Study Abroad Enrollment by Colleges (2012-13)

77 Pages·2014·2.74 MB·English

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Clemson University Internationalization Task Force
Study Abroad Subcommittee Report

Subcommittee members: Skye Arthur-Banning, Lee Ferrell, Hoke Hill, Judson Jahn, Akel
Kahera, Julia Lusk, Lisa Marcus, June Pilcher, Uttiyo Raychaudhuri, Julie Zeitz

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The subcommittee on study abroad was comprised of Clemson faculty, staff and study abroad
office representatives. The committee reviewed the study abroad programs at Clemson and
undertook the following tasks:
 Evaluate participation in study abroad with regard to variables of destination
countries, duration of study, gender and ethnicity, discipline and student level
 Document and evaluate the diversity of opportunities for education abroad, including
study, work, and volunteer opportunities
 Document the administrative and operational infrastructure supporting education
abroad activities
 Identify obstacles for increasing participation in study abroad programs
 Benchmark Clemson University’s participation in study abroad programs against peer
and aspirant institutions
 Recommend objectives for quality, planning and target levels for participation in
study abroad programs

The subcommittee reviewed data provided by the Clemson Study Abroad Office, results of a
Clemson Global Engagement & Internationalization Faculty Survey, and data published by the
Institute of International Education (specifically Open Doors reports). The Clemson 2020 Road
Map established the goal of Clemson being one of the nation’s top-20 public universities, so the
subcommittee compared Clemson’s study abroad participation to the current top-20 public
universities. The subcommittee also compared Clemson’s study abroad participation to the other
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) universities.

OVERVIEW OF STUDY ABROAD AT CLEMSON

Clemson University has been sending students abroad for at least half a century. Several of its
Study Abroad programs are well integrated into the identity of the university, or at least the
sponsoring colleges. Notable among these are the Architecture Studio housed in a villa in Genoa,
Italy owned by the Clemson Foundation since 1972, and the student initiated civil engineering
service program in Haiti run by the Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries. Study Abroad
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programs are largely initiated by academic units (department or college) with 71 disciplines
represented in the program enrollments in 2012-13. The Study Abroad office within the Office of
Global Engagement provides operational and administrative support for the college-initiated
programs. The programs are financially self-supporting with all costs being covered by student
tuition and fees. Virtually no institutional funding is currently available for faculty start-
up/salaries and only a very small amount ($12,600 in 2013-2014) is available for distribution as
scholarships or student support.

At Clemson study abroad encompasses in-classroom and out-of-classroom activities that
comprise an education abroad experience. Clemson’s Study Abroad programs for students
include faculty-directed programs, reciprocal exchange programs, and third party programs.
Currently, the following criteria must be satisfied in order for an international experience to
qualify as a “study abroad” experience:
 Participants should be enrolled, matriculating, full-time Clemson University students
in good academic and disciplinary standing with the University
 Participants must be enrolled in the appropriate study abroad course during their
study abroad experience. The type of program and associated credit determine course
enrollment requirements
 Participants must study abroad through a recognized and approved study abroad
program
 Participants must receive a transcript from an accredited institution upon completion
of their study abroad program

It should be noted that with the formation of University Student Engagement Council in Fall
2013, discussion has been underway about how to categorize the increasing number of non-credit
bearing international activities undertaken by students (e.g. service trips, research and
internships).

Program Models (also see Appendix Figure 1.1 for a taxonomy of program models)

 Faculty-directed Programs: Programs coordinated and directed by Clemson faculty.
Faculty plan, design, teach and accompany these programs. Most faculty-directed
programs operate for short-term durations (4-8 weeks) and are usually offered during the
summer. The programs are usually logistically supported by program provider
organizations that range from travel organizations to education abroad providers, to
universities and educational consortiums.

Example: Clemson in Oxford directed by Prof. Judson Jahn, a summer offering based in
Magadalen College, Oxford University and taught through lectures and small group
discussions on global issues by Oxford faculty members. Co-curricular activities include
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site visits, formal receptions and dinners. Students receive a Certificate of Attendance
from Oxford.

 Embedded Study Abroad Program: Semester-long course offerings taught on Clemson’s
campus that include an international field experience during spring or fall break.

