Office of International Programs

Office of International Programs

News and Events

Fall 1997

Faculty

Students

Faculty

At Mid-Course, Papua New Guinea Project Focuses on Short-Term Training

Two and a half years into the Papua New Guinea Higher Education Project, its emphasis has turned from placing PNG fellowship recipients in graduate programs abroad to obtaining short-term training for PNG university staff, and to recruiting U.S. faculty for two-year teaching positions in Papua New Guinea.

Four University of Technology staff members spent the spring at the University of Minnesota studying student information and registration systems, facilities management, accounting, and crisis counseling. Others arrived late this summer to undertake programs in student services, registration systems, human resources, and concrete testing and lab supervision. The University community has eagerly volunteered to host and mentor the fellows and to provide appropriate and diverse programs.

Still other PNG professionals have undertaken short courses and programs in Australia and the United States.

In Papua New Guinea, four new teaching positions have been identified for visiting faculty. Positions at the University of Papua New Guinea are a marine ecology specialist in the biology department; a lecturer/senior lecturer in statistics in the mathematics department, and a coordinator for the Population Studies Program in the geography department. A director for the Architectural Heritage Center is needed at the PNG University of Technology.

Seven U.S. faculty are already on site, holding traditional university teaching positions as well as heading efforts to establish interdisciplinary teaching and research centers.

College Hosts External Review of International Programs

Five years ago the College of Education and Human Development surveyed the international interests of its faculty and wrote a strategic plan for international education. In April, the college became the University's first to invite external reviewers to assess specifically its international endeavors.

Reviewers hosted by the college international education committee with support from then dean Robert Bruininks were Maurice Harari, secretary general of the International Association of University Presidents; Lynn Webster Paine, associate professor of education at Michigan State University; and Ralph Smuckler, a consultant for the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges.

The consultants spent two days of back-to-back meetings with faculty, students, and administrators inside and outside the college. In May they submitted individual reports.

The verdict: Although important challenges remain, the college has made "enormous progress" in international education, Bruininks said in a meeting with the college international education committee in June.

The college enjoys the talents, energy, and resourcefulness of many individuals involved in a full range of international activities, many of them nationally and internationally recognized; formal efforts to internationalize the curriculum in all six departments provide important professional development opportunities for faculty and globally focused course-work for students; there is a programmatic "home" for international education in the Comparative and International Development Education (CIDE) program; the college has a talented cohort of international and inter-nationally-interested graduate students; and the Committee on International Education is a strong collegewide committee.

Challenges identified by the consultants include a lack of consistent support for international education across departments in the college, lack of integration of efforts within and outside the college, low student participation in study abroad, and poor articulation of the importance of international education. And in a tight fiscal environment, making international education a priority remains difficult.

The campus environment

All the evaluators noted the current climate of transition at the University--with a new president, conversion to the semester system, and a new financial and information management system--as a unique and important opportunity for the college. They also noted the historical decentralization of the University as a particular challenge in coordinating activities and planning.

The group commended the long-term strategy report developed last year by a com-mittee appointed by President Hasselmo and chaired by Regents Professor Vernon Ruttan. But Harari in particular recommended aggressive action on the part of the college and the university as a whole to raise the visibility of international activities.

"I live in the shadow of Stanford and Berkeley," Harari said during the debriefing meeting. "There is not an 'ethos' on this campus concerning international education."

The college has an excellent opportunity to lead the way for the University, Smuckler said in his report, through such activities as conducting research on the dimensions of international activities and the impact of specific programs.

All three reviewers agreed that the college's international program is at a critical juncture and urged continued and expanded support and greater mobilization of students and faculty. Paine urged collegewide discussion in order to build on the strong foundation and "move to the next plateau."

Steps for the college

As a subcommittee of the college's Committee on International Education, professors R. Michael Paige and Jane Plihal delivered a set of seven recommendations based on the external review, which was forwarded to the dean in June. Priorities included

This fall the committee plans to revise the 1992 strategic plan for the next five years. "We invited the external reviewers to start this kind of discussion, to see where we are on the map," said Josef Mestenhauser, professor and coordinator of international education for the college. "We need to look at ourselves as a college, and within the University, in the national and international context." Copies of the consultants' reports and more information is available by calling 612-626-9512 with your name and mailing address.
--G.M.

Welcome for International Scholars November 12

International scholars, faculty mentors, and departmental sponsors are cordially invited to a reception on Wednesday, November 12, at the Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum, from 5 to 6 p.m.

The annual reception welcomes international faculty, scholars, and staff to the University of Minnesota campus and to the community.

Faculty and department representatives are encouraged to invite their visiting international faculty and staff.

The Institute of International Studies and Programs (ISP) and the Minnesota International Center (MIC) sponsor the event and provide information about their services. A short program including welcoming remarks will be held at 5:30. Museum galleries will be open for viewing, featuring Indian Humor and The Unseen Wanda Gag, as well as the Museum's permanent collection. Please call 612-626-2535 no later than Wednesday, November 5, if you plan to attend.

Attention: Faculty Advisers of International Students

The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 has created greater consequences than ever for international students who fail to keep their immigration/legal status current. It has become extremely important for faculty advisers to be aware of factors that can affect their advisees' legal status in the United States:

Staff at International Student and Scholar Services are available to answer questions you may have at 612-626-7100.

Upcoming Grant Deadlines

Center for Chinese Studies

American Institute for Yemeni Studies

American Association of University Women

Blakemore Foundation

Students

Connecting With People

On the biggest campus in the United States, it's hard to believe that meeting people and making friends isn't automatic. But, whether you're a new student from Wisconsin or Korea, or a U.S. student just back from London or Quito, finding people you can talk to, and meaningful things to do outside the classroom, can seem uncomfortable to impossible.

