The ISEP Network Connects You to the World
ISEP Biennial Conference 2008
Session Descriptions
Friday, November 21, 2008 - 10:30-11:45
Parallel Sessions
MEETING EXPANDING NEEDS FOR STUDY ABROAD
Student interest in study abroad is increasing, both in numbers participating and in the types of experiences and destinations sought. Further, the proposed Simon Act legislation in the United States envisions even greater expansion in U.S. study abroad. Meeting the increasing demand by U.S. students and institutions for a quality education abroad experience will require a broader institutional commitment, more innovative programming to address students' interests, and a significant increase in capacity abroad. Where are the needs for increased capacity? How might U.S. and international ISEP member institutions cooperate to expand opportunities for their own and each other's students? Following brief comments, European and U.S. presenters will engage participants in a dialogue.
SETTING STANDARDS AND ASSURING QUALITY IN STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
The Forum on Education Abroad (The Forum) is an institutional member association that exclusively serves the field of education abroad. In 2005, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission recognized the Forum as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for education abroad, and subsequently the Forum's Standards of Good Practice have become the definitive means by which the quality of education abroad programs are judged. Using these Standards, The Forum also developed the Quality Improvement Program for Education Abroad (QUIP), a self-study and peer review quality assurance program for Forum member institutions and organizations. Since ISEP is a member of the Forum, this session will address how the Forum Standards and QUIP impact ISEP. Other questions which will be discussed are: Should ISEP endorse the Forum Standards? Should ISEP participate in QUIP? How are ISEP’s U.S. and international member institutions affected?
INDEPENDENT STUDY, SERVICE LEARNING AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH ISEP: STUDENT AND COORDINATOR PERSPECTIVES
Independent study, service learning and volunteer opportunities are gaining in popularity among students as they seek meaningful integration into their host cultures. What are the motivating factors for host institutions and communities to create these opportunities? The challenges and rewards? What are considerations for offering credit for the experience? What are students’ needs, goals and expectations? Do they change during their involvement in the project? How might home institutions prepare students for the experience? Presenters and ISEP alumni will share their perspectives as they highlight opportunities on multiple continents.
ROUNDTABLE SESSION FOR BUSINESS FACULTY MEMBERS
Comparing Agendas for Business Education and Identifying How ISEP Meets Shared Needs and Interests
Business schools throughout the world have responded to the need to prepare graduates for a globalized economy by internationalizing curricula and requiring or encouraging students to include an experience abroad in their degree program. The seminar will bring together business educators from the U.S. and several other countries to discuss these and other issues, identify solutions, and develop an agenda for future cooperation within the ISEP Network
Friday, November 21, 2008 - 2:15-3:45
Parallel Sessions
YOU ARE NOT ALONE: THE ISEP NETWORK RESPONDS TO CRISES, HEALTH & SAFETY ISSUES
It’s 2:00 AM and the phone rings. An ISEP student needs your help. It’s a real emergency. You’ve prepared for just such a situation – or have you? After hearing three case studies from ISEP member institutions, participants will break into small groups to discuss hypothetical situations, how they might prepare for and respond to them, and the available resources through the ISEP Network. Discussion groups are invited to share ideas of how to strengthen our connections as a network and to better communicate with each other to ensure the safety of our students. Participants will leave with the beginnings of an action plan as well as a better understanding of the roles, responsibilities and expectations of the home/host institutions and ISEP Central.
ENGAGING FACULTY TO INTEGRATE STUDY ABROAD INTO THE CURRICULUM
Just as campus internationalization (in the U.S.) and Internationalization at Home (in Europe) have become established as the norm for how institutions of higher education become more international, so is the approach to study abroad shifting from the study abroad experience itself to how that experience is integrated into both individual students’ education and the educational efforts of institutions as a whole. This session addresses ways in of engaging faculty to make study abroad integration more effective, including study abroad through ISEP. Examples to be discussed include the development of advising resources, outreach to faculty, and faculty development activities.
ISEP NETWORKING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
ISEP will soon implement the latest version of Office Live Meeting Web conferencing to communicate and collaborate more frequently and easily with coordinators and students regardless of their location. Join ISEP staff for an introduction of Web conferencing and to learn more about live video, document sharing and archived video recordings. Participants will be asked to share ideas and suggestions on how to better use this system for activities such as Coordinator training, presence at Study Abroad Fairs and pre-departure orientation sessions.
