IREX International Symposium on University Administration Moscow, April 1516, 2002

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IREX International Symposium on University
AdministrationMoscow, April 15-16, 2002

• The Role of the International Relations Office
  on Campus
• Norman J. Peterson, Ph.D.
• Montana State University

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Defining the Role of the International Relations
Office on Campus

• The CRITICAL Issue
• GLOBALIZATION
• its implications for a modern university

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Thesis

• Globalization trends, taken together with
  budget and other realities of the higher
  education sector, require university
  international offices to serve an increasingly
  important, complex, and diverse set of roles if
  their institutions are going to fulfill their
  educational, research, and outreach missions.

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Defining the International Office Intl
Relations versus Intl Programs?

• International Relations is traditional European
  title for international office
• Limitation focus on EXTERNAL role
• Importance of EXTERNAL INTERNAL roles
• U.S. institutions generally prefer International
  Programs or International Education

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International Offices Need To BUILD INTL
PARTNERSHIPS

• Identify appropriate partners
• Negotiate agreements
• Administer exchange programs
• Nurture personal relationships
• Evaluate partnerships
• Ensure balance and institutional needs met
  through partnership network

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International Offices Need To PROVIDE
SERVICES

• Orientation to incoming students
• Advising services to international students
• Information on international opportunities to
  students, faculty, etc
• Services to outgoing exchange students
• Services to faculty conducting international
  activities

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International Offices Need To PROVIDE
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

• Administer exchange programs
• Facilitate academic credit transfer
• Conduct selection processes
• Maintain room board, health, and other needs
  for exchange participants
• Support for short-term group programs, both
  incoming and outgoing

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International Offices Need To PROVIDE
TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

• Immigration policies
• Academic credential equivalencies
• Study abroad program design
• Education abroad health and safety principles
• Techniques to add international dimensions to
  curriculum

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International Offices Need To DEVELOP FUNDING
SOURCES

• Know government and foundation funding sources
• Proficient in preparing proposals
• Create effective fee-based programs and ongoing
  income streams

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International Offices Need To BE TEAM
BUILDERS

• Provide leadership on international initiatives
• Motivate students, faculty and administrators
• Organize campus units to coordinate efforts on
  international projects

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International Offices Need To
GLOBAL RECRUITERS

• Conduct market research
• Identify institutional assets
• Develop promotional materials
• Coordinate admission processes
• Conduct recruiting activities abroad

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International Offices Need To BE ADVOCATES FOR
CHANGE

• Articulate the role of international education to
  policy-makers and propose appropriate programs
• Educate the university community about the
  growing importance of international programs
• Counter provincialism and xenophobia

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International Offices Need To PROVIDE VISION

• Grasp the significance of globalization trends
• Understand implications for students, faculty,
  and the universitys constituents
• Define ways academic and other programs need to
  be modified to meet these revised needs

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Summary

• Key concept Globalization
• Understand implications for university
• Roles beyond external relations
• Growing list of important, complex functions from
  providing services to developing institutional
  vision