18 International Educator JAN+FEB.09 When cation, which provides an alternative to the traditional model into integrating thecipline the course itinerary work.” program provides an of overview our world, with each dis fers academic credit though the . director “Ourof university outreach at Semester at whichSea, of- in an ever-shrinking world,” says Marty Greenham, national their relationship to each other and their interdependence firsthandseeing cultures, severalstudy and visit todents , andthe Guatemala, United States. , Italy, , , Thailand,, , , plorer will call at in more than 10 countries, including and Bahamas, ends in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The MVEx The spring 2009 itinerary, for example,begins in Nassau, the months, students and their professors sail around the world. floating university.essence,836—ina of cupancyfour In oc an and classrooms nine with ship cruise passenger offered by global education abroad programs such as Semestereducation Sea. as at abroad suchoffered byglobal programs national travel. Today their itinerary—minus the elephants—resembles those Semester atSemester is justSea one example - of multicountry edu “Semester at Sea offers a unique opportunity for stu for opportunity unique a offers Sea at “Semester Eachterm, students board the MV Explorer, a six-deck Thejourney certainly provided the pairwith aneducation in inter cutta, , Yokohama, San Francisco, and New York. New and Yokohama,Francisco, San Kong, Hong cutta, begins in and includes stops in Suez, Bombay,- Cal Suez, in stops includes and London in begins 1873 In globe in 80 days by train, steam ship, and elephant. Their trip lish gentleman and his French valet who circumnavigate the Eng- an of tale adventurousthe , Days EightyWorld in the O

French author Jules Verne published Jules authorFrench - - - - grams want to see as much of the world as possible. as world the of much as see to want grams discovered ontheir voyage,”they he says. countries the of one in abroad study to plans making start immediately and campuses home their to return students careersand they donot know where to start. Many ofour undergraduate their during countries several visit to want along the way. “We are finding that more and more students country” “their across come just may they although ture, cul- single or language a in interest particular no have who aninternship with inanother.in onecountry studies combine or locations, different in time their up split can Students program. degree full a even or overseas, year during summer or winter break, others involve ala semesterstudies. Whileor many such programs are short within a coursesparticular discipline or around a theme, such held as glob- to several countries in the same region, of studying orabroad in a asingle country. courseThiscan involve travel developed ay tdns h ot o mlionr pro- multicountry for opt who students Many Greenham says traveling programs are ideal for students ne Around is -

Not Enough

Multicountry education offers an alternative to traditional study abroad programs in a single location by allowing students to deepen their knowledge of particular disciplines, to benefit from cross-cultural comparisons, and to learn the lessons of life on the road. 20 International Educator JAN+FEB.09 S tudents study Semester at aboard the Sea ship.

beauty which thisbeauty to world offer.” has the of magnitude the grasp better can they cultures local culture. Yet, when one gets to see many different ally grasping the language and deeply indulging in the re- of benefits the gets probably one time, of period itonthe television.” orseeing it inabook seeing it with my own two eyes, and not just reading thatactuallyI had the experience ofbeing there and country gave me the pride and confidence of knowingeach in being actually of idea “The horizons: his en many different cultures gave him the chance to broad - experiencing that says (), YoungUniversity Brigham from graduate history The reasons. similar chosetostudy abroad inmore than onecountry for 2007. infall at inSemester ticipated Sea currentlyat Statesenior Ohio a University, par who wouldn’t have enough,”been says Bergheger,Lindsey asme, being connected to a single university abroad wanderlust much as with Forsomeone excitement. much so provided experience multicountry “The “Of course in a single country over an extended an over country single a in course“Of also Hearn, Brett classmates, Bergheger’s of One - and have little contact with locals. and have little contact locals. with grouped together in the same heldclasses, in English, will actually occur. In many foreign cases, students are immersion that guarantee no is country single a in truly learn a language and culture. However, studyingto way best the is immersion full that is programs abroad islonger than asemester,” says. Gehlhar ture,definitely a minus unless the overall time period students gaining deeper understandings of any one cul- which clearlyperiod, is but a it plus, also works against time given a in cultures more experience to students allows certainly countries multiple in opportunities educational Finding itineraries. and plans crafted fully care- more to lead can which buck, diminishing their tions for students (and programs) to get greater bang for come can at the ofcultural expense courses, depth. versity, warn that a busy itinerary, especiallychancellor for internationalfor affairs atEast Carolina shorter Uni- Some educators, such as James Gehlhar, associate vice Depth vs. Breadth One of the main arguments against multicountry there apushfromalldirec iscertainly “Nowadays, semester at sea -

