Opportunities for Young International Scholars in the United States (Daniel Deneke)

Opportunities for Young International Scholars in the United States Daniel Denecke, Ph.D. Council of Graduate Schools Washington, DC, USA [email_address]

Council of Graduate Schools

Membership

500 members from US and Canada (and 14 international affiliates); 94% of doctoral degrees and approx. 80% of master’s degrees awarded in the US represented

Mission “to improve and advance graduate education” through:

Advocacy

Research

Best Practices , e.g. Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)

+ International Dimension

Characteristics of a “Global University”

International Research Collaborations

International Programs

International Students

International Experience for Domestic Students

International Postdocs & Faculty

I. Shifting Terrain: The Context for Opportunity

International scholars comprise an important part of the U.S. research enterprise

48% of students in engineering graduate programs

40% of students in physical sciences

1/3 of U.S. Nobel prizes won by foreign-born scientists

Source: CGS, Graduate Enrollment and Degrees, 1996-2006 , 2007

Positive Trends for International Researchers

Increased Student Mobility at undergraduate and graduate levels

CGS International Surveys ( www.cgsnet.org )

Open Doors Report ( http://opendoors.iienetwork.org ), “first significant increase since 2001” 3% overall, 10% new.

Joint and Dual Degree programs on the rise, creating opportunities for student and faculty exchanges.

CGS International Survey, 2007 ( www.cgsnet.org )

Bologna Process improving US admissions infrastructure for evaluating international credentials

Global Citizenship a growing concern

Some Countervailing Trends

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a much faster-than-average 27% increase in postsecondary teaching jobs through 2014. ( http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos066.htm ) (++)

Much of the increase will be in Part-Time. (--)

In 1990s, national share of Part Time (PT) faculty grew to 50+% (--)

The “Postdoc” is emerging as a growing trend in these fields (++)

As PT faculty increases, undergraduate completion rates fall (--)

Emphasis on completion rates and “accountability” is rising at both undergraduate and graduate levels. (++)

(Ehrenberg [http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/cheri/wp/cheri_wp46.pdf],

NYT [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/education/20adjunct.html?ex=1196398800&en=618fc4e8c3304e02&ei=5070&emc=eta1])

More Countervailing Trends

Concerns about reduced interest in PhD pathway among domestic students (--)

International students filling the gap in increased percentages . (++)

Alongside Global University trends are public undercurrents of protectionism and provincialism (--)

Capacity Building (++)

(Ehrenberg [http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/cheri/wp/cheri_wp46.pdf],

NYT [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/20/education/20adjunct.html?ex=1196398800&en=618fc4e8c3304e02&ei=5070&emc=eta1])

Doctoral S&E Degrees by World Region USA Germany & UK Asia* U.S. Citizens Source: National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008, Appendix Tables 2-31 & 2-42. Updated January 2008. Analysis by the Council of Graduate Schools. *Asia includes China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan **Includes Permanent Residents. %U.S. Citizens** S&E Ph.D.s Conferred

International Students and the US Graduate Enterprise

CGS International Student Admissions Surveys (since 2004), 3 phases of the survey each year:

I – Applications, II – Admissions, III – Enrollment

Plus Issues Questionnaire (e.g. three-year bachelor’s policies, international outreach activities, joint and dual degrees)

Highlights (most recent CGS applications, 2008):

Total grew 3% in 2008 (smallest growth since 2005)

Total grew 4% at Top 10 and Top 50; 1% outside

65% of continuous respondents experienced decreases, averaging 31% lower than 2003

Source: CGS, International Survey , 2008

II. Academic Opportunities: Faculty

Growth in Full-Time Faculty Positions for International Scholars, 1992-2003, all fields source: Science and Engineering Indicators 2008 , Appendix Table 5-21 82.6 76 9.2 13.3 8.3 10.7

Faculty Rank

Postdoctorate - - - Adjunct Professor or “Lecturer”

Lecturer/Instructor - Non-tenure Track Research and Teaching Positions

Assistant Professor , Tenure Track (or not)

Associate Professor , Tenure

Full Professor , Tenure

US Faculty Salary Ranges by Rank source: American Association of University Professors April 2008 $93-159,000 $69-103,000 $60-87,000 $42-69,000 Doctoral Institutions $72-111,000 $59-85,000 $50-69,000 $40-59,000 Master’s Focused $59-113,000 (Full) Professor

$51-83,000

Associate Professor $44-67,000 Assistant Professor $37-56,000 Instructor/ Lecturer Bachelor’s

Tenure & Promotion

Publication

Quality: peer review, selective peer review

Quantity: # of Articles (3-6); # Books (1-2)

Citations

Letters of support (networking outsider the department)

Teaching portfolio & service requirements

Understanding stated requirements (and unstated expectations)

Understanding institutional decision-making and recent history

Balancing Research, Teaching, and Service

Starting Point Finish Line

III. Academic Opportunities: Postdoctoral

Postdoctoral Fellowships and Appointments

Federal agencies: National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF)

Citizenship requirements vary, NIH’s NRSA (restricted)

University, private foundations, libraries, research organizations, etc.

