development education program and 1995-96 assistant editor of International Dateline, enrolled in EdPA 8229 last spring. He filed this report.

"Don't tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you know about the world" says Josef Mestenhauser, professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Administration.

In this spirit, 14 advanced graduate students from Belarus, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Japan, Jordan, Russia, Tunisia, and the United States, and 13 faculty members from various disciplines met in a seminar on the internationalization of curriculum, spring quarter. (See short bibliographies on the students that attended the seminar.)

Mestenhauser sees the conversion to a semester system as an ideal time for University of Minnesota faculty to assess courses and internationalize them. But he wanted to engage students in the process.

"This seminar is a new and a unique experience where the rich variety of cultural backgrounds, disciplines, and fields of studies of both students and faculty interact in discussing curricular reform in international education," Mestenhauser said.

Engaging disciplinary and cultural perspectives

The seminar was based on a series of presentations and intercultural dialogues. In each session one faculty member presented a perspective to the other faculty members and the students on what it means to internationalize the curriculum and strategies for doing it. Disciplinary perspectives included not only educational policy and administration, but also cultural studies, history, human ecology, music, and soil science.

Mestenhauser designed the seminar to teach students how to analyze and critically evaluate the concept of internationalization of the higher education curriculum. Together the students and faculty discussed integration of teaching methods, teaching materials, and different learning styles. They also worked to clarify global, political, cultural, and social variables that are significant for any attempt to internationalize the curriculum or make other educational reforms.

The students then identified, analyzed, compared, and synthesized issues within the internationalization of the disciplines debate. The final project was a collaborative paper representing the students' perspectives on the international dimension of the curriculum. It argued for internationalization of the curriculum as an appropriate strategy for the Twin Cities campus.

Seeking a definition for internationalization

"In Japanese there isn't such a word-to internationalize-but rather to become international," said Miki Horie, a Ph.D. student from Japan. For Horie, being international is a behavior, a way of thinking globally, and an ability to function within any of the world's systems.

Internationalization of the curriculum, according to the students' final paper, demands different information and a mélange of rich knowledge. It involves communication, exchange, collaboration, and successful interaction with each other.

Michael Metcalf, assistant vice president for international education and ISP director, cosponsored the seminar and participated as a faculty member.

"For most students, said Metcalf,"not having the chance to learn from other cultures, domestic and international, will be fettered by the narrow perspectives of their own culture, however rich that culture may be."

"It is unacceptable for students to leave the classroom or the university with a sense that the culture of the United States or their particular culture provides the only perspective through which one is able to know and appreciate the wealth of human experience."

Working papers will be circulated

Papers from the course will be circulated as working papers by ISP and then edited for publication.

"Engaging faculty members and students in such a debate can create a wider debate and encourage more faculty and administrators to get involved," said Metcalf.

Contact ISP for copies of the working papers at 612-624-5580 or isp@tc.umn.edu

Seminar Faculty

John Cogan, Curriculum & Instruction
Kerry Freedman-Norberg,Curriculum & Instruction
C. Victor Fung, Music
Peter H. Graham,Soil Science
Art Harkins, Educational Policy & Administration
Marion Lundy-Dobbert, Educational Policy & Administration
Josef A. Mestenhauser,Educational Policy & Administration
Michael F. Metcalf, ISP; History
Earl W. Morris, Design, Housing & Apparel
R. Michael Paige, Educational Policy & Administration Curriculum & Instruction
Herbert L. Pick, Jr., Child Development
Harvey B. Sarles, Cultural Studies & Comparative Literature
Kay A. Thomas, Educational Psychology, and International Student & Scholar Services

Seminar Students

New Internationalization Funds

Thanks to the efforts of the International Strategy Committee, funds totaling $140,000 will soon be available for various internationalization projects at the U of M. The funds are intended to: encourage exchange of ideas across disciplinary boundaries, to encourage interaction with local and regional communities involved in international education and exchange, to mobilize faculty and student international initiatives, to encourage students to become internationally engaged outside the classroom, and to establish more links with universities outside the Unites States. The competition and granting guidelines are still being developed.

