GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE 2018 Conference Report
world.utexas.edu
CONFERENCE IMPACT
CONFERENCE SUMMARY NEW PEER CONNECTIONS made by students who attended the conference
Each student made NEW PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS
Students reported that the conference has influenced their post-graduation plans by refocusing their attention to the OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE REGION
of students reported that the conference developed their knowledge of INTERNATIONAL CAREER AND STUDY PATHS
Majority of respondents reported learning CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The 2018 Global Professional Training: East and Southeast Asia conference was held on October 20-21st at the San Jacinto Residence Hall on the UT campus. The International Office is pleased to present this conference final report. The primary goals of Global Professional Training (GPT) were to prepare students for international careers, build intercultural communication skills, create a peer-to-peer network, and integrate groups of domestic and international students through social interactions. Held over two days, the chief components of the conference consisted of three plenary talks, two regional introductions, four breakout session topics, and one cultural performance. We made several additions to the conference program this year. We modified the Cultural Experience Exchange Hour to give students the opportunity to visit three different country tables for a discussion guided by student leaders with an emphasis on the countries in East Asia with the highest level of interest. The Networking Hour was also reformatted into informal discussions spread across ten different tables facilitated by over 15 different professionals. Finally, on the second day of the conference, we featured a new and expanded version of Dr. Deirdre Mendez’s cultural analysis toolkit.
GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
ATTENDANCE & DEMOGRAPHICS Attendance was moderately lower than 2017, but we still had a very strong attendance of 80 total students. Some general demographics of the student participants are as follows:
2018 Other East Asia and Southeast Asia: 8%
Other International: 2%
Graduate Student: 11% Senior: 33%
China: 10%
Freshman: 12% Sophomore: 14%
Education: 4% Fine Arts: 5% Communication: 7% Natural Sciences: 9% Business: 13% Engineering: 14%
Domestic: 80%
Liberal Arts : 48%
Junior: 30%
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
CLASSIFICATION AT UT
COLLEGE/SCHOOL AT UT
GPT Asia continues to draw a great deal of interest from international students. However, this year, domestic students represented a significantly higher percentage of participants than in previous years. Of those who did not classify themselves as domestic students, China had the largest number of representatives.
The distribution of participants was not as evenly distributed as in previous years. Similar to last year, seniors and juniors made up the largest proportion of students.
As we continue to see every year, students from the College of Liberal Arts were by far the most represented. Engineering and business school students also made up a significant portion of participants, with a combined total over 25%.
2017 Other International: 8% Southeast Asian: 7%
Graduate Student: 17%
Freshman: 16%
Nursing: 1% Undergraduate Studies: 1% Geosciences: 3% Education: 4% Fine Arts: 4%
Sophomore: 16% East Asian: 22%
Communication: 5% Business: 7% Engineering: 13% Natural Sciences: 15%
Domestic: 63%
Liberal Arts: 47%
Senior: 30% Junior: 21%
The conference exceeded my expectations. I felt like a professional, globally-minded individual. The people that I met and the network skills I learned will definitely serve me in the future.� 2
GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
CONFERENCE COMPONENTS
PLENARY SESSIONS
REGIONAL INTRODUCTIONS
This year’s conference featured three distinct plenary sessions designed
By providing a geo-political baseline for East and Southeast Asia,
to offer an introduction to the general themes of GPT and allow
participants were able to build upon the regional introductions in more
participants to develop their interpersonal and intercultural skills.
detailed discussions throughout the remainder of the conference.
OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD BREAKOUT SESSIONS
NETWORKING HOUR
These breakout sessions focused on specific opportunities for working
Students engaged with speakers, panelists and guests from UT and
and studying abroad in Asia and navigating work visas and the job search
the Austin community and covered a wide range of topics relevant to
in the United States for international students.
students’ interests in Asia and the United States.
CULTURAL PERFORMANCES
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
At the end of the first day, members of the Texas Wushu UT student group
Numerous supplemental activities were provided to students at the
gave a high energy demonstration of their modern martial arts skills.
conference, in addition to academic and cultural programming, with the goal of increasing student exposure to East and Southeast Asian culture.
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
CONFERENCE COMPONENTS PLENARY SESSIONS
This year’s conference featured three distinct plenary sessions designed to offer an introduction to the general themes of GPT and allow participants to develop their interpersonal and intercultural skills. PLENARY SPEAKERS • Keynote Address: Dr. Eun Y. Kim, Managing Partner, CEO International • Introduction to Culture: Jeremy Solomons, Founder & President, Jeremy Solomons & Associates • Cultural Analysis Toolkit: Dr. Deirdre Mendez, Associate Director for Cultural Programs, Center for Global Business, McCombs School of Business
This conference will not only enlighten you about opportunities in East Asia, but empower you to pursue those opportunities. I encourage anyone considering a career in East Asia to attend this conference, as it is an accessible opportunity to gain the tools and connections to succeed.”