Example: Language and International Health in Santiago, Dominican Republic directed
by Dr. Graciela Tissera. Students are enrolled in LANG 4970 or SPAN 4970 for the
spring semester and travel to Santiago during spring break. While in Santiago, students
participate in service learning activities that explore the interrelations between health and
Hispanic culture and communities.

 Creative Inquiry/Research Abroad: Clemson courses wherein students participate in a
research focused international experience with faculty from Clemson University and/or
international faculty or organizations.

Example: The ‘Democracy Building in Post-Conflict Societies: The Cases of Serbia,
Montenegro and Bosnia’ Creative Inquiry, a study coordinated by Dr. Vladimir Matic, is
a month long research abroad of the four post-communist countries of Serbia, Bosnia,
Montenegro and Croatia. The program offers political science students an opportunity to
study the political systems of the Balkan region. Students explore the slow and difficult
process these nations face as they attempt to transform their societies into democratic
market economies.

 Bilateral and Consortial Student Exchange: Reciprocal mobility of students between
Clemson University and its partner institutions throughout the world. Each student
chooses courses at their host university that transfer back to fulfill credit and graduation
requirements. Clemson students pay in-state tuition and fees to Clemson and all other
fees are paid directly to the host university. Credits from the host university transfer back
to Clemson based on course equivalencies determined by individual academic
departments. Clemson currently has 54 active agreements with partner institutions and
sends/receives 116 students (2013-14) annually on these programs.

Example: 30+ bilateral exchanges including University of Strathclyde in Glasgow,
Scotland; Fukui and Kansai Gaidai in Japan; and Bond, Deakin and Newcastle in
Australia. In addition Clemson is a member of the Global Engineering Education
Exchange (GE3) coordinated by IIE, and is one of 13 US member institutions in the
Fulbright-Killam undergraduate exchange consortium with supported exchanges between
US and Canada.

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 Third Party Programs: Programs coordinated by an external provider (i.e. other
universities, educational consortiums and independent study abroad organizations).
Students pay tuition and fees directly to the third-party organization and transfer the
course credit back to Clemson.

Example: University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) program in San Ramon, Costa
Rica. Students enroll in 12-15 credits for the semester and have opportunities to include
internship and/or volunteer opportunities to their experience. USAC coordinates on-site
instruction, orientation, housing, and excursions/field experiences for students. Students
pay tuition and fees to USAC. Credits are offered through the University of Nevada,
Reno and transfer to Clemson University based on course equivalencies determined by
individual Clemson University academic departments.

 Direct Enrollment Programs: Programs wherein students enroll at an overseas University
for a semester or year.

Example: James Cook University (JCU) in Brisbane, Australia. Students enroll for 12-15
credits of coursework for the semester. Clemson students pay tuition and fees directly to
JCU. Credits from JCU transfer back to Clemson University based on course
equivalencies determined by individual Clemson University academic departments.

 Academic Internship Programs: Overseas work-study programs that include a credit-
bearing internship. The internship may be part of an academic study abroad experience or
it may be a full-time work experience providing career-based training to the students.

Example: International Studies Abroad (ISA) internship program (various locations). ISA
internship programs combine coursework in a particular academic area combined with
professional work experience.

 Non-Credit International Student Travel: International, non-credit internships, volunteer
and service projects. Many of these are sponsored and coordinated by student
organizations.

Example: Students Helping Honduras. Clemson students travel to Honduras during
winter and Spring breaks to participate in volunteer service projects. In the 2013-14, the
student project focused on empowering orphaned and vulnerable children. The students
tutored Honduran children in the village and helped build homes and schools for them.

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A Few Program Spotlights

Clemson offers a relatively broad range of opportunities for students to engage in global
learning. Students have the option to enroll directly in overseas institutions, or to participate in a
program designed exclusively for Clemson students. Many of these are sponsored by specific
colleges and/or departments to serve the specific curricula of their programs. And, among those
are some that represent innovative and best practices in education abroad, such as:

Andrew M. Heiskell Awards for Innovation in Education Abroad. Clemson is the only
university to have won two Andrew Heiskell Awards in the study abroad category.

