NEWS
ACE Recognizes Internationalization Task Force Success
A peer review team from the Internationalization Laboratory of the American Council on Education (ACE) has given high praise to the work of the UK Internationalization Task Force, stating that “the University of Kentucky has made great headway in enhancing its internationalization and is at a propitious moment in time to broaden and deepen these efforts.”
In Spring 2007, Provost Kumble R. Subbaswamy appointed the Internationalization Task Force, comprised of faculty representatives from each College, along with other faculty members and an ex officio committee of staff members from the Office of International Affairs and Student Affairs. It was co-chaired by Beth Barnes, Director of the School of Journalism and Telecommunications and John Yopp, Associate Provost for Educational Partnerships. Collaborating with the Internationalization Laboratory of the American Council on Education, the Task Force was charged with assessing the current state of international teaching, research, engagement, and co-curriculum at the University of Kentucky, as compared with benchmark and peer institutions, and recommending strategies for increasing the international dimension of the University’s statewide, national and global missions.
The Task Force worked for 18 months addressing crucial issues such as the need for a campus-wide inventory of current international activity, and the benefits and drawbacks of central coordination versus college-based activity in the current campus culture. The group had a myriad of goals, which included the creation of a widely accessible database of international activity, increasing the number of international students at UK as well as the number of students who participate in Education Abroad, and the reduction of the “transaction costs” involved in creating inter-institutional collaborations and partnerships.
In January 2009, to mark the conclusion of the planning process, a Peer Review Team organized by the ACE visited UK, met with numerous individuals, examined UK’s progress and issued their stamp of approval. In addition to ACE membership, the site visit team included experts from Michigan State University, the University of Montana, and the Indiana university system. The evaluation group praised the work already underway, as well as the Task Force’s “Global Kentucky” Strategic Plan, which outlines their goals for the future. “The University of Kentucky is clearly fortunate to have support for internationalization from many faculty and administrators,” states the ACE team’s report. “UK is well-positioned to continue its work in internationalization because it has all the key ingredients: leadership, energy and systems for establishing learning goals and assessing their outcomes.”
The review committee also recognized the changes that are already underway, in terms of international activity. In 2007-2008, there were 563 UK students studying abroad against a projection of 520. This number exceeded that of the previous year by 15 percent. During that same period, the number of international undergraduate applications increased from 142 to 387. Internationalization has also been enhanced through the creation of the International Studies major and new General Education requirements focusing on global dynamics.
In addition, various possibilities for joint or dual degrees are under discussion at the undergraduate and graduate levels. And UK has numerous successful international partnerships such as “Destination Germany,” a program funded through a grant obtained by the German-American Fulbright Commission that allows 20 UK students to visit Potsdam, Germany for five weeks this summer.
The “Global Kentucky” Strategic Plan builds on this momentum. It redefines and reiterates the role of the UK Office of International Affairs as a campus resource and calls for the establishment of a UK International Council, to be comprised of representatives from each college and other campus experts. Jointly, these two entities will meet the needs of faculty, staff and students. OIA will assist with everything from paying foreign guests to securing housing for visitors to recommending ways for study abroad experiences to be credit-bearing. The Council will concentrate on strategic initiatives and policy issues, addressing topics ranging from international grant opportunities (especially those that can maximize existing research strengths) to establishing dual degrees to assessing the advisability of student travel to “high risk” areas.
In order to implement these newly identified objectives, two new positions have been created. Susan Carvalho, Professor of Hispanic Studies, was named Associate Provost for International Programs. In this role, she has oversight of OIA, will serve as chair of the International Council, and will represent internationalization priorities at all administrative levels. Another key objective set forth by the strategic plan is the enhancement of development efforts, including the activation of UK’s international student alumni network. Toward this goal, former OIA Director David Bettez has assumed the role of Director of External Relations in the Office of International Affairs. In this capacity, his work will focus on international Development, as well as securing grants and agreements with international institutions.
Provost Kumble Subbaswamy praised the Task Force for their accomplishments, saying, “I am very pleased that the Internationalization Strategic Plan has been completed. It is thoughtful, thorough, comprehensive and fiscally responsible. In my opinion, the drafting of this Internationalization Strategic Plan is a critical step in charting UK’s path to achieving its Top 20 mandate.”
To read more about the Task Force and the University’s ongoing commitment to internationalization, visit http://www.uky.edu/ITF/.