Forum Focus - November 2018 | Volume 5 | Issue 2 by The Forum on Education Abroad

The

FORUM

Focus

November 2018 | Volume 5| Issue 2

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Standards Update: A call to action Emily Gorlewski, Associate Director, Office of Study Abroad,Wesleyan University

hat is your number one priority for updating the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad? This was a question posed by Natalie A. Mello, The Forum’s Vice President for Programs, Training, and Services, to kick off a listening session at the European Conference in Prague a few weeks ago. This gathering was the first in a series, most of which will be held online, designed to gather your perspectives on what is essential to our field. The attendance at this session was notable in that half of the participants were from outside of the United States. Several themes quickly emerged, including academic rigor, health and safety, and access and funding, and a thoughtful discussion ensued. Thus begins the process of updating the Standards for the sixth edition, to be released in 2020. This update is different from any of those that preceded it. I am thrilled to be “...The goal of the Standards part of this project as Chair of the Update Working Group is not to Standards Update Working Group. I update the Standards all on our was even more thrilled to learn that own. It is to learn the the goal of the Standards Update perspectives of the entire field of Working Group is not to update the education abroad—Forum Standards all on our own. It is to members, non-members, learn the perspectives of the entire field of education abroad—Forum institutions and colleagues all members, non-members, institutions over the world—and incorporate and colleagues all over the world— them into the update.” and incorporate them into the update. When we send our students abroad, when we receive students from abroad, what are we doing? Why? What are the guiding principles that inform our day-to-day practice? In starting a new program, in evaluating an existing program, what are important things to consider? How should we staff our offices? Plan for emergencies? Ensure academic excellence? Assess the intercultural development of students? It is these fundamental questions that concern the Standards, first developed in 2004 and updated four times since then. The development and previous updates have been entrusted to small groups of professionals, working together to try to reflect the realities and ideals of a growing and increasingly diverse group of institutions, organizations, and people. How well do the Standards reflect the current state of the field, and the values of its diverse practitioners? The fifth edition, the most recent, is ∙3∙

only three years old. Can things have changed so much in that time? Looking back, how well has each edition of the Standards reflected the current state of the field when it was adopted? Who was at the table, and who was not? Have there been changes that need to be addressed? Whose voices have not been heard in creating and maintaining this guide that informs the work of so many? If we believe the news and analyses that emerge on a seemingly daily basis, higher education itself is indeed changing at a rapid pace. Education abroad, as part of higher education, must change accordingly. The Forum has recognized this: five editions in ten years is considerable. It is possible to look back on the various working groups and committees that have done the essential work of the Standards, starting when the organization was first conceived in 2000. The names of all of the professionals on these committees and working groups are well-known to many of us. These volunteers have been, without a doubt, respected practitioners and experts in the field, and well-qualified to carry out such efforts. Like many experts, many of them likely knew what they didn’t know, and reached out to others for their perspectives. This is explicitly stated in the prefaces to previous editions. For each iteration, public comment has been welcomed at various stages. The Standards have never existed in a vacuum. With that said, this time is different. It feels different. The listening sessions have been announced and vigorously promoted. They are scheduled to be accessible to different time zones. The Standards Update Working Group has been convened, intentionally large and diverse. This time, we are all being asked what our priorities are. Not just the members of the Working Group, not even just members of The Forum. We want to hear from every corner of the field and the globe, from every type of institution and organization, from every professional working to send, receive, and facilitate students’ participation in education abroad. This call for your participation is no mere crowdsourcing of the Standards or wiki of best practices. The outreach and the transparency are important in making sure that the Standards represent what we all value, practice, and aspire to. The Working Group will take all material collected through the listening sessions and other feedback and incorporate it into a draft to be reviewed by a Consensus Body. Revisions will continue until the ∙4∙

Working Group and Consensus Body are satisfied that we have an edition that reflects the field and its best practices, and then there will be an appeal process. Finally, the Board of Directors of The Forum will vote on the completed document. So, we want to hear from you. If you are reading this, you are probably already on “Only by gathering these board with The Forum and what it does for diverse perspectives and the field of education abroad, and that’s wonderful. But we want to hear from your voices together can the colleagues, too, who might not be on board, Standards continue to who might not think The Forum has represerve the field as a sented their interests or institutions. We whole in these changing want to hear from practitioners who have never heard of The Forum or the Standards, times. ” and people who were there at the beginning. Only by gathering these diverse perspectives and voices together can the Standards continue to serve the field as a whole in these changing times. What is your number one priority? What are priorities 2, 3, 4, and 5? Make sure they get heard. ❖

