Globalization Strategy for UMKC
An effective university globalization strategy should address the following1:
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Articulated institutional commitment
Administrative structure and staffing
Curriculum, co-curriculum and learning outcomes
Faculty policies and practices
Student mobility
Collaboration and partnerships
Globalization Strategy for UMKC
Key Terms Used in this Document
Applied Language Institute: The ALI is housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, and reports
to the Office of the Dean. The Institute’s mission is to offer comprehensive English-as-a-SecondLanguage (ESL) instruction for academic, personal or professional purposes as well as a variety
of academic courses such as language acquisition and cross-cultural classes and seminars. In
addition, the ALI offers short-term language and professional development programs for
international students.
Global Competency: Global Competency is a term suggesting certain key attributes that
characterize individuals who have participated in some aspect of international education.
Definitions vary; UMKC subscribes to the five characteristics identified by the Association of
Public and Land-grant Universities. See Outcome Goal 1.
International Academic Programs: IAP reports to the Office of the Provost and assumes
leadership of two High Impact initiatives that have been identified as essential for student
success: Study Abroad and application to nationally competitive fellowships. IAP works with all
incoming exchange students and develops the International Memorandums of Understanding
that establish partnerships. IAP works closely with international groups in the metropolitan area
to foster community collaboration and interest in UMKC international programming.
International Student Affairs Office: ISAO reports to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and
Enrollment Management and works with all incoming international students and scholars,
holding primary responsibility for the recruitment, admission, campus orientation and
immigration advising of international students and scholars. ISAO serves as a liaison with many
academic units in establishing recruitment and scholarship strategies leading to the admission of
international students.
1
http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ProgramsServices/oii/index.htm
Memorandum of Understanding: An MOU is a document that establishes a partnership
between UMKC and an international institution or organization. They are general in language,
indicating a commitment to collaborate in one or more of the following: student exchange and
education, faculty development, research and publication.
Memorandum of Articulation: An MOA is an agreement which expands upon an MOU, making
it specific to individual academic units and professional schools. They are specific in language,
indicating necessary criteria for the admission of students into particular academic programs,
and nuances governing the partnership.
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VISION
UMKC’s International vision is to establish a global presence by providing opportunities in
international education that include teaching, learning, research, cultural programming, and
student and professional exchanges both incoming and abroad, thereby putting student success
at the center.
MISSION
This vision will be implemented by UMKC administration, faculty and staff who will make an
institutional commitment to comprehensive internationalization: the education of globally
competent citizens by providing cross cultural, language and educational opportunities for US
and International students, and by inculcating the importance of understanding the diverse and
global nature of business, politics, industry, research, environment and health.
GOAL 1
Create a learning community that assures that all UMKC students will move successfully into
their careers as informed citizens of a global environment.
Strategy 1A
Support internationalized undergraduate and graduate curricula and experience across
campus in keeping with the following working definition: “An internationalized course in
any discipline includes information and develops critical-thinking skills from a global
perspective and/or provides comparative study across cultures, languages, nations-states,
and geographical regions.”2
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Global Studies programming (major, minor, emphasis)
Inter-disciplinary courses
2
Olson, Green & Hill. A Handbook for Advancing Comprehensive Internationalization: What Institutions Can Do and What
Students Should Learn. American Council on Education, 2006, 56.
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Strategy 1B
Maintain Cultural Education Programs through increased funding for scholarships and
expanded staff to advise students
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Study Abroad
International Service Projects
Clinical rotations and Internships
Undergraduate Research
Summer Immersion and Intersession Programs
Promotion of student success and academic excellence via internationally prestigious
scholarships/fellowships
Strategy 1C
Enhance participation in international education experiences by traditionally under-represented
student groups: including but is not limited to students with high financial need, students in
under-represented fields such as science/math/engineering or other majors (such as education)
that have an inflexible progression of coursework, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds,
students with disabilities, who are male, who are first generation college students, who identify
as GLBTQ, are of lower socio-economic status, who are non-traditional students or have
dependents.3
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Targeted scholarships
Collaboration with dedicated offices
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Services for Students with Disabilities
Division of Diversity, Access & Equity
Multicultural Student Affairs
Strategy 1D
Increase and support on-campus and community engagement between U.S. and
international students, faculty, staff and community members
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Cultural programming on campus and in the residence halls
Interaction with community groups dedicated to international discourse and learning
Involvement with K- 12 education within the metropolitan area
Participation and leadership in community celebrations, festivals and events
Linguistic and cultural support to international students thus insuring that they are
prepared to cope with the international experience at UMKC.