 2014 Heiskell Award: The Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries (CEDC) Haiti
Initiative is an innovative student-coordinated program. It began as an applied
engineering program, but now also integrates civic engagement and extends across 30
disciplines. CEDC initiatives are focused on engineering projects that improve the quality
of life and work towards a sustainable future for the village of Cange in Haiti’s Central
Plateau. CEDC projects have directly impacted over 10,000 Haitians.

 2009 Heiskell Award: The Maymester Study Abroad in Carpi, Italy for Education Majors
is a joint initiative between Clemson University and the University of Kansas. The
program is designed to provide future teachers with the global skills and disposition
necessary to effectively manage cultural differences in the classroom. Participants are
immersed in Italian classrooms, ranging from pre-K to 8th grade.

 In addition, both the Director of Study Abroad and the Vice Provost of Global
Engagement have received Andrew Heiskell Awards for programs they implemented at
their previous institutions.

School of Architecture’s “Fluid Campus”: In 1972, Clemson established its center for the study
of architecture in Genoa, Italy. They added a program in Barcelona in 2000. Recently, the School
has branded these, along with their Charleston and New York programs, around the concept and
moniker of the ‘fluid campus’. The ‘Fluid Campus’, which includes Clemson’s Lee Hall
facilities on the main campus, refers to geographically distributed learning opportunities and the
integration of these opportunities within the graduate and undergraduate curricula. Each center
offers unique courses, experiences, and study. The Charles E. Daniel Center (the ‘Villa’) in
Genoa provides a relatively self-contained experience, where students work and live in the Villa
while also benefitting from design related opportunities throughout Italy and Europe. In
Barcelona, AAH partners with the Barcelona Architecture Center where Clemson students share
a studio with students from Texas A&M University and live in a nearby university dormitory.
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Discussions are underway for the addition of an Asian and Latin American site to expand the
Fluid Campus.

National Scholars Program: The National Scholars Program offers learning experiences to
academically outstanding undergraduate students, since 2000. The experience starts in the spring
semester of their first year when they enroll in a course that focuses on the history, politics and
culture of a host country. During the following summer, the National Scholars travel to the
country to learn first-hand about the topics, people and places studied throughout the spring.

National Scholars also have additional opportunities to travel abroad later during their Clemson
career. Small groups of students work closely with faculty to develop a course that sets the stage
for an experiential expedition during summer terms. These courses have included:
 History, environment, and culture in Canada
 Culture and history in South Africa
 Political, cultural and religious influences of both the East and West in Turkey
 Global warming and alternative energy in Iceland
 Commercial and military modernization in northern Europe (Holland, Sweden and Russia)
 The European Union in Brussels and Belgrade
 Biodiversity in the Galapagos Islands

Internationalization of Bioengineering Curriculum: The Bio-Engineering department at Clemson
University encourages students to participate in study abroad experiences throughout their
Clemson career. Not only are students eligible to participate in Clemson University exchange
programs and utilize study abroad programs through university affiliates but they may also select
from programs directed by Clemson Bioengineering faculty. One standard offering is five-week
program in Pamplona, Spain with a course on the International Perspectives in Bioethics taught
by international leaders in bioethics, and supplemented by tours of biomedical facilities near the
historical city of Pamplona. The second course on the program provides immersive language and
exploration of Spain and Spanish culture, combined with numerous tours and day trips to local
and regional sites. Other faculty-organized options for Bioengineering students include research
internships at the University of Tokyo in Japan and Nanyang Technological University in
Singapore.

Internationalization Task Force—Study Abroad Subcommittee Report
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STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN STUDY ABROAD

Along with other student engagement activities, Clemson’s 2020 Road Map sets a goal of
doubling the 2009 baseline Study Abroad enrollment of 915 students to 1830 by 2020. In 2014,
a decision was taken by the Student Engagement Council to include non-credit bearing
international activities, such as service and internship trips alongside credit-bearing Study
Abroad in an overall count of “Global Engagement Activities”. In 2013-2014, with this
expanded definition, 1378 students participated in Global Engagement activities. 1008 (73%) of
these students earned academic credit for the activity. 370 (27%) did not.

