Learn More about ICEF Mentor and ICEF Achieve at #nafsa17

This is a long overdue post about some very interesting developments happening at ICEF.  This goes back to the 2016 NAFSA Annual Conference in Denver but my family life, my work and my side projects prevented me from fully investigating and posting to IHEC Blog.

ICEF now offers expanded development and advisory services to further support international educators in a growing and complex field.  In this post I will briefly describe two services that I think IHEC Blog readers may find to be of interest and may wish to learn more about by following the links provided.

ICEF Mentor
ICEF Mentor is a complete market readiness programme based on established best practices, current research, and input from industry leaders.  It is designed to help international education institutions maximize their potential, avoid common pitfalls and progress toward their goals more quickly and efficiently.

ICEF Mentor connects you with an experienced international educator to examine every part of the international student journey within your institution and looks to build on strengths, integrate best practices and paces emphasis on solutions.

You can learn more about ICEF Mentor here.

ICEF Achieve
ICEF partnered with Barton Carlyle to develop and deliver ICEF Achieve.  ICEF Achieve helps you to succeed in all aspects of international enrollment management by combining ICEF's market insights and Barton Carlyle's team of international education specialists.

ICEF Achieve Supports Institutions Seeking to:

• Increase international student enrollments, increase student diversity, or both
• Develop strategies and goals aligned with the resources, capability, mission and vision of your institution
• Decide on the level of investment needed for large-scale initiatives such as in-country operations, major partnerships, or significant market entry
• Work effectively in partnership with agents/representatives, government bodies, other institutions, and service providers worldwide to deliver goals and objectives
• Effectively navigate the risks involved in delivering an internationalization strategy

You can learn more about ICEF Achieve here.

If you are interested in learning more about what ICEF has to offer and you are attending the upcoming 2017 NAFSA Annual conference in Los Angeles swing by the ICEF Booth (#P1401) in the exhibit hall.

Disclosure:  I receive no compensation or other benefits for this IHEC Blog post.

Follow the Twitter Backchannel from the 2017 Annual NAFSA Conference from May 28 to June 2, 2017 in Los Angeles #NAFSA17

#NAFSA17 Tweets

The 'Fearless Global Citizen' Initiative

Today, the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) launched the Fearless Global Citizen initiative.  This is a great initiative and something I'm very excited about and I thought IHEC Blog readers will also find interest so I'm sharing the news!

According to the press release, Fearless Global Citizen is a “non-partisan, international campaign designed to motivate youth to travel without fear.  This effort is in direct response to recent world events; the intent is to combat negativity and highlight the importance of understanding other cultures. The mission is to bring the world together by encouraging international exchange and travel around the globe.

What defines a Fearless Global Citizen? It is an individual who:

• Steps outside their comfort zone—leaving behind the familiar, unafraid to travel to learn more about themselves and the world.
• Experiences a variety of cultures firsthand—learning about the world, its people and its cultures through travel simply has no substitute.
• Explores the world to enhance their career: gaining an international perspective creates a broader understanding and respect of ideas and commerce around the world.
• Gains appreciation of the world around them—respecting fellow global citizens begins with the understanding of their lives, culture and values, which results in genuine appreciation.
• Embraces diversity—whether it's religion, race, culture or gender, diversity comes in many forms. In order to learn from one another, we must first gain an understanding about one another.

Fearless Global Citizen will spotlight individuals from around the world, who have embraced the spirit of international exploration, on its website at www.fearlessglobalcitizen.org. The site allows people to share why they decided to explore the world and their experiences. The site highlights how being a global citizen is vital to a peaceful and diverse world.

If you will be attending the upcoming NAFSA Annual Conference in Los Angeles and want to learn more stop by the AIFS booth (#P1716) in the exhibit hall.


Disclosure:  I receive no form of compensation from this post.  It's a wonderful initiative and one that I fully support and I wanted to post about it.

Two Tweets Today by Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) on Importance of International Students to the U.S. and his District #YouAreWelcomeHere

In my district alone, nearly 5000 #Intlstudents contribute $137.3 million, supporting 1,725 jobs each year. #YouAreWelcomeHere pic.twitter.com/TxPx5DofXk

— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 23, 2017

#Intlstudents make a vital contribution to our country's security & economic wellbeing. We must remain open and welcoming #YouAreWelcomeHere

— Gerry Connolly (@GerryConnolly) May 23, 2017

Forthcoming Book: "Promoting Inclusion in Education Abroad: A Handbook of Research and Practice"

A forthcoming book I contributed a chapter to entitled Promoting Inclusion in Education Abroad: A Handbook of Research and Practice will be published later this year by Stylus Publishing.