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
REGIONAL INTRODUCTIONS The regional introductions continue to be an essential building block of the conference. By providing a geo-political baseline for East and Southeast Asia, participants are grounded in the essentials of the region and are able to build upon these introductions in more detailed discussions throughout the conference. This year, we were thrilled to have the director of UT’s Texas China Public Policy Center provide the East Asia introduction and thankful to have Chun-Ying Wu, a UT doctoral candidate and Southeast Asian specialist, provide the introduction to Southeast Asia. Both speakers received high praise in the post-conference survey.
REGIONAL INTRODUCTION SPEAKERS • East Asia: David Firestein, Former U.S. Diplomat & Executive Director of the University of Texas China Public Policy Center • Southeast Asia: Chun-Ying Wu, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Government, University of Texas at Austin
The global professional training conference is such a wonderful experience to meet students and professionals with a global mindset. It truly builds a positive mindset on Asia and strengthens those perceptions. Being able to leave the conference with your own values strengthened and with new connections feels great.”
If you’re someone that is trying to weigh your international career options or already know what you have planned, this conference is great for you! I came in already with plans about what I wanted to do with my future, but this conference showed me that I have a lot of more options than I thought.”
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD BREAKOUT SESSIONS The final series of breakout sessions focused on international opportunities available to both domestic and international students, including specific opportunities for working and studying abroad in Asia and navigating work visas and the job search in the United States for international students.
Panel: International Career Opportunities Moderated by Jeremy Solomons, Founder & President, Jeremy Solomons & Associates • Tyler Johnson, International Business Consultant • Jacqui Stewart Hobbs, Peace Corps Recruiter, International Office • Kevin Cline, Director, United TEFL Trainings
This panel received the majority of attendees, with approximately 75% of the students choosing this for their breakout session. This is a reflection of the higher number of upperclassman who attended this year, as these students were more likely to have already studied or interned abroad and are now most interested in learning about different ways they can return to the region to further their professional careers.
Panel: Working in the United States Moderated by Erika Payan-Zanetti, Assistant Director, Special Projects, International Office • Mayra Cortez-Cotto, Senior International Scholar Advisor, International Office • Adnana Mulalic Vikalo, Program Coordinator, International Office • Priscilla Lee, International Student Advisor, International Office • Annie Hasting, Contracted Active Channels Specialist, Google
Though the number of international attendees this year was lower than last year, this was still an important opportunity for the international students present to learn about the myriad of opportunities available to them in the United States. There was also a thorough discussion of immigration law and requirements offered by UT International Student Services staff members.
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
Panel: Study Abroad Moderated by Thuy Nguyen, Study Abroad Program Coordinator: Asia, International Office • Study Abroad alumni panelists
Panel: International Internships Moderated by Katherine Uhlrich, International Internship Coordinator, International Office • International intern alumni panelists
I have attended this conference three years in a row and have never regretted my decision to do so. The content is invaluable for any globally-minded person and being able to hold dialogues with professionals has helped me develop my own goals. Most importantly, I have made lasting relationships with like-minded peers.”
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
NETWORKING HOUR On the second day of the conference, students engaged with speakers, panelists, and guests from UT and the Austin community while enjoying Asian snacks and refreshments. Over the course of an hour, students networked among a collection of 10 tables that covered a wide range of topics relevant to students’ interests in Asia and the United States.
NETWORKING DISCUSSION TOPICS • JET Program
• Fulbright Research Fellowship
• TEFL Worldwide
• Gilman Scholarship
• Teaching in Korea
• International Study Scholarships
• Peace Corps
• Cultural Competence Training
• World Teach
• International Education Field
• Interpreting/Translation
• International Business Consulting
• Study Abroad
• Global Leader Consulting
• International Internships
• Living and Working in China
• Global Business Internships
• Living and Working in Southeast Asia
• Fulbright & Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS)
The one thing that this conference will definitely give you is a chance to speak and ask the questions that have been at the back of your mind. You also get the chance of learning about opportunities that you didn’t know existed. The most impactful thing for me was talking to other East Asian studies majors who had studied abroad.”
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
CULTURAL PERFORMANCES & ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES At the end of the first day, members of the Texas Wushu UT student group provided everyone with a high energy demonstration of their modern martial arts skills. The conference provided numerous supplemental activities for students, in addition to academic and cultural programming, with the goal of increasing student exposure to East and Southeast Asian culture. Authentic Asian snacks were available throughout the conference and the catering menu was organized to showcase a different region each day. Additionally, raffle drawings throughout the conference provided winning participants with gift cards for Asian cuisine and shopping experiences in Austin. The conference space was decorated with regional dĂŠcor and students were invited to take items home at the end of the conference.