In 2012-2013, 1149 study abroad students studied in 55 countries and represented 71 Clemson
University majors. 92% of the study abroad students were undergraduates, 7% were graduate
students and 1% were students with special status. 970 students (84%) studied abroad for
academic credit and 179 students (16%) participated in non-credit study abroad programs. 25.8%
of Clemson’s undergraduate graduating class had a study abroad experience, in comparison to
fewer than 10% nationally. And, Clemson study abroad students represented 26.7% of study
abroad enrollment (largest) in the state of South Carolina (total 4143 students during 2011-12).

Overall Enrollment Growth (Appendix Figure 1.2): Between 2007 and 2014, study abroad
participation grew by 73% (when including the non-credit students). During the past year, from
2012-13 to 2013-14 the growth in credit bearing study abroad participation has been only 38
students (4%).

Enrollments By Program Type (Appendix Figure 1.3): Program type distribution for Clemson
study abroad students during 2012-13 shows that over half the students participate on Clemson
managed programs (48% on faculty-directed programs and 6% on exchanges). 27% participate
in external third party programs and only about 1% students directly enroll in overseas
universities. 3% students participate in other programs such as research, internships and
international co-ops and 15% students are on non-credit programs.

Enrollments By Duration Of Study (Appendix Figure 1.2): Between 2007-2014, semester-long
programs participation grew by 122%, and short-term program participation by 47%.
Participation in academic year programs has fluctuated over the years, although it is now
relatively close to the 2007-2008 levels.

Enrollments By Colleges And Majors (Appendix Figures 1.4 to 1.7): The disciplinary diversity
of education abroad enrollments at Clemson is relatively broad with over 71 disciplines
represented during the 2012-2013 AY. In comparing the student study abroad participation to
college enrollments, the College of Engineering and Science sent 4% of their total student
population while the College of Arts, Architecture and Humanities sent nearly 12%. However,
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when comparing the number of students who studied abroad from each college, the College of
Business and Behavioral Sciences sent the most students abroad and the College of Health,
Education, and Human Development sent the least. Biological Sciences is the top enrolling
major in study abroad at Clemson. Civil Engineering comes in second, closely followed by
Marketing, Bioengineering, Literature, Management, Psychology, Architecture, Political
Science, and Nursing. These top 10 sending departments include disciplines from each of the 5
colleges.
Enrollments by Gender and Ethnicity (Appendix Figures 1.8 and 1.9): In 2012-13, the Clemson
study abroad student gender distribution was 37% males and 63% females. Whites comprised
87% of the study abroad students, higher than their distribution at Clemson. African-Americans
students were only 3% and students of other ethnic minorities were 5.7% of the study abroad
student population. The study abroad participation rate distribution of both these groups
demonstrates an under-representation when compared to their distribution of the total Clemson
student population.

Comparing Clemson’s Study Abroad Participation to Peer Aspirant Institutions and
National Trends

National, Top 20 and ACC (Appendix Figures 1.10 to 1.15): In comparison to the top institutions
for study abroad (as per IIE data from 2011-12), Clemson is ranked 53rd in the nation in terms of
numbers of student participants. However, on comparing the top 10 Universities by study abroad
enrollment and normalizing the rankings by students studying abroad as a percentage of the total
student population, Clemson ranks 4th. According to IIE, the top ten institutions (when calculated
by percentage of student enrollment by graduating class) sent between 60%-75% students abroad
during 2011-2012 compared to Clemson, which was only 25.6%.
In comparison to the top 20 public universities, Clemson ranks 17th by the number of student
participants who studied abroad during the 2011-2012 academic year. When normalized by
undergraduate student enrollment per university in 2011-2012, Clemson ranks 6th among the top
20 public universities for study abroad participation rates.
Among the 15 institutions in the ACC, the number of student participants from Clemson who
studied abroad in 2011-2012 ranked 12th, while normalizing by undergraduate student enrollment
the percentage of Clemson students who studied abroad ranked 11th among the universities
comprising the division.
By Destination (Appendix Figures 1.16, 1.17 and 1.18): Like most U.S. universities, the vast
majority of Clemson study abroad students travel to Europe. A slightly higher percentage of
Clemson students travel to Latin America than the national average. However, Clemson
participation is below the national averages in Asia and Africa. The top destination for Clemson
students during 2012-13 was Italy, followed by UK and Spain.
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By discipline of study (Appendix Figure 1.19): In comparison to 2011-2012 national study
abroad participation data, Clemson sent more Engineering, Physical or Life Sciences, and
Foreign Language students abroad. Study abroad participation in the fields of Business and
Management, Fine or Applied Arts, Education, Mathematics or Computer Sciences, and
Agriculture was at par with national averages. However, fewer Clemson Social Science,
Humanities, and Health Science students studied abroad than nationally.

