Regents International Policy Directive
Access to Academic Excellence for World Class Institutions
Adopted by the Board of Regents, March 8, 1995
The University System will achieve world class status by empowering its institutions to enable their faculty, students, and staff to participate effectively in a global society. Strategic alliances, partnerships and other collaborative initiatives will link the University System with other parts of the world and bring other parts of the world to Georgia. The synergy thus achieved will provide the international perspective and cross-cultural competence required for Georgians to participate fully and effectively as leaders in a global society.
The University System of Georgia
- Shall support a world class, diverse faculty with opportunities for their international development. (Principles 6,14)
- Shall encourage integrative and comprehensive internationalization strategies for preparing its students for a global society. (Principles 1,4,6,8)
- Shall develop active partnerships with business and industry, as well as with cultural, social, and governmental organizations, to maximize resources for and benefits from international programs of academic excellence. (Principles 31,32)
- Shall utilize existing and emerging technological resources to create communications systems for international collaborations and learning. (Principles 10,33)
- Shall develop its international programs through inter-unit collaborations and technological innovations that maximize economies of scale. (Principle 13,19)
GOALS
- To provide international development opportunities for 2% of University System faculty annually by 1997.
- To design and implement a comprehensive strategy for internationalizing the University System and its institutions by the end of 1997, with special emphasis on international elements being integrated into the curriculum.
- To have 2% of University System students participating in study abroad programs by 2000.
- To implement a global communications network by 1996.
- To have at least 5 new international initiatives with Georgia businesses or industries in design or underway by 1998.
- To have established a well-integrated institutional base, statewide scope of responsibility, and System organizational support for the ongoing exercise of these and related functions by 1997;
BACKGROUND
The economic well being of Georgia will be determined by our ability to compete effectively in a global economy. The Governor's International Advisory Council affirmed this inescapable reality in its 1994 report. Other task force studies--from the President's Commission on Industrial Competitiveness to the Commission for the Future of the South (of the Southern Growth Policies Board)--have also recognized the need to prepare for a global economy. The pace of international development in business, in government, and at all levels will be accelerated by the implementation of NAFTA and GATT. Georgia must maximize preparation for the globalism that is upon us.
As affirmed by the Board's Vision for Academic Excellence for the New Millennium, the preparation of our students must address the competence needed to participate effectively in the international environment. In a 1994 study, the Rand Institute reported that effective participation in the global economy requires both cognitive domain preparation and cross cultural competence. Such preparation and competence may be concentrated in study abroad experiences, but dissipates if it is not consistently reinforced by a systematically internationalized education. Internationalizing our students education requires internationalizing the faculty and staff, especially the curriculum, our communications systems, and the service activities of our colleges and universities.
Given the current lack of coordination, in the University Systems international programming, we do not know what percentage of our faculty are involved in international exchanges or study, although probably fewer than 0.5% of our students are estimated to be participating in study abroad programs this year. The University System has already began to establish the international alliances necessary for increasing these rates as part of a more comprehensive undertaking. It has signed cooperative agreements--for future student and faculty exchanges, and for collaborative research and service initiatives--with institutions of higher education in Argentina and China. It plans to sign another such agreement with an institution in the United Kingdom in March 1995 and is exploring options in South Africa. These agreements are designed to form the basis for Centers of Excellence on each continent (future efforts to include the Pacific Rim and the rest of Latin America) to coordinate high quality program opportunities while maximizing economies of scale.
The Regents Global Center has already conducted a preliminary needs assessment to identify the usefulness to System stakeholders of a global communication network and a methodology for providing global information to stakeholders. The hardware infrastructure needed for delivery had been identified and installation initiated.
IMPLEMENTATION
Now is the time to shift the International work began by the Regents Global Center into the context of effective statewide collaboration. For that purpose, a council of leaders from System institutions, business, government, and other agencies concerned with international relations should be formed to move forward the specific initiatives outlined here and to help develop a sustaining organizational structure. As the Council is formed, the Regents Global Center will be phased out as a structural entity. The council should be the focal point for building up System wide and statewide participation in internationalization education, and seeking appropriate foundation support.
The Board of Regents therefore directs that:
The Chancellor's Office establish in spring of 1995 a statewide council of leaders representing University System institutions, business, government, and other agencies interested in international relations, and charge it with recommending and supporting strategies to accomplish the following:
- a comprehensive plan, by 1997, based on attention to already successful System programs and input from focus groups conducted System wide and statewide in 1995, to internationalize the System and its institutions.
- Involvement of 2% of System faculty in international development opportunities, such as exchange programs or work with those Centers, by 1997;
- establish a curriculum infusion task force, by fall 1995
- establishment of Centers of Excellence, along with liaisons with appropriate Georgia businesses and industries for each, for cost effective faculty development and collaborative international research and service projects, on different continents by the end of 1995.
- development of a strategy by spring 1996, in cooperation with the Office of Academic Affairs, for enabling 2% of System students to participate annually in study abroad programs by 2000.
- installation of a System global; information technology network and provision of the full array of information in phases over the following 24 months;
- solicitation of private support aid in the realization of the comprehensive plan;
- establishment, by 1997 of a sustaining organization structure and an institutional base to support a statewide scope of responsibilities for ongoing System international education strategies;
The Chancellor's Office allocates necessary resources to complement expected private resources, and establish appropriate staff support and reporting lines for these initiatives by summer 1996.
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