Senior higher education leaders gathered in Washington, DC, Nov. 1 for ACE’s Executive Forum for Leading Internationalization to share lessons for integrating digital technology into an institution’s internationalization strategy. Among the topics on the agenda was how technology can help administrators better serve international students—all the more relevant this International Education Week.
Paul LeBlanc, president of Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and member of ACE’s Board of Directors, discussed the power of technology to reach underserved students in the United States and around the world. With the support of private funding, SNHU plans to deliver free postsecondary education to 50,000 refugees in Rwanda, Kenya, Lebanon, and other countries by 2022.
Colorado State University Global Campus (CSU-Global) is the country’s first entirely online institution, with a mix of U.S. and non-U.S. students at home and abroad. Because CSU-Global does not receive state funding, students often foot the entire bill. Part of their approach to keeping students happy are personalized, interdisciplinary programs. “We make sure lifelong learning counts,” said Karen Ferguson, provost and vice president of strategic development for CSU-Global.
Of course, serving students is a top priority for all leaders. But having the capacity to target the needs of international students can be a challenge, especially as competition to recruit them increases and the current divisive rhetoric in the United States around immigration sends a chilling effect across the world.
Donna Anderson, director in the office of international programs at the University of Wisconsin—Platteville, discussed her campus’s efforts to integrate a mobile applicable tool to help international students struggling with anxiety, stress, or other mental health concerns. Traditional counseling is not accepted in some cultures, Anderson explained, so digital apps and online counseling are convenient alternatives.
Platteville is piloting a program this academic year to offer virtual support for international students. It’s framed as a resource for any issues students might be dealing with, not just mental health, which helps remove potential stigma. Most important, it’s offered in students’ native languages by counselors who are familiar with their home cultures.
For an opportunity to further discuss student mental health with peers, register now for the ACE Winter Regional Summits, scheduled for Jan. 17-18 in Tucson, Arizona, and Feb, 7-8 in New Orleans.
International Education Week, November 12-16, is a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. During the week, anyone can participate on social media with the hashtag #IEW2018—follow @ACEducation on Twitter for more updates.