The book is edited by Heather Barclay Hamir and Nick J. Gozik, with Foreword by Esther Brimmer, and includes the following chapters:

Table of Contents:
Part I: Framing the Discussion
1) Introduction: The Case for Equitable Access in Education Abroad
2) The Changing Face of U.S. College Students
3) Underrepresentation in Education Abroad: A Review of Contemporary Research and Future Opportunities (my chapter with Lily Lopez-McGee and Eduardo Contreras Jr. - Many thanks to Lily for leading our efforts with this chapter!)

Part II: Research & Practice
4) Students of Color and Study Abroad: From Barriers to Results
5) First-Generation College Students and Study Abroad: Examining the Participation Gap and Successful Strategies for Promoting Access
6 There and Back Again: A Study Abroad Journey with Men
7) Commitments that Work: Removing Barriers for Students with Disabilities in Education Abroad
8) Promoting Education Abroad Among Community College Students: Overcoming Obstacles and
Developing Inclusive Practices
9) Strategies for Mobilizing Students in the Sciences: A Case Study
10) Engineers Abroad: Opportunities for Sophomores in International Education
11) Undocumented Students and Access to Education Abroad

Part III: Next Steps
12) A Way Forward: Advocacy and Action
13) Concluding Thoughts and Moving Forward

I will post to IHEC Blog with more details once the book is available for purchase. You can read more about Promoting Inclusion in Education Abroad: A Handbook of Research and Practice here.

Follow the Twitter Backchannel from Going Global 2017 - 22-24 May 2017 in London #GoingGlobal2017

#GoingGlobal2017 Tweets

46 Scholars Selected for the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program

Following is a copy and paste of an IIE press release about a wonderful program: Carnegie African Diaspora Program Connects African Universities with Diaspora Scholars

46 Scholars were selected for collaborative work at African universities; Fields include health, environment, women’s leadership, and finance

NEW YORK, May 11, 2017 – The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program Advisory Council has selected 35 African Universities in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda to host 46 African-born scholars to build partnerships and address priority needs. The visiting Fellows will work with their hosts on a wide range of projects that include: research in banking and finance developing curriculum in therapeutics and environmental toxicology mentoring faculty in computer science teaching and mentoring graduate students in media and communications and in a new interdisciplinary public health program. The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program, now in its fourth year, is designed to reverse Africa’s brain drain, build capacity at the host institutions, and develop long-term, mutually-beneficial collaborations between universities in Africa and the United States and Canada. It is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York and managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in Nairobi, Kenya, which coordinates the activities of the Advisory Council. “The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellows Program exemplifies Carnegie Corporation's enduring commitment to higher education in Africa. It brings together Dr. Paul Zeleza’s expertise and vision with IIE’s long history of managing global scholarships and our ongoing work to develop talent and help build capacity to address the challenges and harness the opportunities emerging on the African continent,” said IIE’s President and CEO, Allan E. Goodman. To deepen the ties among the faculty members and between their home and host institutions, the program will also provide support to several program alumni to enable them to build on successful collaborative projects they conducted in previous years. Selected projects include the following: Tanzania:  Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences will host a scholar in nursing and public health from Wright State University for joint research in HIV/AIDS prevention and to develop elective program curricula. Kenya:  Pwani University will host an environmental sciences scholar from Florida State University to develop a bachelor’s program in Oceanography and a master’s program in Chemical Oceanography. Ghana:  Ashesi University College will host an economics scholar from Virginia Military Institute for a project on Ghana - U.S. Entrepreneurship Collaboration Uganda/Tanzania:  A group of alumni will work with Makerere University and Sokoine University of Agriculture to conduct research in women’s leadership and management and mentor graduate students in grant writing and collaborative research. Fellowships match host universities with African-born scholars (individually or in small groups) and cover the expenses for project visits of between 14 and 90 days, including transportation, a daily stipend, and the cost of obtaining visas and health insurance. A total of 282 Fellows have now been awarded since the program’s inception in 2013. See full list of 2017 projects, hosts and scholars and their universities. Please direct all questions related to the application process to AfricanDiaspora@iie.org.

About the Hosts and Fellows Public and private higher education institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda were invited to submit a project request to host a scholar for 14 to 90 days. Prospective hosts could, but were not required to, name a proposed scholar in a project request. The proposed scholar and project request were each evaluated by a review committee and were subject to approval by the Advisory Council. Many African institutions and prospective Fellows collaborated on ideas for a project that were submitted by the institutions. IIE also maintains a scholar roster to facilitate matches, according to the discipline specializations, expertise, activities and objectives described in a project request. Scholars born in Africa who live in the United States or Canada and work at an accredited college or university in either of those two countries applied to be on the roster of available candidates.  Candidates were required to have a terminal degree in their field and can hold any academic rank. For Fellows matched with a selected project, the fellowship includes a daily stipend, transportation and visa funds and health insurance coverage. About the Institute of International Education The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in providing international education strategies and program services. Our international approach to education—diverse, borderless, impactful—is a proven way for governments and companies to invest in global talent and solidify overseas relationships. We work with policymakers, educators and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide, including in Addis Ababa, and over 1,300 member institutions. Visit www.iie.org. About United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) was founded in 1969 as the Africa campus of United States International University in San Diego, California.  Today, the University operates as an independent, not-for-profit institution serving over 6000 students representing 73 nationalities. It offers 24 degree programs from undergraduate to doctoral level, all of which are accredited in Kenya and the United States of America with the Commission for University Education and Senior Colleges and Universities Commission, WASC respectively. About Carnegie Corporation of New York Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 “to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.” In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation’s work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge and the strength of our democracy.

