Contribution to the Academic Plan

Contribution to the Academic Plan University of Alberta International May 2006

While internationally active for many years, today the University of Alberta has opportunity to move to the forefront of North American universities in the internationalization of its curriculum, its student body, and its research and service programs. Our President’s vision as outlined in Connecting with the World provides the roadmap and University of Alberta International (UAI) stands ready to contribute to the academic mission by making ours a globally connected university.

The ambitious and exciting agenda set by Connecting with the World will require new resources to be successful. The plan outlined in this document describes how UAI would engage the world within the context of the four cornerstones and with efficient use of new resources.

Cornerstone: Talented People

Connecting with the World sets out targets for international student enrolment and emphasizes the importance of international mobility for students and faculty. It calls for opportunities on campus to engage students in international activities and sets the goal of attracting leading faculty from around the world.

It further recognizes that key to encouraging faculty involvement is to formally recognize and reward contributions to these goals.

 With new resources, UAI proposes to:  Clarify targets for international undergraduate and graduate enrollment and expand recruitment of outstanding international students from diverse regions of the world, with the goal of reaching 15% of the student body by 2010.  Increase the numbers of scholarship agreements for international graduate students and diversify the countries/regions from where these students come.  Create internships within UAI and international partners for faculty and staff to gain international competencies.  Invest in professional development and growth of staff working with international students; work with university stakeholders to recognize the important role of advisors in supporting the academic goals of international students.  Facilitate discourse on the role of international engagement by faculty and the creation of new recognition mechanisms (e.g. International Teaching and Learning Award; FEC recognition).  Develop new partnerships to support faculty exchange through academic and research linkages.

 With existing or realigned resources, UAI proposes the following initiatives:  Continue current levels of international student recruitment in an effort to diversify the composition of the student body. However with current resources, significant growth in international student enrolment would not be likely.  Continued support for graduate student recruitment through partnership and scholarship development in Latin America and Asia.

Cornerstone: Learning Discovery and Citizenship

In Connecting with the World, the University is asked to expand the international dimension of the learning experience and of knowledge creation, as well as to inspire commitment to citizenship.

Increasing the number of students with a significant international learning experience will require new administrative and academic models which recognize study and other learning experiences abroad as an integral component of a University of Alberta degree. In addition to academic integration and recognition, the University must make a serious long-term investment in scholarships and bursaries to encourage and support broad and diverse participation.

Providing opportunities for students, staff, faculty and the community to develop an understanding of the world and its peoples, both on campus and abroad, and ensuring that the curriculum and extra-curricular activities reflect the knowledge, skills and attitudes graduates need to be successful are important steps in creating a culture of citizenship.

Further, expanding our global reach and providing global leadership in areas where the University has strengths will enhance our reputation and open opportunities for partnerships.

 With new resources, UAI proposes to:  Triple the number of students participating in international learning experiences by the 2009-10 academic year through the development of new models and implementation of new programs for study abroad, as well as the provision of ways and means to increase opportunities for experiential learning abroad, including internships/research and community based learning programs in conjunction with NGOs and other groups in the field.  Facilitate policy change in order to enhance academic recognition and credit for courses taken and participation in other experiential learning programs abroad.  Create cohort international learning opportunities with a common global citizenship component.  Increase resources and opportunities for graduate study and research abroad, linked to partnership activities.  Lead/facilitate the definition of the knowledge, skills and attitudes graduates need to be successful inter-culturally and internationally and engage senior administration and faculty in the internationalization and renewal of curriculum and co-curricular initiatives to support these skills.  Engage faculties in the development of courses focusing on global citizenship available campus wide.  Implement professional development workshops for staff, students and faculty to address international skills required to be successful.  Create international learning opportunities through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with our partners.

UAI Academic Plan – May 2006 Page 2  Facilitate debate/role of academics in public discourse using ICTs.  Provide a site to support/advise students on international development projects/research.  Develop a strategy to resource the increasing demand for graduate funding to do international project work.  Prepare international students for academic success in advance of their arrival at the University of Alberta through in-country orientations and/or an online “course”.  Undertake a study to better understand international student retention patterns and address issues resulting in students not continuing at the University of Alberta – initial pilot study may be undertaken with one faculty. Use the knowledge gained through this research to transform the University of Alberta experience for international students.  Work with faculties on development of joint graduate level programming with international partners/organizations.  Create recognition of the opportunities to use international core partnerships to integrate teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activities, and expand the numbers of faculties/departments involved, as well as the inter-disciplinary nature of that involvement.  Undertake the development of an international research strategy together with the Vice- President (Research) that focuses resources and efforts in key thematic areas, setting priorities for disciplines and regions of the world.  Focus efforts on building and maintaining research based multi-faculty initiatives that link to major societal challenges and opportunities.