JAN+FEB.09 International Educator 21 sea r at semeste

should be planned so as to maximize maximize to as so planned be should peoples, the with acquaintance real include etc.—and languages, cultures, analyze to students for opportunities and between differences and similarities and societies.” countries among the visited Off-the-shelf multicountry programs programs multicountry Off-the-shelf However, as However, Gehlhar recommends, Antioch still Boersig feels she was able to gain a cultural Leslie King, assistant director of education abroad abroad education of director assistant King, Leslie “ strives to promote interaction with and exposure to depth’ ‘cultural maintain to order “In culture. local the di- guarantee to hard work we programs, our of all of community, host the with immersion and contact rect stays, home Through academically. and culturally both internship individual and research, field independent we placement, make sure each students experience King says. country visited its to fullest,” foothold in all of the countries she visited through Studies Gender and Women’s Comparative Antioch’s sexuality gender, explores which program, in issues, and feminism in various regions of Europe. The itineraryto includes the travel ,Po- and England. Czech Republic,land, the Germany, room for students’ own reflections on similarities and and similarities on reflections own students’ for room says Gehlhar. differences,” at Antioch, says there are advantages of both types of programs and it is really dependent upon what the student is looking for from his or her education experience. abroad - - Rachel Sanson, program director at Pacific Discov Pacific at director program Sanson, Rachel design. program of importance the speaksto This “Off-the-shelfmulticountry programs should be Leah Boersig, a senior at Kenyon College in Ohio “The onlyreal benefit I had heard for choosing She says many traditional programs fail to live eign language is seldom, and they do not often get the get often not do they and seldom, is language eign experiences’ ‘cultural the in participate to opportunity they supposedly are for.” there New Zealand/ in programs regional ery—whichoffers Australia, Southeast , and Nepal/Tibet—agrees necessarily don’t programs single-country many that offer cultural depth. “Students on our programs tell or their friends, us ‘regular’ their, study that abroad experiences (where a student attends and lives at a university in another country) are not so rewarding. other with socialize to tend they that found have They students doing the same thing (i.e., other - U.S. stu do and university) same the at abroad studying dents the in immersed as be or peoplelocal meet to get not she says. local as they culture expected they would,” Gehlhar says that regardless of the duration of the travel or the number of countries visited, the best education abroad experiences include opportunities in countries and cultures the with interaction real for more be to students encourage should They question. disengaged just than tourists. planned so as to maximize real acquaintance with the peoples, cultures, languages, etc.—and include and similarities analyze to students for opportunities countries visited the among and between differences and societies. Enrollment exchanges and programs allow also should design themselves students the that who participated in multicountry semester program this sentiment. shares University, by Antioch offered one country was ‘to immerse yourself in the culture’ and customs, and language its learning a country, of after However, there. life in absorbed truly becoming speaking to many friends who studied, more - tradi real a of case the rarely is that country, one in tionally, she says. experience,” student’s up expectationsstudents’ to because of a of lack real interaction with the culture of their host country: “Most often, American students are sequestered with usually or dormitories, in apartments together only other Americans but occasionally with other students.foreign they do Rarely meet, less be much - friend, anyone from the country they are living in. Because their classes are often in English and their friends there are English speakers, their use of a for 22 International Educator JAN+FEB.09 during amulticountry S education abroad different cultures tudents have the learn from many opportunity to experience. people. They arrive in a country prepared to witness witness to prepared country a in arrive They people. economy,and politics, customs, its culture, a about learn studentsdo our but immersion, on based gram “Wejourney: do not pretend to be a study abroad pro- Studentswellpreparedarestopsalongtheirthefor ing the course curriculum with the places being visited. many Icould,” places as says. Boersig as visit would I figured I so visiting, just always were in a foreign country for two weeks or a semester, they many differentcities. I felt that whether a student was but I truly valued my ability to experience and love so left, I time the by well as streets city’s a didn’t know I Perhaps get. would program abroad American an in semester a for there staying students thatculture its to exposure the nearly got I country, ticular Greenham Greenham emphasizes the importance of integrat par any in weeks three my in that say would “I - - once or twice and then be off at for five days. days. five for port at off be then and twice or once far as disruptions from class—for stretches we’d meet as on going much too was “There research: real of there wasn’t a great amount of depth, at least in terms and visiting professor at Semester at Sea in 2007, says University Seattle at history of professor associate travel schedule does have its drawbacks. Tom Taylor, the to textbooks life.” for acatalyst bringing as amountited of time…The serve activities in-country peaked to the point of discovering far more in the lim- staysTheir interestand projects. service/volunteer is home- as such opportunities, other and programs field faculty-developed the of most the make dents intheandthroughoutabout classroom the ship.” hearing and reading been have they what firsthand However, some educators do admit that a hectic hectic a that admit do educators However, some stu but time, short a is days six or “Four,five, -