Why Innovation Matters in International Education

Following is a guest post by Team GoAbroad:

Innovation communicates positive change — a nod towards a promising future that strives for success and growth. Innovation does not stop after fixing surface organizational problems, but digs deeper to overhaul existing procedures and strategies in order to yield a more efficient, more effective tomorrow. It reinvents the wheel, rather than just patching up the same design. The concept now thrives in every imaginable industry, from self-service kiosks in fast food chains to the development of self-driving commercial trucks, where start-ups and multinational corporate giants alike fight over the most out-of-the-box ideas.

Why Innovate?

In a globally competitive marketplace, even the most successful business models cannot hold up against the inescapable forces of change. A constant fight for relevancy, market share and consumers’ loyalty, in other words, a company’s fate, results in a scramble to stand out from the crowd and produce a better product for the consumer. Although taking a more collaborative approach, it is innovation in international education that has been challenging existing barriers and continuously propelling the field forward.

International education is a dynamic organism with change pulsing through all sectors — education, business, government and nonprofit — that work together for the overall betterment of the field. The unique interdependence of all involved parties means that innovation in international education relies on close collaboration and communicating of ideas. When innovation is implemented in one sector, the change trickles through the rest of the field.

Innovation in International Education

The Institute of International Education’s initiative, Generation Study Abroad, is one such program spurring a series of innovative practices within its partner organizations, associations, and universities. Working towards the goal to double the number of U.S. students participating in study abroad programs by the end of the decade, partners are rethinking ways to tap into underrepresented groups of students, expand funding possibilities to decrease financial barriers, and make global experiences more accessible to all. With a clear goal in mind, innovation can organically take shape where there is room for improvement, such as creating new funding options or marketing to a specific student profile.

Closely following trends in technology and social media has allowed international education administrators to adapt marketing strategies and campaigns to the modern realities in which young people and students live. Alumni engagement has also become an advantageous tool of the trade to directly appeal to students and make international programs seem like more an attainable reality. Facilitating connections between returnees and prospective participants through peer advising and mentorship programs, and building alumni communities are just the beginning to alumni engagement.

Innovation can also be seen changing the way international program participants interact with their host communities through new program creation, environmental and community sustainability, and philanthropy both domestically and internationally. Without a sustainable future in the countries and communities where international programs take place, international education would not be able to survive. Therefore, innovative practices must also be developed to create responsible programs that safeguard against negative impacts that participants might have when volunteering, studying, or traveling abroad.

Satisfying the needs of all stakeholders and facing global challenges is a complex undertaking, but innovation has become imperative for the future of international education.

The GoAbroad Innovation Awards Celebrate This

Every year, GoAbroad presents Innovation Awards to recognize and honor champions of the international education think tank that drive positive change in the field. Institutions, organizations, and individuals are nominated for distinct categories, such as Innovation in Diversity, Innovation in Marketing & Digital Media, and Innovation in Alumni Engagement, for their creativity and contributions. Winners out of the pool of finalists are carefully selected by the GoAbroad Innovations Academy, a prestigious group of international educators, and revealed at the annual NAFSA: Association of International Educators conference.

Curious about who has made the largest ripples in innovation this past year? Follow GoAbroad's annual Innovation Awards and learn about the 2017 Finalists on our Innovation Awards website. To score an invite to the reception at NAFSA announcing 2017 winners on Thursday, June 5th in Los Angeles, email Megan.Lee@GoAbroad.com.

Airing LIVE Monday, May 15 (Today) at 12:30pm EDT on C-SPAN

State of Hawaii, et al. v. Trump The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reviews the decision of Hawaii U.S. District Court Judge Derrick Watson regarding the enforcement of President Trump’s travel ban.

More information available here.

Huichol Paintings and my Son's 2nd Grade Art Class/Studio

This week (and the next several?) my son's art work from his 2nd grade class project are on display at his school along with art work from all of the grades (3 year old nursery through high school).

What I like most about his class art project is that his class learned about Huichol paintings and the Huichol people from Jalisco, Nayarit, Zacatecas, and Durango in Mexico.  Their art work was inspired after Huichol paintings and following are the results:

Save our State Department’s Education and Cultural Exchange Programs via Change.org

If you support the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State then you may wish to sign the following Change.org petition here!