Saint Leo University’s
Comprehensive Internationalization
Dr. David Felsen, Associate Professor of Int’l Business
Executive Director of International Programs, Office of Int’l Affairs
School of Business
Dr. Marcela van Olphen, Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese
Faculty Representative, Internationalization Implementation Committee
School of Arts & Sciences
Foundation of Saint Leo’s Internationalization
• Beginning three years ago, Saint Leo University envisioned achieving the
objective of becoming a university of international consequence for the
21st century
• Achieving “international consequence” means producing graduates who
make a positive impact on a global scale
• Achieving “international consequence” requires organizational
alignment of senior leadership, operational departments, academic
programs and personnel, and resource commitment
• Achieving “international consequence” necessitates a champion to
move things forward and a process to achieve the vision
Saint Leo’s Internal Assessment
• Saint Leo conducted an internal assessment of the university’s
resources, strengths and challenges in its pursuit of
internationalization
• Assessment of students and student program offerings: international
studies programs, student exchanges, language skills, field work,
service contributions
• Assessment of faculty: Sizeable international faculty, good
international research
• Assessment of operational departments: Degree of understanding of
internationalization in areas of hiring, accounting, risk management need for changes
The Process of Internationalization
• University formed a working group made up of personnel from an array of
different academic/ administrative units
• University invested in people and other resources needs to create a plan for
moving forward and developed a process of reflection on
internationalization
• University selected a champion to lead the process of Saint Leo’s
Internationalization
• Communicated the internationalization project to the faculty, staff and
departments
• Began promoting the need for adaptation and change across the university
to faculty, staff and departments
The Internationalization Vision Articulated
• University clearly articulated the vision of where it wanted to go
• Wanted student knowledge and skills assessed for global competency
• Sought growing international participation and experiences
• Set as goal graduates landing major positions at internationallyconnected and/or international companies
• Sought graduate programs conducted overseas by leveraging use of
technology
• Wanted that the institution as a whole achieve recognition as a multifaceted hub for international activity, interactions and global
connectedness and larger international composition on campuses
New Internationalization Structures and
Processes
• Appointment of Associate V-P of International Affairs to champion effort (2012)
• Creation of a new Office of International Affairs to coordinate international
efforts across the university and appointment of Executive Director of
International Programs to manage day to day operations at the Office (2013)
• Development of a strategic plan for internationalization that received backing
across the university (2013)
• Setting up an internationalization steering committee, the Internationalization
Implementation Committee (IIC), to oversee internationalization (2013)
• IIC composition is inclusive with representation from across academic and
administrative departments, including academic Deans, faculty representatives,
Communications, Business Affairs/Risk management, Study abroad, student
services, Enrollments/ recruitment
The Internationalization Implementation
Committee and Working Groups
• IIC was tasked with achieving specific and measurable goals in four different
areas and has working groups that carry out many of these tasks and report to IIC
at monthly meetings
• International Experience Working Group – growing participation in short-study,
semester study, service trips
• International Recruitment Working Group – identifying new pipelines,
opportunities for the university
• Communications Working Group – achieving branding, positioning and
communications globally, launching web presence
• Training and Development Working group – to launch seminars, modules,
training for staff, faculty, students
Strategic Internationalization Goals in Action
• Evaluating our international partnerships, keeping those that make sense,
identifying new collaborative opportunities/projects in those partnerships,
developing resultant activities from partnerships
• Expanding short-term, semester study abroad and service participation
• Identifying new opportunities for international recruitment
• Stepping up branding, communicating efforts of Saint Leo
• Alignment of all academic/administrative areas to the goals of
internationalization through changes to processes
• Engaging in training and development to prepare staff, faculty and students on
international issues
Training & Professional Development
• Comprehensive process
• Faculty, instructors, and administrators
• Students & student organizations
• Collaboration across the board
• Deans, chairs, and faculty
• Support (financial & academic)
Academic Strategies
• Promote cross-cultural awareness
• Provide academic training to faculty and staff working with international
students
• Generate opportunities for students to participate in international
experiences of different lengths
• Offer forums for faculty and students to participate in activities that
nurture campus internationalization
• Cultivate students curiosity about international matters
Strategies in Action
Promote cross-cultural awareness:
• Lunch & Learn: Working with International Students; Cross-Cultural
Communication in the Classroom
• Office of International Admissions: Cross-cultural Communication for
Admission Officers at Saint Leo
• Bridge students gatherings, show and tell (open to all students)
Provide academic training to faculty and staff working with
international students
• LRC: Training for university tutors “Academic Writing: Focus on ELL”
• Lunch & Learn: Teaching Strategies & Second Language Acquisition
Strategies in Action
Generate opportunities for students to participate in international
experiences of different lengths:
• Study abroad (semester & summer) in Spain & Latin America (in the case of SPA
students)
• IDS: Muslim Influence on Spain (1 credit course with trip to Spain and Morocco,
to be offered May 2015)
Cultivate faculty, students, and staff curiosity about international matters
• Café Series: Café Ole (Spanish Club) & Café Babel (Bridge Program)
• Day of the Death: Building an altar, eating “bread of the death” and drinking café
con leche
Strategies in Action
Offer forums for faculty and students to participate in activities that
nurture campus internationalization:
• Professional Development Day: Generating Classroom Opportunities for
Comprehensive Internationalization at Saint Leo
• SPA 420: Advanced Spanish through Film and Literature (open class on movie
nights)
• Academic Excellence Day: World Languages and Cultures Poster Session
• Hispanic Heritage Day: Department of English and SPA Club co-sponsored event
Questions? Comments?
To be continued …