Education abroad: the cure to cultural despair? Janet Alperstein, AssistantVice President, Office of Global Programs, NewYork University Jan Urban delivered the plenary address titled “Education Abroad: The Cure to Cultural Despair” at The Forum’s 4th European Conference in Prague on October 18, 2018.

s educators, there is no higher compliment than a former student telling you that you made a significant impact on them. Jan Urban, Czech intellectual, human rights activist, journalist and fifthgeneration teacher, believes that receiving such a compliment is something that all teachers should experience. While a teacher like many before him in his family, Mr. Urban said he was the least educated among them. I would argue that this is not the case given what he has learned growing up in and experiencing Post-War, Communism and Democracy in Central Europe, as well as witnessing atrocities as a journalist around the world. Education takes place inside and outside of the classroom. What Mr. Urban has witnessed outside of the classroom provided education and experiences of great value to his learning. Similarly, studying abroad can contribute to educating students inside and outside of the classroom. Language ∙5∙

study, internships, community service, home stays, living with local peers, classes about the country or region where they are studying, and more facilitate this education. While each generation thinks it can change the world and fix the wrongs of the previous ones, in his address to attendees of The Forum’s 4th European Conference, Mr. Urban argued that the present, with its wars and conflicts, is beginning to look more like the world of our parents', grandparents' and even great-grandparents' eras. Learning how to communicate and work together is what can and does make a difference. This is another area where study abroad can be a huge differentiator. Giving students opportunities across the curriculum to learn how different cultures and communities approach their discipline is tremendous. While studying language, literature, and culture has long been enhanced by studying in situ, studying STEM can also be strengthened while studying abroad. While Urban pointed out that science cannot solve everything, and we need culture as well, study abroad in the STEM fields is uniquely positioned to make this happen through courses outside the major and co-curricular activities. While reflecting on the recent history of the Czech Republic, Mr. Urban called the audience’s attention to the fact that the first line of the Czech national anthem, “Where is my home,” was an interesting choice for a song which should evoke pride in one’s homeland. The line does offer a poignant question for students studying abroad to contemplate. As borders and governments change, new subjects and fields are created, and opportunities to collaborate across countries and disciplines expand, asking “where is my home?” is an im- Jan Urban delivers the plenary address at the 4th European pictured with Enda Carroll, Chair of the Forum Board of portant question to help study abroad Conference, Directors. students explore. Mr. Urban said, “living and working abroad is a great way to work on identity.” I could not agree more and hope he would not mind my adding that learning abroad is also a great way to work on identity, too. Students may find themselves not fluent in the local language or in a minority for the first time while studying abroad, which often leads to reflecting on their identity. One ∙6∙

should not stop learning when formal education ends, which is why I still think Mr. Urban is as educated as the rest of the teachers in his family. As a study abroad faculty member, Mr. Urban’s goal is for his students to leave Prague understanding to “never trust any party or political movement over your conscience to determine good and evil.” This goal is at the core of what a liberal arts education is, to “help students develop a sense of social responsibility, as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills such as communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in realworld settings” (AAC&U). One could say that much of what Mr. Urban discussed at The Forum’s 4th European Conference falls under a liberal arts education which today, in the 21st century, is seen as “essential for success in a global economy and for informed citizenship” and necessary for “all schools, community colleges, colleges, and universities, as well as across all fields of study” (AAC&U). As study abroad educators, the importance of our facilitating the experiences inside and outside of the classroom, is summed up well by another activist, Zora Neale Hurston, who said “There are years that ask questions and years that answer.” (Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937)). Study abroad can be both to students. ❖

The case for going global, like china Matt Meltzer, Founder and CEO, Sage Corps

hatever you think of our current administration and its policies, one that stands out as particularly ill-advised is the growing tendency toward isolationism—both economic and cultural. Isolationism in a global economy is diplomatically dangerous—and bad for business. The Financial Times reported that earlier this year the White House considered banning all Chinese students from U.S. universities. This atmosphere of unwelcome may be one factor in the 7 percent decrease in international student enrollments in fall 2017 at U.S. universities. Regardless of the cause, the effect is crystal clear those students will complete their coursework and divert their economic spending—previously estimated to be $18 billion annually in the U.S. by the Chinese alone—elsewhere. Meanwhile, after decades of often-criticized isolationism, China now is taking steps to open its borders and go global. For example, in January, WeChat Pay, a leading mobile payments processor in China, announced it would accept foreign debit and credit cards. This shift allows foreigners to participate in the local economy alongside the Chinese, and is one more piece of the government’s broader globalization strategy. The “One Belt ∙7∙