Connecting with people and activities is important. Students who get involved on campus and forge friendships are more often successful academically, and college friendships follow graduates into their careers for years to come. Many students report that what they learn outside of class is as important as what they learn in it.

The University of Minnesota does have a lot of international things going on and people from everywhere. Here are some ideas recommended by students who've succeeded at finding friends and activities.

Small World Coffee Hour.

Over the past few years, this every-other-Friday gathering has become so successful that it's packed the room. No program-just good coffee, tea, and conversation with people from everywhere. This year coffee hour has moved from Nicholson Hall to Mayo, 420 Delaware Street (across the street from Boynton), 6th floor, in the B wing lounge-that's at International Student and Scholar Services, which cosponsors the coffee hour with the Minnesota International Center. The Coffee Hour goes from 4-6 p.m.

Minnesota International Center (MIC).

This is a community organization on the edge of the campus that serves as a bridge to greater Minnesota. MIC warmly welcomes newly arriving international students and invites you to take part in activities from dinner with a Minnesota family, to experiencing life in smaller communities, to visiting classrooms of younger students to talk about your culture and first-hand perspectives about current issues facing your country. MIC also welcomes returned students through activities like a Spanish conversation group. For more MIC information call the activity line, 626-6204, option #5, or e-mail. About the classroom connection, call Gail at 625-2490 or e-mail.

Minnesota International Student Association (MISA).

This student organization represents international students in the governance of the University, hosts a lot of activities, and publishes a magazine. Stop by MISA at 235d Coffman and ask about their open house, too. The Annual International Student Welcome Party will be held at the Weisman Art Museum on October 4, at 8 p.m.

Homecoming

This year, for the first time international alumni and students will have a designated gathering place at the huge tailgaiting party outside the metrodome before the football game against Rosebowl champs Ohio State on Nov. 8. See ISSS for information.

Siggelkow Leadership Retreat.

This retreat provides emerging student leaders with new perspectives on leadership and the skills to use those perspectives. Participants come from all four U of M campuses, from freshmen to grad students. The 1997 retreat is Oct. 24-26 at Camp Icaghowan in Amery, Wisconsin. The registration fee hasn't been set (last year's was $35). For more information call YeeLeng Hang at 626-6699.

Conferences.

Conferences are obviously a great way to meet people with similar interests to yours, but they're an even greater opportunity if you can volunteer or make a presentation.

The midwest region conference of NAFSA: Association of International Educators

The U's International Law Students Association

The annual Intercultural Encounters campus conference

Employment.

Student jobs can help you gain valuable job skills and expand your academic interests. You also meet people and make friends-in fact, it may be more common in the U.S. than elsewhere that people rely on their workplaces to form friendships.

Some offices like ISTC are staffed primarily by students. ISSS employs students with international experience in many programs, such as the preacademic orientation for students from the Newly Independent States (NIS). Student jobs are posted at the Donhowe Building.

Student Exchanges Offer Challenge, Support

Lynn Resler is a senior in anthropology from Stillwater, Minnesota. Chiraz Guessaier is an English graduate from Tunis, Tunisia. During the past academic year, they traded universities. Resler studied Arabic and worked on her senior paper on "code switching"-the practice in bilingual communities of using one language or another, or both, depending on the social context. Most Tunisians speak Arabic and French, and often a third or fourth language.

Guessaier first took courses in American studies, then, after some courses in educational policy and administration, applied and was accepted for a master's in Comparative and International Development Education. She plans a career in educational policy in her home country.

Apply this fall or winter

Each year exchanges are the study abroad choice of about sixty University of Minnesota students and an equal number of international students at the U.

These exchanges include University of Minnesota reciprocal or bilateral exchanges, or national exchanges through ISEP, a Washington- based program with connections in nearly forty countries.

If you're a U.S. student looking for something a little different or challenging in study abroad, if you're independent and flexible and the idea of reciprocity appeals to you, an exchange may be for you.

For Resler, an exchange allowed her to study a less-commonly taught language in a part of the world where there are few group programs. Exchanges combine much of the independence of direct enrollment but also provide institutional support; some exchanges also provide financial support.

In IRSEP, Minnesota and international student participants also work together on the selection process.

Most exchange deadlines for Minnesota students occur in the fall and winter. Contact The Global Campus now!

Funding Opportunities

Social Science Research Council

The purpose of the International Predissertaion Fellowship Program is to promote linkages between graduate study in the social sciences, especially economics, political science, sociology, and psychology, and area studies of the developing world.

For applications, please contact Rita A. Snider, Program Associate, Institute of International Studies and Programs, 612-626-7144. Deadline for preliminary application is November 26, 1997.

National Humanities Center

The National Humanities Center is a residential institute for advanced study in history, languages and literature, philosophy, and other fields of the humanities. Each year the Center awards fellowships to scholars of demonstrated achievements and to promising younger scholars. Fellow are expected to work at the Center. Applicants must hold doctorate or have equivalant professional accomplishments. Youger scholars should be engaged in work significantly beyond the revision of a doctoral dissertation.

Most fellowships are for the academic year (September through May), though a few may be awarded for the fall or spring semester. Scholars from any nation may apply for fellowhships. In addition to scholars from fields normally associated with the humanities, representatives of the natural and social sciences, the arts, the professions, and public life may be awarded fellowships if their work has humanistic dimensions.

For application material, write Fellowship Program, National Humanities Center, Post Office Box 12256, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709-2256. Applicants submit the Center's forms supported by a curriculum vitae, a 1000-word project proposal, and three letters of recommendation. Applications and letters of recommendation must be postmarked by October 15, 1997.