Internationalizing Curricula, Campuses, and Student Experiences in Community Colleges

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Internationalizing Curricula, Campuses, and
Student Experiences in Community Colleges

• Gretchen K. Carroll, J.D., M.B.A.
• Professor of Management Leadership
• Director of Atlantis Project
• Owens Community College

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Fast Facts

• Community Colleges make up 42 of all higher
  education institutions and enroll 40 of students
  nation wide.
• There are 1,195 regionally accredited community
  colleges.
• With 11.5 million students, credit and
  non-credit, community colleges play a crucial
  role in preparing students to become productive
  members of a global workforce.
• Close to 100,000 international students attend
  community colleges, about 39 of all
  international undergraduate students in the
  United States.

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Community College Demographics

• The Average age of community college students is
  29, but 43 are 21 or younger.
• 60 of community college students are female.
• 35 of community college students are minorities.
• 39 are first generation college students.

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• 5,776 community college students studied abroad
  in 2003/04, less than 1 of all community college
  students in the US.
• Community College study abroad generally mirrors
  study abroad at all institutions.
• 85 of community college students who do study
  abroad are in Latin America or Europe.
• The overwhelming majority of community college
  study abroad students (73) are on short-term
  programs.

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In comparison to other institutional types.

• Slightly more females from community colleges
  study abroad (68) than overall (66).
• Slightly fewer Caucasian students from community
  colleges (81) study abroad than overall (84).
  Hispanic-Americans make up the 2nd largest group
  at community colleges (10 versus 5 overall).
• California community colleges predominate among
  the leading 20 community colleges study abroad
  institutions.

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• 73 of community college students that did study
  abroad, did so for fewer than 8 weeks.
• The American Association of Community Colleges
  actively advocates an international role for
  community colleges in all dimensions of worldwide
  education and training.
• There is increasing support that other countries
  are reflecting a heightened interest in adopting
  the community college model. (Bologna Agreement)

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In 2001-2002 ACE Compiled an Internationalization
Index

• A random sample of 552 community college
  presidents were surveyed (52) of which 233 (43)
  responded.
• Asked a variety of questions in six major
  categories that comprised the index.

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Six Key Areas of International Involvement

• Articulated Commitment
• Academic Offerings
• Organizational Infrastructure

• External funding
• Institutional Investment in Faculty
• International students and student programs.

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Dismal report card

• 61 received an overall internationalization
  score of low
• 33 scored in the medium range
• 5 in the medium to high range
• 0 in the high range

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Of the community colleges considered to be
highly active

• 65 highlighted international education in
  recruitment literature.
• 75 had programs for students to study abroad
  without delaying graduation.
• 66 administered study abroad programs for
  undergraduate credit.
• 92 had an office for international education
  programs.

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Study abroad programs

• Offered by 1/3 of the community colleges
  surveyed, but less than 10 administered
  international field study, internships, or
  service opportunities.
• Even in the highly active institutions, only 2
  of students study abroad annually.

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Investment in Faculty

• Although faculty involvement is key to
  internationalization of the curricula and the
  student experience, the majority of community
  colleges scored low or zero on institutional
  investment in the faculty.
• General lack of support for faculty and for
  opportunities to be involved in international
  education.

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Investment in student programs

• Very few, less than 16, provide funding for
  studying or working abroad programs
• Even fewer, less than 2, earmarked funds for
  students to travel abroad to meetings or
  conferences.

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Internal and External Funding is Crucial to Study
Abroad

• Community colleges that highlight international
  education in the recruitment literature are more
  likely to offer study abroad for credit and have
  more students that study abroad.
• The number of students that study abroad was
  strongly related to college ear marked funds

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Should community colleges be advancing short
cycle study abroad and internationalizing
campuses and curricula?

• Absolutely!!!!!!!!!

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Why arent they?

• Institutional barriers including Not a strategic
  priority, funding, broad based missions focused
  on local rather than global community, lack
  of faculty involvement/support
• Interesting study by California Colleges for
  International Education (CCIE) found that
  institutional barriers, rather than student
  desire, prohibited community college students
  from studying abroad.

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Institutional barriers prevent students from
studying abroad.

• Although the prevailing beliefs by
  administrators, faculty and staff are that
  student personal barriers prohibit students from
  studying abroad.
• Data collected from students, contradicts many
  popular beliefs including the inability of
  students to afford study abroad programs,
  conflicting work and family obligations, and
  cultural capital that allows the student to see
  themselves on a study abroad program.

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Program Costs

• Students agree that costs are important, yet 70
  of surveyed students would not let finances alone
  deter them from study abroad.
• Significant percentage of students utilize
  financial aid for their study abroad.
• Students need significant financial assistance is
  needed to help with both direct and in-direct
  costs of the programs.
• The cost for a summer program ranges from 180 to
  5,000, and from 3,000 to 8,900 for a semester
  long program.