One Road Initiative” seeks to better “Between 2008 and 2017, connect China trade routes to Europe, while doubling the number of internathe number of Chinese tional students studying at Chinese unistudents studying abroad versities from nearly 300,000 in 2011 to at foreign universities grew almost 500,000 in 2017. Between 2008 from under 200,000 to and 2017, the number of Chinese students studying abroad at foreign univeralmost 600,000… Today sities grew from under 200,000 to alonly 320,000 American most 600,000. By comparison, today college students go abroad, only 320,000 American college students and almost 70 percent go go abroad, and almost 70 percent go for four weeks or less. for four weeks or less.” Instead of retreating inside our borders and banning foreign students, we should be sending far more of our students to study and intern abroad. We need students to get more immersive international experience. Our government, private foundations, universities and—as I’ve recently argued—prospective employers, should allocate additional funding for longer-term study abroad and international internship programs. Parents should support their kids to leave the country at some point in college. Two-week whirlwind tours are a good start, but they should lead to longer, more immersive international experiences. The Economist recently covered the surge of Chinese university students in an Instagram story (it “Instead of retreating disappeared 24 hours later). The inside our borders and story concluded that China is buildbanning foreign ing the foundation for a global emstudents, we should be pire—namely, Western-educated fusending far more of our ture leaders and CEOs who speak students to study and fluent English and understand Westintern abroad. We need ern culture and consumers. Where students to get more does that leave the United States? immersive international That’s a difficult question to anexperience.” swer, but one thing is certain: What it doesn’t give us is a global advantage going forward. What it doesn’t give us is a generation of globally trained young professionals— future leaders and CEOs who can leverage cross-cultural communication to build bridges across borders. These negatives can be turned into positives with a greater emphasis—from all sides—on the value of immersive study abroad and international internships. ❖ ∙8∙

Critical issues in education abroad: have they changed? JonV.C. Booth, Interim Executive Director,The Forum on Education Abroad Editor’s Note: Terminology used throughout this article reflects the terminology used during the historical period in which the event took place. Though some of the terminology is no longer accepted, it reflects the understanding at the time.

n April, I came out of retirement to serve as the interim executive director of The Forum on Education Abroad. Soon after starting the job, I noticed the field was facing issues of diversity and inclusion, issues I had worked on in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The theme of The Forum’s upcoming Annual Conference in March 2019, “Broadening the Circle of Education Abroad,” is similar to the theme of the 1990 CIEE annual conference, “International Education: Broadening the Base of Participation.” This prompted me to look at key issues in the education abroad field approximately 30 years ago and reflect on where we have made progress and where more progress is needed. In 1988, CIEE issued a special report, Educating for Global Competence, that had four recommendations: • “Increase university student participation in education abroad programs from 5% to 10% by 1995, and to 20 to 25% by 2008; • Identify and encourage students from underrepresented academic and social groups in education abroad; • Encourage study abroad in developing countries and areas outside Anglo-European settings; [and,] • Vest the responsibility for increasing international education activity at the highest institutional level.” At the NAFSA annual conference in May 1988, education abroad sessions focused on developing program standards for international education exchanges, study abroad in Eastern Europe, and financial aid for study abroad. At the CIEE conference in November of that year, there was a ∙9∙