 With existing or realigned resources UAI will pursue the following initiatives:  Develop new models for study abroad to increase the participation rate of the graduating undergraduate class in 2009-10 to 10%.  Increase the diversity of programs abroad thematically and geographically to reflect the university’s interest in addressing the world’s most pressing problems including those in developing countries.  Provide for limited new growth in programs that provide internships, research and community-based learning opportunities abroad for undergraduate and graduate students.  Continue to develop co-curricular programs for students that enhance student engagement and learning and which assist students’ achievement of personal and academic goals.  Enhance the learning environment through intercultural training for students, staff and faculty.  Provide opportunities to gain knowledge, skills and understanding to engage in the role of global citizen – create ethos through programming that enriches the classroom experience.  Provide programming (seminars, panel discussion, conferences, etc.) which bring together perspectives from various disciplines with respect to global issues. Include Indigenous and rural perspectives in programming which address global issues.  Continue the service learning component of the Visiting Student Certificate Program (VSCP) programming as credit for students from Waseda University.  Support curriculum renewal through participation of faculty in international activity; faculty exchange, international guests to campus.  Continue to use core partnerships and networks as a basis for faculties to build integrated programming with faculty and student involvement and a variety of exchange, study and research opportunities.

UAI Academic Plan – May 2006 Page 3  Maintain projects with multi-disciplinary research networks (energy and forestry projects in Mexico; Joint Research Laboratory Project in China).  Develop partnerships in Northern Regions – Scandinavia, Asia, and the USA - that engage faculties in research.  Build international activities that center on research and provide faculty and students with broader multi-disciplinary initiatives at the institutional level.  Capitalize on current linkages to create and support research opportunities for graduate students.  Capitalize on funding to create international research opportunities for graduate students.  Provide support to programming for language and culture, and area and regional studies as a key component for international and cross-cultural education.

Cornerstone: Connecting Communities

Connecting to the World encourages the University to connect with our communities locally, nationally and internationally to address global challenges, engage organizations to mutual benefit, and reinforce alumni connections.

 With new resources, UAI proposes to:  Create a permanent presence on the ground in selected countries, representing and supporting robust collaboration interests and ongoing programs involving students, staff, and faculty that serves as a base to both broaden international strategy and create focal points for the University’s global initiatives.  Systematically include international alumni in all aspects of the University of Alberta’s engagement with the world.  Create research dissemination/policy making/capacity building for northern communities using ICTs.  Engage faculties that are not currently engaged in international activity – find ways to involve them where they have interest and/or capacity.

 With existing or realigned resources UAI will pursue the following initiatives:  Continue to build partnerships in countries of strategic geographic priority such as China Mexico, Japan and Germany.  Engage Bridges program speakers to deliver presentations to rural schools using ICTs.  Facilitate involvement of alumni living abroad to advance the reputation of the University in their country of residence and raise funds to support student mobility programs.  Involve the community (civil society and government) as co-organizers, co-sponsors, speakers and audience participants in programming which addresses global issues.

Cornerstone: Transformative Organization and Support

In order to realize the goals outlined in Connecting with the World the University must invest in infrastructure and support systems that will enable international activity to flourish. We must take advantage of the initiatives already in place to engage students, staff, faculty and alumni and develop new ways to build international capacity.

UAI Academic Plan – May 2006 Page 4  With new resources, UAI proposes to:  Develop a web portal where information on international opportunities and global issues is centralized and readily accessible to members of the University community.  Develop and implement a communication strategy to inform the campus community of the services/support available through UAI.  Expand International House to accommodate more students and to better facilitate the programming and community development activities required to achieve the full vision for International House.  Develop a comprehensive fund development strategy to raise funds for bursaries, scholarships and other resources to support internationalization at the University of Alberta.

 With existing or realigned resources UAI will pursue the following initiatives:  Remove barriers to international learning experiences by raising funds for bursaries and scholarships.  Continue to develop International House as a site for student learning and a cohort-based learning opportunity.  Facilitate community engagement with International House residents, including developing opportunities for I-House residents to engage in community service learning.

Resource Requirements

Within current or realigned resources it will be difficult to move forward new initiatives and reach the goals outlined in Connecting with the World. Few adjustments to UAI’s staff complement and roles would be undertaken.

Moving forward initiatives to support the international vision will require significant investment. A ramp-up period should begin immediately if goals are to be reached by 2010. New operating budget resources in the magnitude of 120% will be required over 4 years (based on the 2005-06 budget of $1,606,861), including approximately 36 additional staff.

These figures are exclusive of the additional resources and staff that will be required to support expanded recruitment of international undergraduate students. Marketing and recruitment will require 16 additional staff over 4 years. Until revenue from international student differential fees is sufficient to cover all expenditures related to recruitment, support and retention of international students, supplementary funding will be required to support these activities.

UAI Academic Plan – May 2006 Page 5