Funds will be made available by granting competitions to be managed by ISP. Granting guidelines are being developed at this time, and it isn't clear yet when the funds will become available. Watch ISP's Web site for updates.

These funds and their intended purposes are a direct result of the recommendations of the Long-Term International Strategy Committee. The Committee's complete report, and the report of the East Asian Strategy Committee can be read and downloaded from ISP's Web Site.

In brief, the committee's recommendations for providing funds for internationalization are as follows:

Campus News

Sociology in China

Dr. Yanjie Bian, Sociology, has collaborated with faculty at Yale University to receive a $170,000 grant from the Luce Foundation for a three year project entitled "Urban Consumers and Material Culture in Four Metropolitan Regions of China." The Americans will team up with four Chinese institutions: Tianjin, Shanghai, and Wuhan Academies of Social Sciences, and Hainan Provincial Cadre Training School in Haikou. The project will study the socioeconomic changes in China by focusing on aspects of urban consumption involving food, clothing, home decoration and evening leisure.

Dr. Bian, along with co-investigators Deborah Davis and Shaoguang Wang of Yale University, will coordinate with collaborators in the four Chinese regions. The Luce Foundation supports only collaborative projects for two or more U.S. institutions with Chinese institutions, and the of U of M serves as "home" for this grant project.

To achieve its goals, the project will train young researchers to conduct household interviews in Tianjin, Shanghai, Wuhan and Haikou in order to collect both qualitative and quantitative data on the four aspects of consumption. Data will include verbal and photographic records from interviews and responses to structured questionnaires.

With one year for planning, training and pretesting of research instruments, one year for data collection, and one year for data analysis, the project will begin in January of 1997 and extend through December of 1999. Researchers will hold a conference at the project's conclusion to share the study's findings. In addition, results of the study, including photographic data, will be presented on a web page hosted at the U of M. Researchers also plan to publish the results in two books, one in English and one in Chinese.

Carlson's MBA in Poland

The result of a unique collaboration between the Warsaw School of Economics and the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management, 35 Polish students graduated from the Warsaw school of economics this past spring into one of the world's hottest new market economies.

Through intense effort for more than four years, Poland and the University of Minnesota have established a dynamic Day MBA Program and a corresponding weekend Executive MBA Program at the Warsaw School of Economics. The project used over $4.3 million in funding from U.S. AID and the Andrew Mellon Foundation and has involved hundreds of hours of faculty and administrative exchanges. Carlson staff have helped to transform curricula, alter the administrative structure and even write case books using Polish examples of marketing and logistics. More than 40 Polish faculty and administrators have visited the Carlson School, the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, and the U of M's Applied Economics Department to develop new course materials and to gain an understanding of the Carlson School's infrastructure and the American way of doing business.

"Our strengths fit nicely with the Warsaw School's biggest challenges," said Carlson Dean David Kidwell. "They needed to quickly snap out of the state-run mind-set, and we know how to prepare business professionals to lead change management."

Warsaw Program Codirector Aleksander Sulejewicz explains that the Day MBA Program sets the Warsaw School apart in Europe. "The only regular day program in Poland, our Day MBA Program has been a testing ground and has established us as the leading institution in MBA programming. We have set a trend that few can match."

Among the top echelon of students at the Warsaw School, Sulejewicz reports that the Day MBA graduates are internationally grounded and liberal in their outlook. Extremely ambitious and fluent in English, they aspire to work for multinationals. Many have already done field work for such international giants as Price Waterhouse, or have started their careers with firms such as Boston Consulting and Shell. Others work for leading Polish holdings. "Our students are recruited - snatched from the doorstep - by the best Polish companies," said Sulejewicz.

The project fits the Carlson School's emphasis on internationalization, says Professor Mahmood Zaidi, Project Director and Director of International Programs at the Carlson School. "We have a responsibility to ensure that our faculty and students know what is happening in the global marketplace and to have the international know-how to help our business community in a consulting capacity. The program with Warsaw School expands our capabilities in both areas."

"Ultimately, these are the Warsaw School's programs, but their partnership with the Carlson School will continue. The Polish and American faculties are building long-term relationships that can continue to result in joint research and case study development, to the ongoing benefit of both schools," stressed Zaidi.