Student Program Evaluation

Program evaluations by student participants provide feedback on program offerings and
enhanced information related to future advising and programming, as well as address any issues
of concern. Clemson has not been successful in developing a method for collection student
feedback. While evaluation forms have periodically been distributed, only 27 completed
evaluations exist of file from previous years. This low response rate has not allowed for a good
assessment of the overall student experience.

During Summer 2014 a simplified program survey was designed and the assessment
administered through the Office of Institutional Research. The survey is still in progress but
some initial responses (41 responses of which 93% are from students on short-term Clemson
faculty directed programs) indicate the following:
 70% students received above average pre-departure support
 90% said that the academic quality of the program was above average (65% said
excellent)
 88% indicated that the available health care during the program was above average
 All participants indicated that program facilities, excursions and housing were safe and
they had opportunities to interact with the local culture (78% indicated excellent
opportunities)
 85% had an above average responsiveness from program staff to student concerns
 80% thought that the value of the program related to cost was above average
 95% students said that they gained greater independence and self-confidence as a result
of studying abroad and also increased their ability to adapt to new situations
 98% students were more receptive to different world views and indicated that they had
gained a new perspective on their own country/culture

Student comments in the survey have overall indicated positive experiences saying that studying
abroad “was an absolutely phenomenal experience”, “awesome” or “dreams come true” and that
the things they learned both inside and outside the classroom will stick with them for the rest of
their life and experiences they will always remember.

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“I think all students should study abroad or at least visit other countries in order to
expand their worldview. In America, we are stuck in a bubble and until you
experience other cultures and people and ways of life, your understanding will be
limited. Not only is it good for learning about what else is out there, but you also
start to learn a lot about yourself and appreciate what you have, as you realize
how your life differs from others around the world.” – Clemson Study Abroad
student

Other student comments include the high costs of programs (especially factoring student loans
taken to pay for them) as well as the need for improved pre-departure support and easier
paperwork to facilitate a better study abroad experience.

Barriers to Student Participation

The Clemson 2020 Road Map calls for student participation in study abroad to double by 2020.
In the 2014 Clemson faculty internationalization survey, 74% of the respondents wanted an
increase in the number of students studying abroad and 68% said study abroad opportunities are
the best ways for students to encounter another culture. However, numerous roadblocks must be
addressed to facilitate increased and diversified student participation. Some key hurdles are:

Insufficient scholarships and grants: Currently, only $12,600 in annual institutional scholarship
funding is provided for the over 1,300 Clemson students who study abroad. Most students’ study
abroad during the summer but the Life Scholarship is only available to in-state students who go
abroad during the fall and spring semesters. Respondents in the faculty internationalization
survey indicated the need for greater financial support for students, especially need-based
support for exceptional students and curricular flexibility.

Limited development and fundraising effort: No coordinated development efforts to raise
scholarship and grants to support student participation in international programs currently exist.
65% of faculty respondents to the survey supported adding internationalization as a fundraising
priority of Clemson’s Development Office.

Curricular benefits not clearly identified/communicated: Many Clemson students, staff, and
faculty are not adequately knowledgeable of the curricular and career benefits of a study abroad
experience or are bound by the lack of curricular flexibility. Since study abroad courses are not
adequately mapped and integrated within Clemson’s curriculum, advisers and students are often
unsure how a study abroad experience satisfies a degree requirement, or if study abroad is even
an option at all. Further, over 37% of the respondents in the faculty internationalization survey
feel they are not adequately informed about the policies and procedures for implementing a
faculty-directed program or study abroad course.
Internationalization Task Force—Study Abroad Subcommittee Report
Last update November 21, 2014