UWSP International Programs
Strategic Plan
2012-2016
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SUBMITTED BY ERIC YONKE,
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS DIRECTOR
I.
Challenges and Opportunities
“Campus Internationalization” has moved from the periphery to the core of U.S. higher
education. As universities become more market-driven and competitive, international programs
have become a key asset as well as a market indicator of an institution’s value in the eyes of
prospective students and their families. UWSP has a proud study abroad tradition, and it now
stands at a critical juncture. As a pioneer institution in the field of study abroad, UWSP once
stood apart from other comprehensive public institutions. Today UWSP is surrounded by peers
investing heavily in international education initiatives. UWSP participant numbers are now
matched by peer institutions, and universities that only a decade ago offered very few study
abroad options are eclipsing UWSP in the number of study destinations. This strategic plan
recommends a series of goals and initiatives to advance UWSP’s campus internationalization by
building on our strong tradition of education abroad.
The University’s Strategic Plan: A Call for Campus Internationalization
The UWSP strategic plan is explicit in its call for broad campus internationalization and especially
education abroad opportunities. In its first goal, the plan challenges the university community to
“provide students with the knowledge and skills to contribute at all levels – locally, nationally,
and internationally.” Under the goal of cultivating an inclusive and ecologically-responsible
worldview, the University’s strategic plan calls for the following:
Expand opportunities for study and/or service learning abroad, via formal
semester-long and short-term credit-bearing arrangements.
Under the goal of developing sustainable relationships between the university and its partners –
local, state, regional, national, and global, the strategic plan calls for the following:
Expand programs that encourage students, faculty, and staff to engage with individuals,
programs, and organizations outside the university through experiential learning,
consultation, and volunteer efforts.
Finally, under the goal of facilitating and encouraging access to university resources through
development of long-term partnerships, the University’s strategic plan calls for the following:
Serve as a source of regional, local and global information for the benefit of external
partners.
These goals integrate the University’s local mission with its global perspective. Collectively, these
goals will require campus units to examine their current international relationships and challenge
them to develop new relationships beyond the borders of the U.S. The call for greater education
abroad opportunities specifically is recognition of the importance of international programming
to the University’s future. It is also a challenge requiring greater resources to support expansion.
Required Resources for this Strategic Plan
The strategic planning process has underscored some pressing resource needs: the need
for more staffing in International Programs, the need to revise leader compensation, and the
need to expand the role of the International Affairs Subcommittee.
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II.

Without additional positions and resources, I.P. will by necessity cut back on current
programs and services. The ability to implement most of the strategic plan presented in
this document will require an increase in I.P. personnel.

As its first objective under the goal of “deepening the international resource pool on
campus,” the strategic plan calls for a review and revision of program leader
compensation.

The strategic plan calls on UWSP faculty governance and administration to recognize
and support campus internationalization. The responsibilities outlined in this document
require more effort and influence than a subcommittee can provide.
Goals and Objectives
A. Advance Effective Integration of Education Abroad into the UWSP Curriculum
Objective 1: Establish a UWSP “GEP Abroad” database articulating all study
abroad courses meeting General Education Program needs.
Objective 2: Create college-based education abroad task forces to evaluate
the current study abroad array and to articulate each college’s
level of participation in education abroad.
Objective 3: Review existing program array and develop new program
partnerships according to college needs and plans.
B. Expand and Strengthen Advising for Education Abroad
Objective 1: Design and implement an education abroad advising initiative for
personnel and offices across campus.
Objective 2: Implement an online application process and internet-based
communication structure for the preparation and the reintegration
of study abroad participants.
Objective 3: Expand course offerings designed to prepare students for their
international experiences and develop course offerings on the
integration of study abroad for returning students.
C. Deepen the International Resource Pool on Campus
Objective 1: Review and revise the compensation of program leaders.
Objective 2: Expand fundraising efforts for the International Programs Scholarship
Endowment (IPSE).
Objective 3: Advance opportunities for returning students to showcase their
international experiences with the campus.
Objective 4: Implement a Personnel Development Plan for International
Education.
Objective 5: Establish visiting scholars exchange program for campus.
D. Strengthen Evaluation and Assessment of Education Abroad
Objective 1: Institute standard assessment process for all programs.
Objective 2: Update student program evaluation instruments, integrating them
more fully with on-campus evaluation instruments.
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III.
Timetable
Please refer to the full strategic plan document for further information on the goals and
objectives, particularly for the individuals and groups tasked with each item.
Goal
Objective
Spring
2012
Fall 2012
Spring
2013
Curriculum
Integration
GEP Abroad
Database
Organize
Develop
Implement
Curriculum
Integration
College
Internationalization
Organize
Develop
Develop
Curriculum
Integration
New Partnerships
Advising
Campus-wide
Advising Initiative
Advising
Internet-Based
Services
Advising
Preparation &
Reintegration
Courses
Resources
Compensation for
Leaders
Resources
Fall 2013
Spring
2014
Organize
Develop
Fall 2016
Review
Implement
Review
Develop
Organize
Fall 2014
Implement
Implement
Review
Review
Implement
Review
Organize
Develop
Implement
Review
Organize
Develop
Implement
Student
Scholarships
Organize
Develop
Implement
Resources
Student
Opportunities to
Showcase
Organize
Develop
Implement
Resources
Personnel
Development Plan
Resources
Visiting Scholars
Program
Evaluation &
Assessment
Learning
Assessment
Organize
Develop
Implement
Review
Evaluation &
Assessment
Program
Evaluation
Organize
Develop
Implement
Review
Review
Review
Organize
Develop
Implement
Review
Develop
Implement
Review
#Organize
6
4
0
1
0
0
#Develop
0
5
5
0
3
0
#Implement
0
1
4
5
0
3
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