International Workshop

University of New Orleans / University of Innsbruck Workshop
International Student Mobility in the Global Age: Best Practices in Europe and the United States

When:  February 12, 2010
Where: Renaissance Arts Hotel New Orleans, 700 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 USA

Student mobility has increased dramatically in the past 20 years. A growing number of universities in Europe and the United States want a large percentage of their students to go abroad. Studying abroad has become a central part of a university experience educating global citizens aware of and in tune with the world. European students may choose between ambitious European Union mobility programs (Socrates, Erasmus) and a proliferating number of attractive options in the rest of the world.

American universities have recognized the value of a studying abroad in preparing their graduates for doing business. Today American students are looking as much to Asia and Latin America and even Africa as considering the more traditional stay in Europe when they decide on studying abroad. What are the numbers reflecting growing student mobility since 1945 and 1990 (from the Cold War to the post-Cold War era)? What are the (changing) destinations (from regional to global)? What were the factors that have led to this mobile student population since the end of the Cold War (eg. Austria joining EU; American universities offering international programs)? Will the current financial crisis affect student mobility? How does the “Bologna Process” affect international student mobility in Europe?

These are some of the question that will be addressed in a one-day workshop organized by the Universities of New Orleans and Innsbruck through their partnership agreement. While the more general global trends of student mobility will be addressed, case studies of The University of Innsbruck and The University of New Orleans and their international partners will be the specific focus in addressing these questions.

 

Program

February 12, 2010

8:30 am  
Welcome by Timothy Ryan, Chancellor of The University of New Orleans
Signing of UNO Partnership Treaty with University of Graz

9:00 am  
Part I: American Universities and Their Experiences in International Student Mobility

Chair:
Erich Thöni
University Representative for International Relations, University of Innsbruck

Keynote Address
Paul Kraemer, Vanderbilt University/Charles Warren Fellow, Harvard University

Is the World Our Campus? International Students and U.S. Global Power in the Twentieth Century

10:00 - 10:15 am
Coffee Break

10:15 - 12:00
Panel

Merrill Johnson/Alea Cot/Gűnter Bischof/John Hazlett, University of New Orleans
UNO’s Global Agenda

Brett Berquist, Executive Director, Office of Study Abroad, Michigan State University
Michigan State University as an American Leader in International Studies

Elaine Meyer-Lee, Director, Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership, Saint Mary's College
Increased Quality and Quantity of Global Student Mobility at a Small Liberal Arts College

12:00 – LUNCH

1:00 pm
Part II: Austrian Institutions and Their Experiences in International Student Mobility

Chair: Guenter Bischof, Director Center Austria, University of New Orleans

Keynote Address - Lonnie Johnson, Director, Austrian-American Educational Commission
Student Mobility between Austria and the United States since World War II

2:00 - 4:00 pm
Panel

Erich Thöni, University of Innsbruck
The University of Innsbruck’s Global Student Mobility

Roberta Maierhofer, University of Graz
Student Mobility from the Graz Perspective

Bernd Finger, University of Freiburg, Germany
The German Perspective from the University of Freiburg