JAN+FEB.09 International Educator 23

EU uropean uropean E undus, which means means which undus, M - - “inte be must courses The Mundus supports Erasmus rasmus rasmus Source: European Commission Commission European Source: least three different different three least countries. under be selected to grated” E period study a incorporate they of the three two least in at and universities participating a of award the to lead must or multiple, double, recognized joint degree. master’s 90 approximately of in a wide variety courses - avail are disciplines. Grants graduate 5,000 around for able - non-EU coun from students 4,000 for as well as tries, graduate students to study in in study to students graduate countries. third ducation Abroad Abroad ducation ducation ulticountry master’s ulticountry becoming are degrees in common increasingly aster’s courses must be be must courses aster’s M The program supports supports program The uropean higher education education higher uropean E such as programs through Mundus, which aims to Erasmus the quality of higherenhance promote and education and understanding intercultural mobility through student countries with cooperation outside of Europe. by courses master’s European visiting and students allowing world the around from scholars postgraduate in engage to - universi European at study ties. offered by a consortium of at at of consortium a by offered at in universities three least Multicountry E Multicountry ises in Europe Rises in Popularity nternational E An International While many programs emphasize the cultural - com the on is focus their that state explicitly others ponent, particular discipline rather than on the cultural as pects of their destination. in Education theseabroad not necessarily cases often means global—although local—experience. aw, wow, they are so exotic.’ But they wow, once are aw, one so has exotic.’ been around and really opened their eyes to the reality, same the everyone for basicallylivingsee theythat is some- their live trying is to desires.Everyone human times very hard lives, and wake up every only day to feed families.” and love their - - omparison Antioch Antioch also sees cross-cultural comparison as - pro ship the say faculty Sea at Semester Similarly, “Being able to see many different placesat least From the perspective,student’s Hearn says the Despite the risk of losing cultural depth, Sanson

ross-cultural C Cross-cultural Sanson particularly emphasizes the importance of cross-cultural comparisons: “Our multicountry - pro grams spend time in similar countries in the same con- geographical participantsto allows region.This similar outwardly are that cultures and countries trast enabling differences, complex have course, of do, but participants to get a better handle on the country/ culture than had they visited just one country and home country.” it with their contrasted one of the main advantages of multicountry - pro grams. Both of its courses traveling are promoted as fieldstudies comparative programs in eachof their respective academic disciplines. vided an opportunity to allow students to analyze differences betweencountries. Taylor agrees with Sanson that the main benefit of themulticountry model is comparative. gets students to think about similarities and differ ences in experiences. I was pretty pleased that my some things aboutwhy thinking classesstudents got happen in some places and not in others. What fac politics,religion—impact culture, tors—environment, says. he events?” historical comparative aspect of Semester at Sea taught him that people have more similarities than differences: “Sometimes as Americans, been have to we tend so- or ‘other’, an is there that believe to taught or cialized people, at looking around go we So us. from different all kinds of people, with a microscope saying, ‘Uh , (But) coming in on a ship is an amazing way to set the set to way amazing an is ship a on in coming (But) worked.” (that) and I think a place for stage abroad education multicountry of advantages the says potential the is drawbacks:“First, potential outweigh learning the enhance to countries similar contrast to potential from the students’ experiences. Second, is that it is environmentally responsible to visit more than one country in a given region at once, rather than make multiple trips, because the international flight fromthe United States hasmuch more nega- tive environmental impact than the regional travel warmingglobal of terms in carbon emissions. Third, money their for value more get they that feel students program.” on a multicountry by going