Vet Medicine Update

Three faculty members and three students from the CVM (MN) participated in the 14th Symposium on Veterinary Medical Education on the Internationalization of Veterinary Education: Strengths, Challenges, and Opportunities held at the University of Georgia, Athens, 23-30 June and 1 July 1996. The program was organized by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Participating in a Dairy Conference in Bankok Thailand, 5-7 June 1996 were Dr. Michael Pullen and Dr. R. Ashley Robinson. They each presented two papers. Both Professors are members of the Department of Clinical and Population Sciences and were invited to the Conference by the Dean of Faculty of Veterinary Sciences. The CVM's have had an exchange agreement in effect since March of 1992. During their trip to Thailand, Drs Pullen and Robinson enhanced the agreement via discussion.

Dr. Stanley Diesch, Director of International Programs (CVM), was senior author on a paper entitled:"NAFTA, WTO: Animal Health and Educational Issues in Veterinary Medicine." It was co-authored by Dr. Lester Crawford, Executive Director of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, Washington, D.C. The paper was presented at the International Conference on Trade Agreements, Higher Education and the Emergence of the Global Professions: The Quality Dimension at the United States Department of State, Washington, D.C. on 9 May, 1996.

Several Faculty from the CVM participated in training the 13 veterinarians and diagnostic laboratory personnel who came to Minnesota from Lithuania for a Land o' Lakes, Inc. project 17-19 June, 1996. Title of the Land o' Lakes project is Lithuania Dairy Industry Restructuring and Free Market Cooperatives.

The activity continues this fall when the College of Veterinarty Medicine hosts a workshop entitiled "Gender Issues and Livestock Health in Developing" on 26 Oct. 1996.

For more information contact the:
Veterinary Outreach Programs Office
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
1365 Gortner Ave.
St. Paul, MN, 55108
(612) 624-2268 or 1-800-380-8636
fax (612) 625-5755.

Dr. Koukkari Wins Award

Willard L. Koukkari, professor and long-time international faculty member in the College of Biological Sciences received the Horace T. Morse University of Minnesota Alumni Association Award for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education.

Involving students in the process of active learning is at the very core of my teaching style, selected as the method of choice, and exemplified through the research and scholarly contributions of those who have participated in this exciting venture.

Professor Koukkari was honored in a ceremony this past July, where he received the award from President Nils Hasselmo.

Visit Dr. Koukkari's web site

Information for International Teaching and Advising

The Global Campus and ISTC Refine Missions

The new academic year has brought a clearer delineation of mission between The Global Campus (TGC) and the International Study and Travel Center (ISTC).

As the University's study abroad office, TGC advises on study abroad opportunities and how to secure academic credit and financial aid for study abroad. TGC manages its own study abroad programs and sites, most of the University's student exchange programs, and negotiates special arrangements for U of M students with other study abroad organizations. Students interested in study abroad should be advised to visit The Global Campus in 102 Nicholson Hall and The Global Campus web site

ISTC advises on a broad array of international opportunities for students and specializes in travelling and working abroad, and alternatives to U of M study abroad programs. Students interested in an international experience, but are unsure as to whether they wish simply to travel or to work or study, should be referred to ISTC at their new location in 48 Coffman Union, or to the ISTC Web page. ISTC continues to offer Eurail passes and other travel products of interest to students, staff, and faculty alike.

The Global Campus Announces New Program Model for MSID

The Minnesota Studies in International Development (MSID) program is introducing a new program model during 1997-98. Students may now enroll for fall semester alone or stay through the academic year. The aim of the new format is to have students be in direct contact with host nationals working within communities and gain field experience early in the program.

Starting in September students begin with a seven day pre-session orientation here at the University of Minnesota and then travel to the overseas sites (Ecuador, India, Kenya or Senegal) to continue in-country classroom work for six weeks emphasizing development in preparation for a field assignment. This new format offers students the opportunity to study alongside in-country academic personnel with years of experience in research and implementing development policies and projects.

The fall internship ends in mid-December, however, students are encouraged to choose an extended study option through January or continue until mid-June. In addition to their internships, students may do an academic research project or continue to study their field topic.

