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Sandra Flash is director of Study Abroad Programs in the Office of International Education.
Why should students study abroad?
In my view, the question
to ask is: Why wouldn't students study abroad? The reasons to
incorporate an overseas academic experience into your degree program are
so compelling. Participation in study abroad programs not only satisfies
degree requirements, it also allows participants to gain a comparative
perspective on their major field of study, acquire intercultural
experience to excel in today's global marketplace, acquire or improve
foreign language skills and develop personally by tackling new
challenges and learning more about themselves. Far too many times when
explaining what I do for a living, I receive the response, "I wish I had
done that when I was in college." Through our work to promote study
abroad on campus, I hope that no current UB student ever has this regret
upon completion of his or her degree.
What student services does your office provide?
Study
Abroad Programs advises UB students on all types of overseas academic
programs. We assist students at every stage of the process: program
selection, the application process, the admissions paperwork, advice on
travel arrangements, passports and visas, communication while students
are abroad about safety issues and events of relevance here at UB, and
assistance in re-entry to the U.S. and UB upon their return home. We
facilitate the processing of past participants' grades and credits into
their UB degree programs, and provide guidance on locating scholarships
to fund overseas experiences. We hope that the campus community will
look to our office as a resource for advice and guidance when pursuing
any overseas academic program. In addition, Study Abroad Programs is
responsible for the 40-60 international students who come to UB for one
to two semesters under the auspices of our exchange programs around the
world. We facilitate admissions and course enrollment, and provide
support and advisement for these students throughout their stay in
Buffalo.
What's the scope of UB's study abroad programs? In how many
countries do we have programs? What are the various types of programs
that are offered?
There are a vast variety of destinations and
styles of programs offered, so students are sure to find a match for
their interests and academic goals. UB currently sponsors programs in
Australia, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, England, Finland, France, Germany,
Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland,
Romania, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Thailand and Turkey. Students wishing to study abroad in
locations not offered by UB may take advantage of the more than 400
programs offered by other SUNY institutions. Study abroad programs are
offered for the academic year, semester, summer and during the January
intersession.
Have the increasing number of global terrorism events and
anti-American feelings abroad affected the number of students wishing to
go abroad?
Not at all; in fact, there appears to be an
increased interest in international education. UB currently sends more
than 10 percent of its undergraduate body abroad. This is approximately
five times the national average of 1-2 percent and we anticipate that
participation rates will continue to increase over the next several
years. The current political climate has made students more aware of the
existence of a global community, and the crucial need for increased
intercultural understanding and exchange.
Are study abroad scholarships available to UB students?
Absolutely! In the past two years, 10 study abroad scholarships have
been developed for UB students. Private donors have graciously provided
funding to encourage UB students to study abroad. Some scholarships are
open to all UB students, while others are designed to support those in
specific majors or heading to certain geographic regions. The increase
in campus funding for study abroad, combined with the fact that students
can continue to receive financial aid while studying abroad, has made
participation feasible for a growing number of students each year.
Moreover, there are many new scholarship programs specifically for study
abroad offered by the U.S. government, as well as the governments of
some of the leading destination countries. Our office provides
assistance to students in researching funding opportunities to support
their study abroad experiences.
How are UB faculty members involved in study abroad programs?
Faculty involvement is vital to the success of study abroad programs
at UB. Some of the key ways our faculty members help to encourage study
abroad participation and increase the internationalization of UB are
by:
Recommending study abroad to their students, since faculty encouragement is one of the most successful ways to promote study abroad.
Contacting Study Abroad Programs whenever they take UB students abroad, whether for credit or not, so we can assist them in complying with UB and SUNY safety and liability regulations.
Discussing their field from an international perspective in the classroom, including their own international initiatives, projects and conference attendance.
Assisting prospective study abroad participants with overseas course selection and approval, and integration of overseas academics into UB degree programs.
Proposing a new study abroad program for UB students.
Supporting existing and initiating new exchange agreements.
What is the Chancellor's Award for Internationalization?
The primary goal of the Chancellor's Award for Internationalization
is to provide students with new opportunities to have an academic
experience in a country that is less commonly visited for academic
purposes. To date UB has received five awards, the most of any SUNY
campus, including two for summer 2006: Theater, Culture and
Civilizations in Romania, led by Prof. Maria Horne, and an Intensive
Engineering Program in Thailand, led by Prof. D. Joseph Mook.
What's new for this summer and the coming fall?
Every year
I work with faculty members from departments across UB who wish to
develop new study abroad programs. This year, we have some exciting
additions to our program offerings, including Islam in Europe, led by
Prof. Tilman Lanz; Exploring Irish History, led by Prof. Patrick
McDevitt; and Architecture in Italy, led by Prof. Frank Fantauzzi.
During the academic year, we now offer new exchange programs with
Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, and Singapore Institute of
Management in Singapore.