U.S. and Canadian universities and colleges promote study abroad or foreign exchange programs to boost students' educational experience with a world education component.
These international opportunities mean that North American students are found in classrooms, field and research stations worldwide, learning skills to work in diverse places and to adapt quickly to the unexpected.
A Checklist for Good Practice, founded from UNESCO principles, guides study abroad programs to ensure that these international college and university opportunities go beyond just sightseeing trips. Instead, higher education institutions following these guidelines will build international study programs that improve students’ abilities to think critically and have a world view.
Study Abroad, Foreign Exchange Programs and World Education Focus of Joint Checklist
This checklist is a follow-up to a statement called Sharing Quality Higher Education Across Borders: A Statement on Behalf of Higher Education Institutions Worldwide and is authored by four higher education associations: the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the American Council on Education, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and the International Association of Universities.
Universities and colleges use the checklist as a self-assessment, answering a series of questions to design and evaluate study abroad or foreign exchange programs.
Above all, the checklist ensures that leaders create international education opportunities that serve as important educational moments.
First, universities are encouraged to examine the institution's mission and goals to check for an overall commitment to the social, cultural and economic well-being of communities, international education, outreach and linguistic and cultural diversity.
International College and University Partners Add Capacity
Partnerships with local universities or colleges in the host foreign exchange or study abroad community are an important consideration. These partnerships boost the overall capacity of higher education and increase the opportunities for international research collaboration between faculty and graduate students.
Quality is a vital element and universities are asked to think about a process for ongoing quality review of international education student programs. The same quality assurance of academic standards, including the curriculum and faculty, at the North American host university should be in place at international schools where students study abroad.
Another checklist area surrounds accountability. Universities should ensure that partner institutions as locations for study abroad student programs are accredited and authorized to offer programs and degrees.
International Education Opportunities Should be Transparent, Communicated
Transparency is another checklist theme for universities thinking about expanding study abroad opportunities. All international partner institutions should provide accurate and user-friendly information to the public, students and government. This information should include polices about admission of students, total costs, the availability of financial aid and expectations of the academic performance by students.
Universities have a responsibility to assess any strengths or weaknesses as study abroad and foreign exchange opportunities continue to grow for North American students. A practical checklist developed by a group of higher education associations gives institutions a tool to complete the homework needed to ensure that students and universities benefit fully from these world experiences.
Shelley Aylesworth-Spink - Shelley Aylesworth-Spink has worked in support of communications, marketing and advertising for nearly 25 years in the private and public ...