k stoc r utte h s / Hoppe ven S 24 International Educator JAN+FEB.09 Designing Programs T signed withacentral disciplinaryfocus. the coursework, whichshouldbede- Fieldwork shouldalsobeintegrated into ing reading and writing, is essential. ough predeparture preparation, includ- learning, andinternships. meeting locals, home stays, service just as tourists, for example through explore theculture inotherways than Students should also be encouraged to and amongthevisited countries. similarities and differences between opportunities for students to analyze cultures, languages, etc.—and include real acquaintance with the peoples, should be planned so as to maximize Multicountry programs Successful Especially for shortcourses, thor- for Educa ips Multicountry tion Abro preparefortheattendingtripby classmeetings and to required are Students Macau. and Shenzhen to trips day with Kong, Hong in week a Sydney,and in professors, spend a week in Queenstown, three weeks HongKong.Students, whoare accompanied byUD Australia,Zealand, JanuaryprogramNew toandin conducive to subject. intensive study ofaspecific summer session. These shorter courses are particularlypate in four- or five-week courses- partici students these of heldpercent 90 almost overseas, during winter or studies body studentUD’s of percent 40 than more major.specific tailoredstudentstoawith Although multicountry pline-based education abroad programs An example of UD’s offerings include a five-week - disci several offers (UD) Delaware of University ad

and their parents (bill payers). They audiences: thestudents (participants) program, that you have two target among students buildsgreater interest. grams in early years until word-of-mouth are smallnumbers applyingfor new pro- programs are priorparticipants.There The most effective advertisements for to conduct multicountry programs. digest what they saw and experienced. ing comes from getting students to prepare for thenext stop, butthelearn- reflect on what happened in the rush to after another, the danger can be to not especially withseveral destinations one where they have been. During the trip, R Make a multiple-year commitment

emember, when designing your they are goingbutalso processing

preparing students for where tions, beliefs,andideals. Spend time not only Spend timenotonly their own views, percep - opportunity to recognize gives students greater serving multiple cultures abroad programs. Ob- gle-country education programs have over sin- advantage multicountry aspect isthebiggest The comparative excursions, the primary focus is on comparing the comparing on is focus primary the excursions, rience. “While we augment the program with cultural focus of the UD program is on the international expe- Administration ofBusiness atDepartment UD. the in professor a and course the of director faculty taking,”Broach, are Carter students saysthe courses tour. Company presentations are focused plant ona by whatever followed Q&A, including executives, pany Company visits typically involve presentations by com- finance, andmanagement. marketing, within primarily majors, school business graduate under senior and junior are Participants travel. to prior semester the during assignments on working Although they include a cultural component, the the component, cultural a include they Although “The format is tovisit a different company each day. with faculty directors. shared be should visited countries various the for applications visa of procedures and policies The ments. ry for recurring program require- and take opportunities asthey come. schedule needsto beflexible to adjust portunities may open up, so the class political events) orunexpected op- destination for some reason (weather, change—you may not make it to some lot of flexibility built into them. Things that would beworth visiting.”). there have to be some companies there too, as it’s so popular among students; Switzerland we mightas well goto Italy attractive to students. (“Well, if we’re in tion or make a program appear more on thedesire to experience anew loca- based on an academic justification, not change location should always be firmly be wasted on logistics. The decision to wise costs will increase, and time will should bekept to aminimum,other- participation in the program. three credit hours to justify their child’s programs to consist ofat least two to program. For example, parents want have different expectations from the Try to develop institutional memo- Classes on the road should have a Travel inmulticountry programs -