Over the past fifteen years MSID has provided a world of opportunities. Staff and faculty have been working closely to design this new program. If you would like more information about this exciting change, please call 625-3379 or stop by The Global Campus in 102 Nicholson.

Don't miss The Global Campus web site.

Social Security Number Policy Changes

The Social Security Administration has changed its policy concerning eligibility of non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents for application for a Social Security Number (SSN). Currently only those in the U. S. with authorization for employment as a condition of their presence here may apply for a SSN. Those who have previously been issued a SSN will continue to be able to use it validily. This change may cause difficulty in the future for those who come to the University for short term visits, particularly in cases where departments expect to pay honoraria or reimburse expenses if the visitor has never previously been issued a SSN. Please contact the U payroll office at 624-2837 or ISSS at 626-7100 prior to making any monetary offers to non-US citizens or non-permanent residents.

The office of International Student and Scholar Services will provide information sessions to departments as needed to answer questions related to faculty, scholars and students from outside the United States. If you have any questions, please call the ISSS at 626-7100 or email them.

Students

International Careers Initiative Launched

The University has increased its commitment to work closely with international employers and assist them with their employment needs as a result of President Nils Hasselmo's visit to East Asia last year. International Student and Scholar Services is taking the lead in this new effort with its International Careers Initiative.

Building on programs and resources already offered by ISSS, such as the quarterly Career Workshops, Job Board, International Careers web site and various career resources, the initiative will be helping Minnesota based international employers build bridges with U of M international students. “It gives us the opportunity to help companies find international students for U.S. and international employment, and it gives students direct contact with potential employers,” says Alisa Eland, the project coordinator in ISSS.

Graduate student Kristi Nokken has joined ISSS to staff the project. ISSS will mail job announcements to international students, upgrade and improve the job board to a searchable electronic database, and provide a Career Resource Room for international students that will be available in conjunction with the Career Workshops.

The International Careers Initiative also aims to create an advisory board of employers to determine how ISSS can help U of M international students and international companies to best serve each other's needs. One result may be an internship program for international students.

International Friendship Group Program-Off to a Great Start!

About 100 newly arrived international students joined this year's International Friendship Group Program. The program is facilitated by 16 leaders-all experienced international travelers, accustomed to adjusting to a new environment. These leaders plan academic and social activities for a small group of students, helping them to get integrated into the University of Minnesota's large campus and to provide a safe place to ask questions and make friends. This year's activities have included bowling, a picnic and walk to Nicollet Island, learning about the library and e-mail systems, a pizza party, and an all-program picnic at Como Park.

In addition to planning activities, the leaders help the newly arrived students with daily questions such as: "How do I use my e-mail?", "Where do I buy a winter jacket?" and, of course, "How cold does it really get here?"

The program is planning two additional program-wide events, including a Thanksgiving dinner and an outdoor event of ice skating after finals are completed.

The program, coordinated by Chia-yen Su and Barbara Kappler of International Student and Scholar Services, is in its 8th successful year and is offered during Fall term. Leaders participate in training during August and begin working with students during the Pre-Registration Program (PRP) in August and September. International and U.S. students interested in leading a group-look for flyers available in spring quarter 1997 in ISSS, B-wing, 6th floor, Mayo Building.

Where Are Our Alumni?

We want to regain contact with our international alumni!

Connections, our international alumni newsletter is our way of sharing news from and for our international alumni and friends. First published in Fall 1995, Connections is printed twice a year and sent to our alumni all around the world. You can also see Connections on the ISP "Publications" web page.

If you know international alumni from the University of Minnesota, please ask them to contact the ISP International Alumni Committee if they are interested in receiving our newsletter. Also, remember to ask us to place you on the Connections mailing list when you leave the University. Interested alumni can either contact us by mail, call Cheri Thompson at 612-626-7455, or register at our web site.

Career Resources

Fall 1996

Wednesdays, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Nolte Center Library
Minneapolis, East Bank

Job Search Strategies — October 30

An introduction to the process of finding a practical training or career position in the United States. We will discuss how to find job openings, what employers look for, cultural differences in the job search process, and campus resources.

