1. CUSTOMIZING AND FUNDING
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO
INTERNATIONALIZE THE CURRICULUM
Dr. Joyce Madancy, Union College Erin Santana, CIEE IFDS
Karlis Rokpelnis, CIEE Beijing

2. What are International Faculty Development Seminars?
2
• Created by CIEE in 1990 –26 years supporting campus internationalization efforts
• International professional development for faculty and administrators
• Short-term, intensive overseas experiences focusing on issues and regions that are
shaping the course of world events – overarching themes clearly aligned with
academic disciplines

3. What is IFDS? (cont.)
3
• Structured around key programmatic components:
• Detailed syllabus includes readings, objectives, framing questions
• Comprehensive pre-departure and on-site orientations
• Lectures & discussion sessions with local faculty, experts, community
leaders
• Site visits, excursions, and intercultural activities
• “Now What?” workshop focused on putting IFDS experience to use back
on campus
www.ciee.org/ifds

4. A sample of 2017 seminars
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Location(s) Seminar Title Discipline(s)
Havana, Cuba Contemporary Cuban Transformations: Social
Inequities and Social Policy
Social Sciences
Shanghai, China
and Taipei,
Taiwan
Political Divergence, Culture Convergence, and
Economic Reliance
Business, Political
Science
Rabat, Morocco Intercultural Learning in the Multilingual
Context of Morocco
Language,
Intercultural
Learning
Paris, France Best Practices for Creating Successful Faculty-
Led Programs

5. BACKGROUND AND PLANNING
FROM THE
UNION COLLEGE SIDE

6. Background
6
 Presidential/Administrative Initiative
 Mellon Mid-Career Presidential Discretionary Grant – invited to apply
 Inspired by President’s own study tour experience
 Dean of Faculty Links to Common Curriculum (General Education)
 Educational mission
- Cuts across all disciplines
- Support/affirmation for those who contribute
 Director of Common Curriculum and GenEd Board
- Fleshed out details – themes of Social Justice and Sustainability
- Made decision to work with CIEE
- Campus survey of possible topics and locations
- China and Turkey (based on CIEE logistics and our themes)
- Selection of Directors and Co-Directors
- Application Process: info sessions, application essay, final decisions, deanly generosity

7. A Diverse Group
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 Fourteen total – a diverse group!
 By rank
 5 Professors
 4 Associate Professors
 2 Assistant Professors
 3 lecturers
 By Gender – 3 men, 11 women
 By Department
 Director
- History – East Asia
 Co-Directors
- Modern Languages – Chinese and Asian
Studies
- Electrical and Computer Engineering

8. A Diverse Group (cont.)
8
 Everyone Else
 Biology
 Chemistry
 English (three)
 Ethnomusicology & Asian Studies
 Electrical and Comp. Engineering
 Film Studies
 Geology
 Mathematics
 Mechanical Engineering
 Three Chinese speakers
 Five had been to China previously

9. Preparation
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 Three Goals
 Group “bonding”
 Intellectual/Cultural Preparation
 Thinking about curricular consequences
 Five Pre-Departure Workshops
 Historical background and Language
 Summer reading list
 Curricular brainstorming/mapping to prepare and to follow up
 Logistics
 Environmental Studies Lecture Series – focus on China
 Group Chinese Dinner

10. PLANNING AND EXECUTION
FROM THE ON-SITE
PERSPECTIVE

11. Environmental, Cultural, & Economic Sustainability in China’s Urban
and Rural Landscapes
11

12. Creating the Seminar
12
 Wide in scope and
vast in geography
 The participant
cohort was very
diverse and so
were needs and
expectations

13. Adjusting the seminar for Union College
13
 Even with a focus on
social justice, the
scope was still wide
 The participant cohort
was diverse
 Interests were more
articulated
 Unfortunate timing of
staff changes at CIEE
Beijing and training
needs – had to
replace group leader
last minute

14. The Trip!
14

15. Ten Days in Northeast China
15
 A Smashing Success!
 Cross-disciplinary bonding?
 Check!
 Educational lectures
 Check!
 Illuminating excursions
 Check!
 Results
 New courses with new themes from the
trip
 New modules in existing courses
 Guest lectures and invited speakers

16. Beijing
and
Beyond

17. 17

18. Challenges and Rewards
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• Challenges
• Last minute leadership change
• Group concerns (film clip 1)
• Some illness
• Poverty tourists?
(film clip 3)
• Rewards
• Informative lectures
(clip 2)
• Observations (clip 4)
• Curricular mapping

19. Synergies
19
 IFDS-style
training for
study center
staff
 IFDS group
leaders
planning to
visit Union

20. QUESTIONS?

21. THANK
YOU