JAN+FEB.09 International Educator 25

i k sa A ecca B of tesy r cou oto Ph ollege, performs a performs ollege, ecca Asaki, a Becca Island Long at student Global University’s C Zulu dance. With six With international in centers , Chi- Over four years, students are exposed to three the With current program, all incoming fresh- Going Global While shorter courses often require a trade-off be- tween cultural immersion and subject depth, other, best the experience to students allow programs longer of both worlds. na, South Japan, , India, and the United States, campus Brooklyn the at headquartered College, Global unique a offers York, New in University Island Long of Thestudies. global in degree undergraduate four-year linguistic and cultural in-depth the combines program cross- the with programs single-country of immersion aspectscultural programs. of multicountry world regions where they pursue field work and in- as as well cross-cultural hone their dependent study, area to addition skills.In writing and communication each seminar a is there courses, language and studies year to students critical introducing texts in theory and method. Many of the courses also incorporate service learning, homestays, and internships. man spend a year in Costa Rica, where they learn - com intercultural research, qualitative of basics the They Spanish. alsoas as intensive well munication, explore Latin America, with two longer field trips Nicaraguato and . - In Sydney—the business capital of Australia—the Australia—the of capital businessSydney—the In Hong Kong wasHe adds that chosen as a way to The choice of destinations is a combination of what of combination a is destinations of choice The ting a suntan. The secondary draw is Queenstown because it is the extreme sport capital of [New Zea- of confluence happy a is There world. the not if land], academic and extracurricular interests in these two Broach. explains locales,” group visits a mix of and companies Australian sub- sidiaries of companies.U.S. Broach says the focus is on international business instead of local peculiari- ties: “In both cases, we are more in interested their international business activities rather than the do- mestic ones.” in market potential largest the to students introduce the world. “Hong Kong is a business hub for China business most international that advantage withthe is conducted in English. Our foray to Shenzhen is to expose students to mainland Chinese business,” says. Broach NZ/Aus/HK companies’ strategies to those in the U.S. U.S. the in those to strategies companies’ NZ/Aus/HK contrasting business cul- comparisonsThose include versus So,tures there in the the broader U.S. cultural Broach. says in priority,” third is a distant context students want and what provides a useful academic Australia; is students for draw major “The experience. sunny it’s and hot there in January—perfect for get 26 International Educator JAN+FEB.09 E veryone is trying to live their sometimes very hard lives, and wake up every day really openedtheireyes to thereality, only to feed andlove theirfamilies.” they see that everyone is basically living for the same human desires. “Once one has been around and tions are madefor proceeding; sugges and reviewed is student’swork ongoing n n Web site, this includes fivemajor components: periential learning model. According to the program All of the courses at Global College are based on an ex Experiential L student adviser; andhisorher faculty York-baseddoing aninternship at aNew organization. as well as thesis, senior their writing spring the spend in the United States at the campus in Brooklyn. Students tion in the autumn, and culminates with a semester back and Thailand, India, Turkey. ,in weeks eightto six staystudents program, Religion and Culture Program (CRC). With the CRC Comparative the in participate can they or Africa, two options: one semester in Japan and one in South have students year,third their In China. or India country study abroad experience.” multi- my of because Islam of understanding better and diverse so culturally influenced. I feel that I have one country. I was able to see how the lived religion is in it studied only had I if have would I than Islam of countries, I felt that I learned more about the religion therestudied the longest,” sheexplains. I because other any than better culturethat know I that feel I and Rica Costa in year a for studied I abroad.studydon’tmulticountry a much in as get you thatculture one into depth greater you gives and York.New “I thatdo believe staying one place program, where she studied Islam in Turkey, India, in the CRC participation her as well as immersion, cultural intense both from benefited has lege, through a learning plan formulated jointly by the by jointly formulated plan learning a through through regular advising sessions, in which a which in sessions, advising regular through Their final year includes field work and data collec data and work field includes year final Their either in year full a comprises year second The “However, Islaminthree whenstudying different Col- Global at senior a currently Asaki, Becca earning

- - - reflected upon; reflected and presented, analyzed, documented, is learning benefit from whateach student benefit learned; has to opportunity the others giving and learning their and orally present their study as a means of clarifying organize, on, reflect students which in community n n n December 2008issue. was “Abroad After Graduation” intheNovember/ writer inStockholm, Sweden. Herlast articlefor IE States and former Fulbright fellow, is a freelance CHARLOTTE WES those who can handle it, itislife changing.” handleit, whocan those excels in an experiential learning environment. But for study abroad for four years, and because not everyone to cultures, changeconstantly to demanding very be to study. I don’t believe it is for it because everyone can ing to me because I wasn’t exactly sure where I travel to wantedmany different- whichwas appeal countries, to you allows also It States. United the from degree a get still and years half a and three forStates United the of studyoutside can whereyou school theonly is try degree program: “I chose Global College because it it.” about just talking painting [ink or wash painting] in Japan rather than was being celebrated, or learned how to do a sumi-e Muharram where [mosque] masjid a to went we Muharram [the first month of the Islamic calendar], on lecture a having of insteadFor example,place. first the in them facilitate they why is which tions, interac these encourages education experiential on emphasis school’s Our connections. make us help to age our people or students local to us ing introduc of point a make programs our of “Many cultures: local the to exposure her shaped model experiences are integrated into the courses.” experience,”your field that the is key “The says. she processing reflecting and andcomingback and out goingout and doing something blindly, you’re going “You’re just setting. not academic an in experiences isenhanced through opportunities to integrate their this field, the in learning time their of most spend nior studies at Global College, says that while students isgranted. which credit and upon upon which students receive feedback on their work through faculty evaluation of the portfolio, the basis through writing a portfolio of learning in which which in learning of portfolio a writing through through presentations given before the learning learning the before given presentations through Asaki Asaki sums up her experience with her multicoun- learning experiential the how explains Asaki Joann Halpern, director of academic affairs andse- T, an expatriate from the United IE

- -