North Carolina Central University
Institutional Overview
North Carolina Central
University is one of the seventeen constituent institutions in
the University of North Carolina (UNC) system. It is the
nation’s first public liberal arts institution founded for African
Americans in 1910. NCCU is a comprehensive state-supported
university located in Durham, North Carolina, with a student enrollment
of about 8,400. It maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence
in a diverse educational and cultural environment. The
university’s purpose is to prepare young men and women through
character development and sound academic training required for service
to the nation. The university’s commitment to internationalization
and multicultural education is highlighted in its mission statement:
The mission of the university is to prepare students academically and
professionally to become leaders prepared to advance the consciousness
of social responsibility in a diverse, global society. The university
will serve its traditional clientele of African American students; it
will also expand its commitment to meet the educational needs of a
student body that is diverse in race and other socioeconomic
attributes.
NCCU is also mandated by the North Carolina University system to
prepare students for a competitive global work place. This mandate was
outlined in a white paper entitled the “UNC Tomorrow
Commission.” Thus, the university has recognized that there is a
need to provide students with the “soft skills” that will
enable them to be engaged in a diverse and competitive global and
domestic environment.
International programs at NCCU are administered through the Office of
International Affairs (OIA). The Office of International Affairs reports
directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for University Programs and
the Office of the Provost and Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The
mission of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) is to provide
opportunities for students to have direct contact with other cultures in
overseas study and travel programs sponsored by the university, as well
as to introduce measurable international content into the curricula of
the Schools and Colleges of NCCU. The office also encourages and
supports the development of an international dimension to the teaching,
research, and service activities of the faculty and the establishment of
faculty exchange and collaborative efforts between the university and
international scholars. Furthermore, the office organizes forums for the
discussion of salient world issues and presents a broad range of
intercultural events on campus that highlight the values and creativity
of other cultures.
Strategic Approach
NCCU’s strategic plan to internationalize the university was
instituted in 2006; OIA identified its strategic plans with 14 goals
under five areas:
-
Study Abroad and Exchange
-
International Curriculum Development/Sponsored Research
-
International Faculty and Scholars Services
-
International Awareness for Campus and Community
-
Export Controls
Each year, the office focuses on a specific set of goals.
Study Abroad and Exchange
OIA became part of the University of North Carolina Exchange Program
(UNC-EP) and established a partnership with the International Student
Exchange Program (ISEP) in 2006 to provide more opportunities for NCCU
students to participate in education abroad at affordable costs.
NCCU students have studied abroad through this consortium and students
from Korea, Germany, and Sweden have studied at NCCU through this
program.
OIA has established five faculty-led summer programs in four
countries: Liberia (2006), Ghana (2006 and 2007), Mexico (2006), and
Denmark (2008). The Liberian program was instituted from a partnership
grant between NCCU and the University of Liberia. The 2006 Ghana program
was to provide our students an opportunity to experience education in an
African cultural setting through a service-learning program. The 2007
Ghana program was established for our Executive Master’s in Public
Administration (EMPA) program to provide a comparative public
administration experience for adult learners who are employed in local
government and non-governmental organizations. The 2006 Mexico program
was established in partnership with the Universidad de Valle Orizaba
(UniVO) in direct response to the academic needs of the Communication
Disorders Program in the School of Education. The Mexico program
provides a diverse learning environment for our prospective teachers,
who often come in direct contact with native Spanish speakers in their
clinical lab. The 2008 Denmark program was developed by the School of
Library and Information Sciences at NCCU and the Royal School of Library
and Information Sciences to promote global student exchanges.
In addition to strengthening these established programs, OIA is doing
feasibility studies to establish programs in China for the School of
Business, and in Ghana and Nigeria, for the College of Science and
Technology.
International Curriculum Development/Sponsored
Research
OIA encourages and supports the introduction of an international
dimension to the teaching, research, and service activities of the
faculty. NCCU, through OIA, in partnership with the Department of Public
Administration, is hosting the Liberian Studies Journal for two years
(2008-2010). In partnership with the College of Liberal Arts, OIA wrote
a proposal for a concentration in global studies. Also, in an effort to
stimulate the internationalization of the curriculum, the office
initiated the OIA Competitive Grants in 2007. The mini grants in the
amount of $1,000.00 were established to support between 10 and 15
faculty members a year with their international research, travel, and
collaboration with international colleagues as they develop their
curricula. The focus in the 2007-2008 academic year was on the School of
Library and Information Sciences, the School of Education, the School of
Law, and the Department of Public Health. In the 2008-2009
academic year, the general support will go to faculty whose proposals
tie their international activities with developing their student
research and have an outreach to the community.
OIA is also engaged in sponsored research to support the
internationalization of the campus and the curriculum. For example, the
proposal written for the Mellon Fellows Community Initiative for
curriculum development and globalization was funded and participants
from NCCU will attend workshops in Salzburg, Austria, in 2009 and 2010
and develop courses in civic engagement.
International Faculty and Scholars Services
OIA provides assistance with immigration and employment needs for
foreign national faculty, scholars, and visitors at NCCU. The
office educates the campus and ensures that the University is in
compliance with the ever-changing immigration laws and regulations. In
the 2007-2008 academic year, NCCU, through OIA, hosted several
international faculty and scholars.
International Awareness for Campus and Community
In order to promote intercultural awareness and understanding, the
Office has instituted a variety of events to bring together the campus
and local community and to highlight the values and uniqueness of other
cultures. Amongst these events are the International Eagles Meet and
Greet, the celebration of International Education Week, monthly lectures
and roundtable discussions on international issues.
The office administers the J-1 visa programs for international
scholars and visitors. The
OIA frequently hosts international scholars and organizes meetings for
them in the relevant departments/areas on campus and provides a forum
for the discussion of prominent global issues.
The OIA and the Office of Admissions at NCCU have developed a joint
effort to aggressively recruit international students in order to
further diversify the university enrollment.
Export Control
The OIA at NCCU provides services that enhance the university’s
compliance on export controls regulations. The university is
committed to providing an enabling environment for international
collaborative research, teaching and learning for international
faculty.
Future Plans
NCCU intends to further internationalize with specific focus on the
following:
Curriculum Development
- Develop new courses that will be integrated into the general
education curriculum.
- Expand the global studies concentration to an academic major.
International Partnerships
-
Develop international partnerships with universities that focus on
biotechnology and biopharmaceutical sciences.
-
Develop international partnerships with developing countries in
Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Please direct questions about this page to:
jill_wisniewski@ace.nche.edu
| Staff
Contacts
Download our information
brochure (PDF File)
This page last updated on 03/10/2009
| international, global, internationalization |
|