Resumes and Cover Letters — November 6

Your resume and cover letter are your ticket to a job interview. Learn about format and content. Sample resumes will be available.

Job Interviews — How to Prepare, What to Expect — November 13

Learn about interview purpose, format, standard questions, effective communication, and dress. Tips for preparation will be provided.

Visa Options After Graduation — November 20

An overview of F-1 practical training, J-1 academic training, and H-1B visas will be given.

You don't need to register to come to the workshops.

For more information on ISSS Career Services, visit our Web site.

For further information and for disability accommodations, contact , Alisa Eland. Sponsored by International Student and Scholar Services, and University Counseling and Consulting Services

Attention Students from: Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and Vietnam:

The Fall 1996 ASPIRE Newsletter is now available in 20 Nicholson Hall. This newsletter is full of information about job opportunities, employment trends and special interests in your home countries.

For more information about ASPIRE and what it can offer students from the above countries, check out their World Wide Web site and consider subscribing to ASPIRE's free e-mail network by sending a message to: listserv@iubvm.ucs.indiana.edu. To subscribe to the listserve, leave the subject section blank and in the message section type: sub aspire-l 'your name' and send the message. For example, sub aspire-l Jane Smith. Don't miss these great opportunities to keep on track of employment issues back in your home countries!

Optional Practical Training Sessions

Optional practical training is employment authorization which allows students from outside the U.S. to work in the U.S. in a job related to their field of study. If you intend to graduate in December and are interested in applying for optional practical training, pleaseattend one of ISSS's information sessions to learn about the application process and to get application forms.

Sessions will be held at 1:30 p.m. each Friday afternoon through Friday, December 13, 1996. Just come in to B-wing, 6th floor, Mayo building shortly before 1:30 and inform the receptionist that you want to attend.

Your application for optional practical training can be submitted to the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) up to 90 days before you graduate; it will take INS approximately one month to approve the application. A job offer is not required.

Exception Forms Required

ISSS requires that F-1 visa and J-1 visa holders complete an Exception from a Full Course of Study form for any quarters that you register for less than the full course. Stop by B-wing, 6th floor, Mayo Building with questions or call Pat Tollefson at 612-626-7369.

Announcements

Apply Now for Funds to Support Your Studies

Each issue of the International Dateline features new funding options or options with approaching deadlines.

In addition to the options listed here, graduate level students may find suitable funding opportunities for research and study in the funding database maintained by ISP. You can read the database contents on ISP's web page, or U of M graduate level students can request an individualized database search. See ISP's web page on student funding opportunities for more information.

The Minnesota International Center
711 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455

The Minnesota International Center is a community organization located on the U of M campus that promotes global exchange and understanding in Minnesota. MIC offers international participants a variety of exciting opportunities to learn about the U.S. and to share their culture directly with Minnesotans. These include dinner visits in local homes, trips to other communities, cultural discussions, world affairs events, and speaking to school children about cultural themes.

For more information, call MIC's activity and ticket line, 612-626-6204, which provides recorded messages about current activities and low-cost tickets to cultural events. Listen carefully for the appropriate option. For more information about the International Classroom Connection, call 612-625-6962.

Are You Traveling Over Quarter Break?

ISSS will offer limited service from December 18 through January 5. If you plan to travel outside the U.S. over quarter break, come to ISSS to have your reentry documents processed before November 18 to ensure that they will be completed in time. Important Note: If you need to make an application for a new entry visa at the U.S. embassy or consulate, please call the embassy or consulate in advance to determine if an appointment is required.

Recent changes by Congress in immigration and welfare laws make it more difficult for individuals holding non-immigrant visas (F-1, J-1, and H-1B) to qualify for U.S. government funds to use for medical and housing needs. Non-immigrants are admitted to the U.S. on the condition that they do not become dependent on public funds. Several individuals and their children have been detained for deportation hearings when it was learned that public funds were used to pay for the costs of their childrens' birth. ISSS discourages persons on nonimmigrant visas from using publicly-funded programs to pay for the bills of their children. We strongly recommend that parents traveling with children born in the U.S. carry with them proof of the medical insurance that covered the birth costs.