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Work and Family Obligations

• Students surveyed indicated that although most
  had part-time or full-time jobs, they
  nonetheless, would be willing and able to study
  abroad.
• Colleges should not assume that students are
  unable to study abroad because of work and family
  commitments.
• To accommodate the needs of working students and
  students with families, institutions should
  examine the possibility of making available both
  short-term and semester study abroad options for
  their students.

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Cultural Capital

• There is a sense that community college students
  do not want to travel abroad and are committed to
  their local neighborhoods.
• Yet, Fifty-seven percent of responding students
  indicated that they have previously traveled to
  one to three other countries, many on a regular
  basis.

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Institutional Funding Program Availability

• Research confirmed that the predominant issue
  preventing community colleges from offering Study
  Abroad is a noted lack of secure institutional
  funding that offers study abroad options to the
  students.
• More than two thirds of community colleges that
  offer study abroad, receive no funding to support
  these programs.

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Funding negatively impacts staffing

• Community colleges frequently do not have
  full-time staffing and many do not even have a
  recognized office that helps to make a presence
  for study abroad on campus.
• Lack of infrastructure prevents colleges from
  offering programs, which in turn severely effect
  students access to such programs.

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Some Bright SpotsC.C. Success Stories

• Anne Arundel Community College (MD)
• College of Lake County (IL)
• Crowder College (MO)
• Essex County Community College (NJ)
• Glendale Community College (CA)
• Harford Community College (MD)
• Maricopa Community College District (AZ)
• North Shore Community College (MA)
• Tidewater Community College (VA)

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EU- US Atlantis Project

• Joint projects of the Department of Education and
  the European Commission.
• Supports transatlantic cooperation between
  institutions of higher education in US and EU,
  both 2 and 4 year institutions.
• Objectives facilitation of student and faculty
  exchange, development of joint/dual degree
  programs, exchange of best practices.

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University of Toledo Owens Community College
Atlantis Project

• Response to the Bologna Agreement
• Two international partners- International
  University College (Bulgaria) LEIDO
  (Netherlands)
• Focus in on the role of short-cycle higher
  education in the US EU in addressing social and
  economic needs.
• Ultimate goal creation of a dual
  degree/certificate program between OCC and EU
  partner institutions.

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Hosting Three International Conferences

• June 2009- Golden Sands, Bulgaria Focus is
  recognition and accreditation of SCHE programs
  and the alignment of educational systems to
  facilitate student exchange and meet global
  workforce needs.
• October 2009- Toledo, Ohio Focus is the role of
  SCHE in economic community development.
• June 2010- Amsterdam, The Netherlands Focus is
  the contribution of SCHE in creating ladders in
  life long learning.
  

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Final thoughts

• Four major recommendations for community colleges
  serious about internationalizing campuses,
  curricula, and short cycle study abroad.

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1) Philosophical Change

• Community Colleges need to understand and accept
  the benefits of internationalizing campus,
  curriculum, and study abroad programs for their
  students and community. Perhaps it needs to be
  strongly encouraged by college and program
  accrediting bodies.
• Support needs to be articulated in college
  mission statements, strategic plans and in
  college budget.
• Faculty need to be encouraged through tenure and
  rank systems to organize and lead study abroad
  programs.

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2) Economic Change

• The benefits of study abroad outweigh the cost of
  implementing programs. The benefits are not only
  for students, but for participating faculty and
  the community at large.
• In too many colleges, faculty and administrators
  continue to view study abroad programs as
  nonessential educational activities, and
  therefore offer limited support.
• A line-item in the college general funds needs to
  be secured for the development and implementation
  of study abroad programs.
• Need a grant office to assist faculty in writing
  and securing grant money. Potential sources are
  the US Department of Education, the US Department
  of State or the US Agency for International
  Development. Available grants are listed and
  continually updated on the AACC website.

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3) Programmatic Change

• Colleges need to develop a centrally located
  office where students, faculty and community know
  where to obtain information on study abroad.
• A staff and operating budget needs to be in place
  to support this office.
• Links with academic departments and programs,
  college counseling services, student advising and
  financial aid need to be secured.

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4) Policy Implications

• Community College policy needs to identify how to
  establish programs, define faculty selection,
  advertise programs, adhere to other legal, health
  and safety issues that are affiliated with study
  abroad programs, a defined risk management
  program to better serve the students and the
  colleges and secure long-range planning.
• Colleges must develop broad-based coalitions with
  consortia, such as the MSU CIBER and CCIE, to
  help support and provide resources for
  internationalizing the college.

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Thank you! Questions?
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References

• American Association of Community Colleges
  http//www.aacc.nche.edu/Pages/default.aspx
• Green, M.F. Siaya, L. (2005). Measuring
  internationalization at community colleges.
  American Council on Education Washington, D.C.
• Open Doors 2005 Report on International
  Educational Exchange
• Raby, R. (2009). Community college study abroad
  Making study abroad accessible to all
  students.http//www.iienetwork.org/?pCommunityCo
  llege
• Tidewater Community College http//www.theglobalco
  mmunitycollege.org/howtosustain/casestudies/C-CS4.
  pdf

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References

• http//atlantis.utoledo.edu
• MSU- CIBER http//globalEDGE.msu.edu