IDEA SWAP: FACUTLY EXCHANGES AND THE ISEP NETWORK
How might the ISEP Network be used as a foundation for facilitating faculty exchanges? What kind of a faculty exchange program would your institution like to participate in using the ISEP Network? Join ISEP staff for a roundtable discussion to present your ideas and suggestions that may help shape new opportunities available through ISEP.
ROUNDTABLE SESSION FOR SENIOR CAMPUS ADMINSTRATORS
Campus Internationalization and ISEP: A Conversation with the ISEP Board of Directors
This roundtable discussion will focus on campus internationalization and explore how ISEP can support institutional goals, drawing directly from Friday morning’s plenary on assessing campus internationalization. The session will result in a brief presentation of conclusions and recommendations at the closing event of the conference, which might serve as the basis for future program development at ISEP.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 8:30 – 9:45 AM
PARALLEL SESSIONS
COOPERATING TO MEET THE CHALLENGE OF CREDIT TRANSFER: U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Students and Coordinators face many credit transfer challenges before, during and after the student’s ISEP Experience. What are the roles and responsibilities of the student, the Home and Host Coordinators and the ISEP Central Office during each of these phases? What resources, tools and tips are available to help meet these challenges? After brief presentations, session participants will break into small groups to discuss the topics and issues in detail.
GET THE EDGE: SUBMITTING A COMPETITIVE ISEP APPLICATION (ADVISING U.S. STUDENTS)
ISEP Staff, ISEP Coordinators and session participants will engage in an interactive discussion about how a successful, competitive ISEP application is created, submitted, reviewed and processed…giving your student that added “edge.”
USING ISEP’S RESOURCES—PUTTING ISEP’S TOOLS AND NETWORK TO WORK
With a huge portfolio of options, ISEP may seem overwhelming to your students. Come receive practical tips for utilizing and customizing the ISEP resources available for recruiting outgoing students. We’ll flip the tables for the second portion of the session to discuss how to make information about your university more accessible and enticing to incoming ISEP students. Learn from other Coordinators about how they have integrated ISEP into their marketing strategies.
INTERNATIONAL-TO-INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Eighty international members in 23 countries exchange students with each other through ISEP. Since 1996, almost 2,000 students have participated in these exchanges. Where is the potential for further growth? What are the challenges? Students know ISEP as a gateway to the U.S. How can opportunities in other world regions be made visible? This interactive session will explore these and other questions and define goals for the future.
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM
PARALLEL SESSIONS
U.S. STUDENT BILLING AND FINANCIAL AID MODELS
This session explores different models of internal billing for ISEP-Exchange and ISEP-Direct programs, as well as methods of distributing financial aid and scholarships. Panelists from four U.S. institutions will share their experiences; an ISEP Program Officer will share financial aid resources and other tools available through ISEP to help with the administrative process. Attendees will gain knowledge about administrative models of fellow U.S. ISEP member institutions, ideas about how to incorporate these procedures at home and ways to increase the financial viability of students studying abroad.
GET THE EDGE: SUBMITTING A COMPETITIVE ISEP APPLICATION (ADVISING INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS)
ISEP Staff, ISEP Coordinators, and session participants will engage in an interactive discussion about how a successful and competitive ISEP application is created, submitted, reviewed and processed…giving your students that added “edge.”
WHAT WORKS! MARKETING ISEP ON YOUR CAMPUS: US AND INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTATIVES
How effective and cutting edge is our advertising and promotion of study abroad? Are we reaching our audience and making the most of the resources available on our campuses and from ISEP? This session will look at marketing from three different approaches-- developing and implementing a DVD project that highlights international partnerships and catches student interest, using your study abroad office’s website to its greatest effectiveness, and creating university-specific print materials that can be a “one-stop-shop” for answering questions about study abroad. Each presenter will also relate how the ISEP website and publications are utilized on campus in conjunction with their own resources.
THE ISEP EXPERIENCE THROUGH SHORT-TERM PROGRAMS
While summer study abroad is a very different experience from academic year/semester study, it can be meaningful and rewarding. ISEP offers many interesting programs which are constantly growing in numbers. What is the extent of which ISEP summer programs offer the “the ISEP Experience?” How do these summer programs differ from semester and year long ISEP programs? What are the expectations and needs of summer program participants? This session will also provide examples of ISEP summer programs that offer language and culture programs as well as internships.