February 27, 2009

Office of Professional Practice to add international offerings

The office's cooperative education program allows students from five colleges and more than 20 academic disciplines to alternate semesters of classes at Purdue with semesters of paid work experience. Participating students learn to integrate theory and practice, confirm career choices, investigate potential job opportunities and become better graduates.

The goal now is to expand the program by seeking out global internships and co-op opportunities for students within the College of Engineering.

"The world is increasingly becoming 'flatter,' and we need to develop a new generation of students who understand culture and intercultural teamwork," says Yating Chang, who was recently hired as assistant director-global professional practice program to further the office's new goal. "We are looking for ways to make opportunities for students and employers."

The office also will focus on research in global engineering education as part of the endeavor by collaborating with the School of Engineering Education.

"We hope to foster a link between the administrative side and the academic research side," Chang says. "Our research focus will be on how students learn in international and domestic work settings, how an internship experience can affect curriculum, how internalization and how globalization shape the engineering profession, and how higher education can work with companies to cultivate that."

More on the Office of Professional Practice is at https://engineering.purdue.edu/ProPractice.