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Summit recommendations

This contains the summary of the recommendations that came out of the Internationalization Summit: April 18, 2008 at the RC campus Events Center. The Summit was supported by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, and attended by one hundred thirty five participants (FT/PT faculty, staff, administrators, academic professionals and others) interested in advancing and working on internationalization at Portland Community College. Many comments from the Internationalization Summit and ideas from the workgroups emerged as important themes [opens in new window]. These emerging themes were organized and clustered into three categories, then presented to the Deans of Instruction as “Recommendations from the Internationalization Summit”.

Recommendations from the Internationalization Summit

  • Create an internationalization Steering Committee whose charge is to:
    • Develop a recommendation for an amendment to the PCC mission statement to include an internationalization/cultural competency/multicultural focus
    • Develop a framework for what is meant by Internationalization. For example:
      • Internationalized curriculum
      • Increased Internationalized expertise of faculty/staff
      • Intercultural competency of students and staff
    • Develop a communications/marketing plan to promote internationalization both internally and externally. This plan would likely include: development of a website and development of a calendaring system.
    • Develop/expand the resource database beginning with the Internationalization survey
    • Map out 2, 4, 6 year goals with action items/initiatives specific to 2 year goals and develop initiatives/budget for 3 biennium list
    • Oversee the work of the 3 task groups, with at least 1 member of each task group being on the steering committee
    • Prioritize Steering Committee Tasks
    • Define initiatives for FY10-11 (November Mtg.)
  • Create and align a structure to focus on Internationalizing the Curriculum
    • Integrate into existing courses
    • Offer more world languages
    • Link internationalization with the core PCC outcomes related to cultural competency
    • Infuse internationalization into core offerings
    • Infuse curriculum with a focus on creating global citizens
    • Determine “next steps” for Asian Studies Program
    • Develop more area studies like Asian Studies
  • Infusing internationalization into the PCC culture by providing professional development opportunities:
    • Offer trainings as to the worth of an culturally competent, diversified, internationalized culture – TLC’s/SACs/PT Faculty In-services/Classified In-services
    • Develop Staff Development opportunities on how to infuse internationalization into curriculum
    • Develop a Faculty mentoring program for modeling best practices
    • Make sure our professional development options are as effective as possible ( Oaxaca, SIIC, CIEE)
      • Mentor up-and-coming CIEE participants
      • Draw on CIEE returnees, in multiple ways
      • Develop a CIEE cohort
      • Create presentations directed towards students and presented by CIEE returnees
    • Introduce Internationalization into hiring process
    • Include international experience and 2nd language proficiency in assessment/professional development goals
    • Develop student study abroad opportunities that “fit” the CC environment
    • Develop international opportunities specific to CTE programs
  • Enhancing existing and build new internal and external partnerships
    • Create linkages with other initiatives, i.e. sustainability and the President’s diversity initiatives
    • Make sure grants are connected with internationalization efforts
    • Strengthen relationships between student services/instruction and internationalization
    • Develop local “exchange like” opportunities for students
    • Develop funding opportunities for students to study abroad
    • Create leadership opportunities for international students
    • Partner with local organizations
    • Connect with Bellevue CC
    • Determine if PCC is to be an East-West Regional Center and how to most benefit from that relationship
    • Strengthen connections with international programs at local High Schools and Universities
    • Develop sister school exchanges
    • Pilot a “teach-in” for Faculty/Staff/Students focused on internationalism
    • Consider the development of an external community Advisory Committee
  • Task Groups to meet monthly
    • Identify short term/longer term efforts, using ideas from Summit as a starting point
    • Prioritize initiatives
    • Select FY09 Activities
    • Identify (Co-)Leader(s)