UMW in Italy

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UMW in Italy

• A new campus in Montepulciano

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Establishing a Global Presence

• International education is a growing priority
  among top tier colleges and universities across
  the nation and in Virginia.
• Objectives are two-fold Maintain US
  competitiveness abroad as part of economic growth
  and development in its workforce Ensure global
  leadership in the future by fostering cultural
  awareness.

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Virginias Interest

• House Joint Resolution 128 (introduced on January
  9, 2008) states that
• international education is a crucial component of
  higher education in Virginia
• tourism and foreign trade are key sectors of
  Virginias economy
• international education curricular offerings
  address global issues and provide in-depth
  understanding of other cultures

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Virginias Interest

• Resolved by the House of Delegates with the
  Senate concurring, That public institutions of
  higher education in the Commonwealth be
  encouraged to enhance opportunities for
  international education programs.
• develop courses of study, academic programs and
  enrichment opportunities to increase student
  understanding of global issues and cultural
  difference
• promote courses in foreign languages to prepare
  students to seek careers in a global marketplace
  and enhance their understanding of other
  countries

5
Virginias Interest

• provide opportunities for students in all majors
  to participate in programs to study abroad to
  enrich their academic training, intercultural
  perspectives, and personal development
• provide opportunities for domestic and
  international students to interact.

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UMW and a Global Presence

• A specific UMW presence abroad will allow
  seamless and coherent curricular innovation and
  development with our major programs under our
  facultys control and management.
• UMW faculty can offer a wide range of quality and
  rigorously designed courses to dovetail with our
  curriculum at home, while ensuring the quality of
  the overseas program.

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Why Italy?

• Italy remains the most popular destination for
  U.S. students studying abroad for several
  important reasons.
• Italy provides all the comprehensive cultural
  resources in archaeology, classics, literature,
  art, art history, business, and international
  affairs in a unique cultural setting.
• Stable environment and political situation.

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Why Italy?

• Europe remains a major trading partner with the
  Commonwealth
• Italy has a long tradition of encouraging
  students studying abroad from all over the world,
  and has a large contingent of students with whom
  our students can interact
• Italy has the flexibility of intellectual
  resources to accomplish the broad inclusiveness
  that the legislature (and others in international
  education) insist is critical to our broader
  goals and interests.

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Academics

• Extensive research into best practices for
  quality international study.
• Response to increased interest in globalization
  voiced by the legislature.
• Consultation with the American Council of
  Education and Yale University, among several
  other institutions.

10
Academic Credibility Critical to Success

• Historical problem with entrepreneur/social
  model for study abroad.
• Modeling our program on schools with strong
  academic programs American University in Paris
  Franklin College American University in Rome,
  etc.
• Offer optional language training and core courses
  that fit with the students academic requirements
  at home.

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Target Majors

• Business Administration
• The traditional problem with study abroad
  programs is a lack of fit with their own
  requirements for the B.S. BUAD faculty represent
  one of UMWs largest areas of study and have
  expressed strong interest in bringing their
  students to the program and offering an
  appropriate mix of courses to fulfill general
  education, major, and language requirements.

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Target Majors

• English, Linguistics, Communication
• Our vision is to offer courses in general
  education and majors to include
• Summer Creative Writing Seminar
• Shakespeare in Italy
• American Literature in Italy James, Hawthorne,
  etc.
• Comparative Literature courses
• Medieval Literature courses

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Target Majors

• Classics, Philosophy, Religion
• The center can be used to support students in the
  archaeology program, classical literatures,
  comparative religion, etc.
• We can team up with other smaller departments
  (e.g. Art and Art History, Historic Preservation,
  etc.) to offer integrated courses with a shared
  theme.

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Other interested programs

• Historic Preservation
• History
• Italian
• Political Science
• Other departments can propose offerings upon
  approval.

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Staffing Model

• Two UMW faculty each semester or term to offer
  courses (9 hour load).
• Academic Director (on site, part-time?) to teach
  language courses.
• Director with academic credentials here at UMW to
  coordinate trips, transportation, visas, and
  other administrative details.

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Requirements for the property

• Internet access
• Handicapped access
• Good structural shape
• Close proximity to train line and town
• Adequate facilities for students to study,
  exercise, and experience Italian culture

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The Property Update

• The ad hoc committee has made three trips to
  Italy to explore property options.
• We have looked at over 60 properties and weighed
  a variety of options.
• We have reviewed best practices with respect to
  location, facilities, and cost.

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Villa Cantica

• 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
• Located in Umbria
• 15K from Siena
• 10K from Siena Train Station
• Too isolated
• Not large enough

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Villa Fontallorso

• Close to Florence
• Needs huge amount
• of work

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Il Paladino

• Extremely isolated
• 17 Bedrooms
• 16 Bathrooms
• Train 5K
• No AC
• No classroom space

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Villa Cicolina
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Eighteenth Century Villa
Self-contained dining hall and kitchen are
separate from the main house.
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Room for students and faculty

• UMW faculty will teach full semesters of
  courses during the regular academic year and the
  summers to undergraduates.

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Opportunities for Collaboration
Property is 5 kilometers from Montepulciano
(Tuscany) near satellite campuses for the
University of Siena and the University for
Foreign Students located in town.
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Ideal Location

• 40 minutes from Siena
• 40 minutes from Orvieto
• 60 minutes from Florence
• 90 minutes from Rome
• 50 minutes from Arezzo
• 60 minutes from Perugia

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8 suites with bath

• Room for 25 students
• Permission for expansion and additional volume
• 3 apartments for faculty
• Opportunities for joint sessions with other
  colleges and universities
• Alumni College
• Handicapped accessibility
• Wired for DSL
• Single Zone utilities

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• - 1.5 kilometers from
• Montepulciano.
• Small medieval town, two hours from Rome, one
  and half hours from Florence, one hour from
  Siena, Arezzo, etc.
• Bus line to town available.

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Collaboration with the City

• City of Montepulciano has agreed to allow for an
  additional volume of building space to increase
  the number of beds available with bath at no
  charge.
• Minister of Education has agreed to help
  coordinate with the local satellite universities
  to allow access to facilities like the library,
  athletic fields, etc.
• Internships with city (Historic Preservation,
  businesses, tourism can be developed.

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Alumni College

• Exciting opportunity for Alumni College.
• Can be used during weeks that the undergraduate
  program is not scheduled.
• Can be used more often when the additional
  dormitory space is built.
• Opportunities for conferences, seminars, tours,
  and rentals.