workshop, “Underrepresentation: How to increase access to international study abroad opportunities.” In May 1989, the NAFSA annual conference had study abroad sessions on underrepresented groups, computers, ethics, and “health care issues for U.S. students studying abroad and special issues for study in developing countries (AIDS).” In November 1989, the CIEE conference closing plenary speaker Edward Fiske, education editor of The New York Times, spoke of the shift in the past six years in American education toward making study abroad a central part of the university curriculum. He called for “involving more minorities in study abroad by diminishing the financial barriers to participation.” People also spoke about the technological revolution that had led many people to have personal computers on their desks. In 1990, NAFSA issued a special report of the National Task Force on Undergraduate Education Abroad, “A National Mandate for Education Abroad: Getting on with the Task.” It contained the following recommendations: • “Expand education abroad; • Increase diversity; • Develop program approaches with curricular connections; • Attack major inhibitors; [and,] • Address financial options.” In May 1990, NAFSA education abroad sessions focused on implications of current and future technology on international exchange, study abroad orientation for “students with special needs,” underrepresented disciplines in study abroad, and “When risk outweighs benefits: coping with changing political, economic or environmental factors that jeopardize the health and safety of students abroad.” In June 1990, Marv Slind, then chair of SECUSSA, NAFSA’s Section on U.S. Study Abroad, identified the following priorities: • “Increase diversity of U.S. student participation in education programs abroad to reflect the general makeup of the U.S. higher education population; • Professional development; • Information exchange/communication and crisis, how to handle enormous amounts of information; how to deal with crises such as visas, train strikes, life threatening situations such as the U.S. students in the PRC in 1989, and terrorist activities; and the need to develop communication networks to share up-to-date, accurate information; [and,] ∙10∙

Quality programs and programming/professionalism and ethics, how to address and share information on program quality.” In November 1990, CIEE sessions dealt with “orienting minority students for an overseas experience,” “eliminating barriers to study abroad,” “reinventing international programs for a new Europe,” and “what’s happening at HBCUs.” After that conference CIEE produced a booklet, Black Students and Overseas Programs: Broadening the Base of Participation. It listed 11 groups underrepresented in study abroad programs, identified 10 barriers to participation by underrepresented groups, and listed 27 ideas for increasing participation by underrepresented groups in overseas programs. It is interesting to see some of the underrepresented groups back then—students in business and campus leaders—and to evaluate the recommendations for addressing the underrepresentation issue. This booklet is available through the AIFS/AIFS Foun“...We are still talking about dation Education Abroad Special Collecincreasing the number of tion maintained by The Forum in collaboration with the Dickinson College students who study abroad, Archives. encouraging programs in less Now, 30 years later, we are still traditional destinations, talking about increasing the number of providing accommodations for students who study abroad, encouragstudents with disabilities and ing programs in less traditional destinaother needs, and enabling tions, providing accommodations for students with disabilities and other students of all backgrounds to needs, and enabling students of all thrive during their education backgrounds to thrive during their eduabroad experiences.” cation abroad experiences. We have made significant progress in the following areas: • Study abroad/international education is widely accepted as a key part of higher education. • While cost remains a barrier to participation in study abroad programs, real progress has been made in that many institutions make most aid portable. • New technologies enable us to maintain, manipulate and share amazing amounts of information. They also enable rapid communication and the ability to manage crises as they occur around the world. • Through the work of The Forum and other organizations, there are widely available standards and best practices for our field, as well as a variety of opportunities for professional development. •

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The conversation about issues has become much more sophisticated and nuanced. The Forum’s 15th Annual Conference in Denver will have “Critical Dialogues” on several issues that advance the field. • Terminology in the field has evolved to be more inclusive and representative of the diverse population of students that we serve. In some instances, progress has also brought new challenges. Study abroad students are changing. Equipped with smartphones, students have access to a wealth of information at their fingertips. They just look things up on their phones. In turn, their interactions with professors and staff take on different dimensions. The access to information has also caused information and communication around health and safety to become of paramount importance. Thirty years ago, it was hardly on the radar screen because parents and administrators were in the U.S., students were abroad, and communication was cumbersome. At a session at the European Conference in Prague last month, education abroad professionals were asked, “What is your #1 priority for ensuring high quality education abroad programming for your students?” The answer was access to safe programs. When safety was taken off the table, the #1 priority was to provide a transformational learning experience. Our field now faces the challenge of balancing student development and learning with the need to keep everyone safe. Having worked in education abroad for almost 50 years, I am excited about how far we have come. I also think the seeds for the answers to some current problems can be found looking at previously developed solutions. There are many challenges in the years ahead. It’s a great time to be working in this field. ❖ •

Jon Booth was chair of the CIEE Board Committee on Underrepresented Groups in Overseas Programs from 1989 to 1993 and served on NAFSA’s Task Force on Diversity from 1990 to 1992.

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Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of The Forum on Education Abroad. The Forum encourages responses to the perspectives in this issue. Reflections, topic suggestions and other correspondence are welcomed, and all contributions will be considered for future publication. Please send correspondence to: info@forumea.org

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