GPT East and Southeast Asia was a great learning experience. Not only was I able to learn about a part of the world that I had never visited before, but I was able to talk to students, professionals and others who had traversed, worked or lived in this part of the world. GPT was an engaging and worthwhile weekend.�
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
CONFERENCE IMPACT Through an evaluation survey distributed after the completion of the conference, we were able to analyze the most impactful components of this year’s GPT. As in previous years, the participants’ most impactful experiences aligned with the goals of the conference. Chief among them were: • the ability to network with professionals who have experience living and working in Asia • learning more about the cultural, social, and political foundations of the region • improving cross-cultural communication skills • creating peer networks with other UT students interested in East and Southeast Asia • the initiation of new channels of communication between domestic and international students Our goal of creating new peer-to-peer networks continued to provide excellent results. Students reported making an average of over five (5.5) new peer connections each, an increase over last year. The vast majority of respondents also reported learning enhanced cross-cultural communication skills as a result of attending the conference while also developing a more positive perception of a new area of the world. The conference was also successful in preparing students for international careers. Over 70 percent of participants reported that the conference developed their knowledge of international career and study paths, and on average, each student made three new professional contacts during the conference. Many also indicated that their experience in some way influenced their post-graduation career plans, for example by refocusing their attention to the opportunities available in the region.
This conference offers a valuable opportunity to connect with professionals and students who have similar interests and goals, not to mention delicious food and attentive volunteers that make the conference run smoothly. It makes the process of finding a career path a lot less daunting, and I would highly recommend to anyone interested in Asia.”
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS The primary highlights of the 2018 GPT East and Southeast Asia conference included an improved and expanded cultural analysis toolkit session with Dr. Deirdre Mendez and continued presence of high-level speakers, Dr. Eun Kim and David Firestein, explained in detail below. CULTURAL ANALYSIS TOOLKIT Dr. Mendez has extensive experience developing and leading professionally applicable intercultural training sessions. It was thus a natural fit for her to offer an enhanced and expanded version of her cultural analysis toolkit session this year. The cultural analysis toolkit offers students a unique opportunity to analyze their diverse range of interpersonal traits and apply them to interactions with other cultures and individuals. For the high percentage of students at GPT hoping to someday live, work, intern, or study abroad, this kind of nuanced analysis is an excellent example of what makes GPT so unique and valuable. With all of this in mind, through consultation with Dr. Mendez, we expanded the session from 45 minutes the previous year to a full 2-hour plenary session. This extended time allowed for more participatory exercises where students could interact with one another and begin to process what different types of intercultural communication can look like. This was supplemented by Dr. Mendez’s innovative use of technology that allowed her to instantly display students’ anonymous responses to questions in a work cloud format for everyone to see. Students were also able to complete a cultural inventory analysis before the session as a tool to further their preparedness for the conference.
HIGH-LEVEL SPEAKER CONTINUITY Our ability to establish and maintain relationships with high-level speakers assures a level of quality and commitment to the conference that cannot be overlooked. Two of our repeat presenters this year, Dr. Eun Kim and David Firestein, are excellent examples of this. Dr. Kim is an ideal keynote speaker because she understands the overall context of the conference and what students are hoping to learn and experience. She is also not afraid to incorporate new ideas and trends into her talk, including a theme this year that used the film Crazy Rich Asians to exemplify how relationship-building is important to success in East and Southeast Asia. It should also be mentioned that as a woman of color, Dr. Kim brings much needed diversity to the conference that has at times been missing in the past. David Firestein, the Director of the UT China Public Policy Center, returned for the second time this year to give the regional overview for East Asia. As was the case last year, Mr. Firestein consistently received the highest levels of praise and compliments from students in their evaluations. Not only does he bring to the stage an incredible amount of diplomatic and intercultural experience, but he structures his talk in a way that engages students while at the same time offering a wealth of new information in an easy to understand format. He also makes himself available to continued conversations after his talk, a personal touch that undoubtedly leaves a lasting mark on the students.
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GPT EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA | 2018
SUGGESTED CONFERENCE ENHANCEMENTS Every year, we strive to improve the program. Some important potential enhancements for future conferences include:
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PROGRAMING FOR RETURNING PARTICIPANTS As GPT continues to grow and develop, we have seen an increasing number of returning participants. This year there were over 10 students participating in a GPT conference for at least the second time. This is undoubtedly an encouraging sign that so many are eager to return for more, with some even attending three or more times. With repeat participants in mind, we would like to develop a new track of programming at the conference that is dedicated to these returnees. To address this need, Jeremy Solomons has offered personal one-on-one coaching for any returning student who was interested. This was a great start but could be expanded to offer a wider range of advanced sessions for those already familiar with the region and build on the fundamental content of the conference which was developed more with first time attendees in mind.
DEVOTE MORE TIME AND ENERGY TOWARDS STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIP WITH EAST ASIAN STUDIES CENTER Similar to last year, there is still a need for an improved and strengthened relationship with the Center for East Asian Studies. Though we are proud of the content that we continue to create, we believe a more robust academic portion for our conference would only serve to strengthen and enhance our goals. We will continue to further dialogue between our departments about how we can leverage our respective strengths in a way that helps us both achieve our goals.
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GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL TRAINING CONFERENCE
world.utexas.edu