Citizenship requirements tend to be more open; Residency requirements vary

Innumerable online resources, e.g. in biosciences:

http://www.spo.berkeley.edu/Fund/biopostdoc.html

Employee/worker vs. trainee/student tension

Visa Class Characteristics

J-1 (“the Exchange Visitor Visa”)

Common for Post-docs

Purpose: exchange opportunities for a cultural/educational purpose

Family/Finance: Spouse may apply for employment authorization

Up to 3 years (with 6-month extension)

H1-B

Common for Faculty (some postdocs)

Purpose: temporary employment in “specialty occupations” and/or with intent to apply for permanent residency

Family/Finance: Non-U.S. spouse ineligible to apply for employment authorization

Up to 6 years

Resources: National Postdoc Association ( http://www.nationalpostdoc.org ); US Department of State website ( http://travel.state.gov/visa )

Inside U.S. Higher Education

Chronicle of Higher Education ( http://chronicle.com ) and

Inside Higher Education ( www.insidehighered.com )

National Postdoc Association ( http://www.nationalpostdoc.org )

National Academies of Sciences reports ( www.nationalacademies.org )

American Association of University Professors ( www.aaup.org )

Higher Education Research & Reform Initiatives:

Ronald Ehrenberg & CHERI (Cornell Higher Education Research Institute), Chris Golde & Tim Dore, Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate, Re-envisioning the PhD, NORC (Survey of Earned Doctorates), NRC Doctoral Assessment; Maresi Nerad (CIRGE), Science and Engineering Indicators, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation

Your Destination Institution: international services; postdoc office.

Council of Graduate Schools ( www.cgsnet.org )

IV. Non-academic Opportunities

“ The importance of foreign-born scientists and engineers to S&E enterprise in US continues to grow”

25% of all college educated workers, and 40% of doctorate holders, in S&E occupations in 2003 were foreign-born

At least 41% of foreign-born university-educated in the US in 2003 had highest degree from foreign educational institution

About half of S&E doctorate holders in US postdoc positions may have earned doctorates outside US

Source: NSF, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008

Global diffusion of R&D employment is reshaping non-academic career paths

From 1994 to 2004, R&D employment outside the US by US firms increased by 76%, compared with a 31% increase in R&D employment by the same firms in the United States, and an 18% increase in US R&D employment at the US subsidiaries of foreign firms

Source: NSF, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008

V. The Role of the University in Enhancing Opportunities for Young International Scholars

The Banff Principles

Respect and learn from the differences in programs and their modes of delivery directed towards our common goal

Promote the quality of graduate programs

Develop global career competencies and awareness in graduates

Encourage innovation in programs and graduates

Clarify and strengthen the role of the masters degree

Promote high-quality inter-university collaborative programs across national boundaries

Review and understand the global flow of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (early stage researchers)

Engage stakeholders, e.g. employers, policy makers and universities, to improve and advance graduate education in a global context

Establish an inclusive global platform for discussion of best practices in graduate education

CGS, Global Perspectives on Graduate Education , 2008 forthcoming

In 2007, about 29% of U.S. Graduate Schools Had Established Collaborative Degree Programs With International Universities Source: Council of Graduate Schools, 2007 International Graduate Admissions Survey II: Final Applications and Initial Offers of Admissions. August 2007. *Enrollment size based on the number of international graduate students Enrolled at U.S. graduate schools in the fall of 2004. Due to rounding, details may not equal totals. Table 1. Percentage of American Graduate Schools That Have Established Collaborative Graduate Degree Programs With One or More International Universities, by Size of International Graduate Student Enrollment* 29% 22% 56% 48% 56% Total With One or More Collaborative Programs 11% 9% 21% 10% 11% All Other Types of Degree Programs 7% 8% 3% 5% 0% Joint Degree Program 11% 5% 32% 33% 44% Dual/Double Degree All Institutions All Others Largest 50 Largest 25 Largest 10

Collaborative Degree Programs Have Been Established in a Variety of Fields, With Business Being the Most Common Source: 2007 Council of Graduate Schools Graduate Admissions Survey II: Final Applications and Initial Offers of Admission.

About One-Fifth of U.S. Graduate Schools Plan to Establish New Collaborative Degree Programs With International Universities Source: Council of Graduate Schools, 2007 International Graduate Admissions Survey II: Final Applications and Initial Offers of Admissions. August 2007. *Enrollment size based on the number of international graduate students Enrolled at U.S. graduate schools in the fall of 2004. Due to rounding, details may not equal totals. Table 1. Percentage of American Graduate Schools That Have Plan to Establish New Collaborative Graduate Degree Programs With One or More International Universities Within the Next Two Years, by Size of International Graduate Student Enrollment* 24% 22% 39% 33% 33% Total With One or More Collaborative Programs 12% 8% 27% 19% 22% All Other Types of Degree Programs 8% 8% 9% 9% 0% Joint Degree Program 4% 5% 3% 5% 11% Dual/Double Degree All Institutions All Others Largest 50 Largest 25 Largest 10

Best Practices in the Preparation of Scholars for Faculty Careers

Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)

( www.preparing-faculty.org )

Correct the mismatch between doctoral degree experience and faculty careers

Address the roles and responsibilities in teaching, research, and service

Preparing students for success in a variety of institutional contexts

… including international contexts and components

Other reform initiatives addressing preparation for the professoriate include: Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate, the Responsive Ph.D. (Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation), and Re-envisioning the Ph.D.

Best Practices in the Preparation of Scholars for Non-academic Careers