Global Partners program to take 9 to China in May

Nine faculty and staff members from a variety of disciplines will travel to China for two weeks in late May through the Global Partners program. While there, they will spend their time learning about the culture, meeting students and faculty at universities, and formulating ideas for study abroad programs they can begin or enhance at Purdue.

"The best way to promote the idea of study abroad is to not just take top administrators abroad, but target those faculty and staff who don't travel much or who haven't ever considered it," said Riall Nolan, dean of International Programs. "Global Partners will do a lot to encourage study abroad among students, as well as faculty and staff."

The one requirement of the Global Partners program is that participants must work toward developing a study abroad program with the country they visit or work to enhance a previously established program, said Michael Brzezinski, director of Purdue's Office of International Students and Scholars.

Brzezinski is leading this inaugural trip. He will be assisted by Andrew Gillespie, associate dean of International Programs.

"Increasing student participation in study abroad programs is a university strategic plan goal," Brzezinski said. "Through Global Partners, faculty and staff who work directly with students will have a personal experience in another country. This experience will help them to effectively advocate for study abroad. They will also meet with their counterparts in another country to learn how to initiate such programs."

The first Global Partners participants include associate deans, academic advisers and faculty members. The 9 will travel to Tsinghua and Peking universities in Beijing, Ningbo University in Zhejiang Province, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Shanghai.

Nolan said the program, which is funded by the Office of the Provost, fully subsidizes faculty and staff travel. Their goal is to send 10 participants abroad each year. Possible future destinations include India and Turkey.

China was the first choice because Purdue already has ties there through the Asian Initiative, which started last year. That program, funded through the Office of the President, encourages research collaborations, recruitment of international students, study abroad opportunities for Purdue students, alumni development, and fund raising in China and India. In November, six faculty received $8,000 Asian Initiative grants to spearhead collaborative research projects with Asian counterparts.

There are 782 students from China currently enrolled at Purdue, and there are 141 Chinese faculty and researchers at the university.

Nolan said focusing on those who work with students is an effective tool to help plant the seed for studying in other countries.

"Faculty are comfortable talking about what they know, but it's hard for them to advocate for what they don't know, like study abroad programs.

"What they will find when they are abroad, though, is that they will have a chance to talk with their counterparts in another country, learn what collaborations other universities in the United States are establishing, and get a feel for the culture, the cities and the universities. It really will open their eyes."

Nolan said this is a small step in Purdue's goal of exposing more students to study abroad experiences. Study abroad will not only help students grow personally, but will make them more attractive later when they are entering the work force, he said.

"Employers want their workers to be globally aware, and students want to be as well," he said. "Survey data shows that approximately 50 percent of Purdue's freshman class want to study abroad, but by the time they graduate, only 2 to 3 percent have. The reason is only partly cost-related."

Nolan said that one way to solve this issue is by making faculty and staff aware that studying abroad can enhance students' learning, and then having them talk to students about the possibilities.

"We think we will get good results with this initiative," he said. "This will enable us to figure out the obstacles to study abroad and tackle them one by one."

Those who will be traveling as part of the 2006 Global Partners team are:

• Tom Atkinson, associate dean of the Graduate School.

• Carl Behnke, chef instructor in the College of Consumer and Family Sciences.

• Dennis Bowling, director of academic advising for the College of Liberal Arts.

• Vicki Cline, academic programs administrator in the School of Materials Engineering.

• Pam Deutsch, a continuing lecturer in the Department of Communication.

• Douglas Hurt, professor and chairman of the Department of History.

• Larry Leverenz, clinical professor and director of athletic training education in the Department of Health and Kinesiology.

• Brad Peters, an academic adviser in aviation technology.

• David Santogrossi, associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts.

Writer: Kim Medaris, (765) 494-6998, kmedaris@purdue.edu

Sources: Riall Nolan, (765) 494-9399, rwnolan@purdue.edu

Michael Brzezinski, (765) 494-5770, mbrzezinski@purdue.edu

Andrew Gillespie, (765) 494-8463, andyg@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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