DOCUMENT RESUME ED 362 100 HE 026 708 TITLE North American Higher Education Cooperation: An Inventory of U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico Academic Linkages. INSTITUTION Institute of International Education, New York, N.Y. SPONS AGENCY United States Information Agency, Washington, D. C. PUB DATE Sep 93 NOTE 184p.; Based on discussions at a Wingspread Conference on North American Higher Education (September 1992). PUB TYPE Reports General (140) Tests/Evaluation Instruments (160) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC08 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Comparative Analysis; Data Collection; *Educational Coc?eration; *Exchange Programs; Financial Problems; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Intellectual Disciplines; *International Educational Exchange; *International Programs; Language Handicaps; Study Abroad; Surveys IDENTIFIERS *Canada; *Mexico ABSTRACT This report describes the variety of bilateral linkages which have been developed by U.S. institutions withspecific Canadian and Mexican colleges in a wide range of fields. Outof 1,219 U.S. colleges and universities responding (35 percentresponse rate) to a survey concerning educational linkages, 109 reported linkages with Canadian institutions, 182 listed Mexican linkages,and 56 had linkages with both countries. (Similarsurveys were also Sent to Canadian and Mexican institutions.) A greatmany linkages were found at the faculty level, mostly short-term in nature. The primary motivating forces behind linkage developmentwere found to be faculty contacts and the international educationprogram focus of the U.S. institution. Lack of student interest and financial constraintswere reported PS the main obstacles to linkages with Canadian and Mexican institutions, with the additional problem of languagecompetence in the case of Mexico. All three countries reported undergraduate students as being largely self-funded while involved in linkage programs. Overall, responses described positive impacts from linkages at all levels. Survey comments reflected enthusiasm andsupport for maintaining and increasing North American linkages while seeking solutions to the barriers that exist. Appendices, comprising 80 percent of the report, includes survey forms and list the institutional partners and fields involved in the linkages. (GLR) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best thatcan be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Alas _ )14,..sts 0.4t .4147," U S DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION Ofcer Educatrooar Re10111Ch ano improvement "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY CENTER IERICI Wino document nos been reproduced as wowed Porn me Demon or organtzabon Institute of orIginavino 0 MAW thaniaes have Oefn made 10 .mp,Ove International Education nitotOduCtOn Ovally POInis Of wfve Of 00InsOniState0Int,u5d0Cu Mini 00 not 011COS5arsly tepeesint 01fictal TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OERI posmon 0, CONCY INFORMATION CENTER (ERIcr 2 BEST COPY AVAILABLE North American Higher Education Cooperation An Inventory of U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico Academic Linkages Prepared for the U.S. Information Agency by the Institute of International Education SEPTEMBER 1993 Copyright 1993, The Institute of International Education 809 United Nations Plaza New York, New York 10017 All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. NORTH AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION COOPERATION: AN INVENTORY 6F U.S.-CANADA AND U.S.-MEXICO ACADEMIC LINKAGES Executive Summary n September 1992, a conference on North American In reviewing the level of activity reflected in the invento- Higher Education Cooperation was organized by govern- ries, it is important to take into account the uneven mental and educational authorities from Mexico, Canada, numbers of higher education institutions in Canada, and the United States at Wingspread. Attendees agreed Mexico, and the United States. Canada has 89 universities that basic information was needed on existing academic and about 200 other institutions of higher education; linkages to provide accurate, current and comprehensive Mexico has 148 universities and 644 other institutions of baseline data to assist a newly formed trilateral Task Force higher education; the U.S. has 3,600 accredited colleges in development of a strategic action plan. USIA's Office of and universities ofwhich about 40% are two-year colleges. Academic Programs asked the Institute of International It is also impol tant to view the institution-to-institution Education (11E) to conduct an inventory of U.S. colleges linkages reported here in the context of the much higher and universities, with parallel surveys to be conducted in level of exchange that occurs through informal linkages and Canada by the Association of Universities and Colleges of on an individual basis, with students and faculty members Canada (AUCC) and in Mexico byAsociacion Nacional de applying on their own to study, teach or conduct research Universidades e Instituciones de Educacion Superior in a neighboring country. annual survey of interna- (ANU1ES). Copies ofa detailed questionnaire were sent by tional student flows, funded by USIA and published in IIE in early 1993 to the heads of 3,444 accredited colleges Open Doors, reported close to three times as many Canadi- and universities in the United States for distribution to the ans (19,190) enrolled 'in U.S. institutions in 1991-1992 appropriate departments in their institutions for reply. A compared to the number of Mexican students (6,650) in total of 1,219 responses were received. Of these, 109 the U.S. during that period. The reverse appears to be the reported linkages with Canadian institutions and 182 case in institutional linkage programs, with the current listed Mexican linkages; 56 of these institutions reported inventory respondents reporting only 204 Canadian stu- linkages with both Canada and Mexico. An additional 43 dents in the U.S. on linkage programs e iring 1992-1993 U.S. colleges and universities that do not have linkages now compared to 1,551 Mexican students reported by inven- expressed strong interest in developing contacts with Cana- tory respondents.According to Open Doors, the total dian and Mexican institutions. number of U.S. students studying in Carmel, mostly enrolled as individuals in degree programs, is about 3,700 The report of that inventory, summarized here, describes and the number studying in Mexico, mostly short-term, is the variety of bilateral linkages which have been developed approximately 3,500. The current inventory shows 199 by U.S. institutions with Canadian and Mexican col- U.S. students going to Canada on institutional linkage leagues in a wide range of fields. Appendices to the report programs, with 1,194 going to Mexico on such programs. list the institutional partners and fields involved. A number of intriguing "model" programs are reported, along with a The inventory reported a substantial number oflinkages at summary of major sources of funding for linkage programs the faculty level, mostly short-term in nature. Over 80% in Nord, America. The report describes the considerable of U.S. faculty teaching in either Canada (29) or Mexico enthusiasm expressed by respondents eager to expand such (162) through bilateral linkages are on assignments of less linkages, and the benefits accruing to individual partici- than three months. There are notable differences in the pants and institutions involved. The report also notes the numbers of U.S. faculty reported conducting research obstacles respondents identified in trying to establish or through linkage programs: 22 in Canada compared to expand exchange links and their proposed solutions to such 10Ein Mexico. While 18 institutions are conducting joint obstacles. research with Canadian partners, more than twice as many NORTH AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION COOPERATION (43) are doing so with Mexican universities. Although the distance learning, joint research and teaching programs, number of consortia setting up faculty linkages are similar and cosponsorship of conferences and publications. (10 with Canada, 13 with Mexico), 21 U.S. colleges and universities belong to consortia with Mexican linkages, Lack of student interest and financial constraints were compared to 10 with membership in consortia with Cana- reported as the main obstacles to linkages with Canada. dian affiliations. The need to find financial assistance for U.S. and Mexican student and faculty exchanges was listed as the main Detailed information on graduate student mobility is less problem for institutions with Mexican linkages, with sec- readily available because of low response rates to questions ondary problems of inadequate student interest or lan- asking for data in this category.However, the reports guage competence. Problems with linkage implementa- indicated that five times as many graduate students were tion focussed on funding and communications issues. involved in exchanges between Mexico and the U.S. com- However, suggested solutions indicated that U.S. institu pared to those between Canada and the U.S. tions are finding ways to deal with these issues and are not Eighty-two institutions reported statistics on U.S. under- withdrawing from linkages or decreasinP their participa- graduates studying in Mexico. Less than half that number tion because of them. (34) reported having undergraduates studying in Canada during the 1992-93 academic year.Similarly, eight While university supportis the leading funding source