3
Definitions of under-represented are from: Gilman Scholarship at http://www.iie.org/programs/gilman-scholarshipprogram/about-the-program, and NAFSA at http://www.nafsa.org/resourcelibrary/default.aspx?id=17106
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Strategy 1E
Provide systematic collaboration and communication among the three international offices
and across all campus units and offices to ensure that all students, faculty and staff are
integrated into a campus-wide global initiative
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Create an International Advisory Board representing administration and faculty
o Provide expertise and leadership for proposed international initiatives such as
the 2011 Report of The China Strategy Group.
o Sponsor workshops and learning opportunities to disseminate information and
maintain common goals
o Explore the implications of internationalization for General Education
requirements
o Sponsor campus-wide programs for students, faculty and staff to share and
disseminate international experiences
First year experience and transition classes for domestic and international students
o Language and culture support for international students
o Courses that provide cross cultural education for the general UMKC student
population4
Outcomes Goal 1
Achieve Global Competency for all UMKC students as characterized by the following:*
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A diverse and knowledgeable worldview
Comprehension international dimensions of his/her major field of study
Ability to communicate effectively in another language and/or cross-culturally
Demonstration of cross-cultural sensitivity and adaptability
Maintenance of global competencies throughout life
Achieve necessary funding and infrastructure for success in guiding global competency in order
to:
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Maintain and increase cultural education programs through increased funding for
scholarships and expanded staff to advise students
Enhance participation in international education initiatives by underrepresented
populations
Increase and support on-campus and community engagement between U.S. and
international students, faculty, staff and community members
Integrate the 3 UMKC international offices in campus-wide global initiative
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The ALI, for example, offers two classes: Cross-Cultural Interaction and Experience I and Cross-Cultural Interaction and
Experience II, A&S 210 and 310 respectively.
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GOAL 2
Enhance on-campus diversity by increasing and supporting International recruitment,
admission and retention of degree-seeking and exchange students, and international scholars
Strategy 2A
The International Student Affairs Office (ISAO) formulates a comprehensive strategic plan
involving recruitment of international students domestically and internationally, based on
working closely with academic units, sponsoring organizations and monitoring global trends
affecting mobility of students, including waxing and waning economies, population growth,
saturation of university places available, etc.
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Government Sponsored Students
Non-government sponsored students
Sponsors seeking to place high ability scholarship students with prestigious international
awards, such as Fulbright, Muskie, LASPAU and Brazil Scientific Mobility Initiative
Education USA
Study Missouri
Hiring, training and advising essential staff members to act on applications rapidly,
ensuring that UMKC's I-20 is one of the first offers to reach new admits
Assuring communication with key organizations is on-going and promotes UMKC, as well
as the students being sponsored here
Strategy 2B
Collaborate with and build upon the Applied Language Institute (ALI) recruitment of
international students to its Intensive English Program (IEP).
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Create an infrastructure that introduces and integrates ALI students to the academic
units on campus.
Support and expand ALI’s work with units on campus planning, designing and
implementing courses that will enhance non-native English speaking students’ linguistic
ability in specific academic areas. Current collaborations include The Bloch School of
Business, the Nursing School, the Law School and the School of Graduate Studies.
Strategy 2C
Identify key geographic regions most suited to fulfilling campus and departmental goals and to
create or maintain existing sustainable collaborations for all academic units and professional
schools by considering:
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Academic Learning Objectives
Study Abroad destinations
Increased market/revenue generation
State Department priorities
Countries placing high value on U.S. degrees
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Strategy 2D
Enhance International Collaboration and Engagement through diverse models of partnerships
(memorandums of understanding and memorandums of articulation) that provide international
students a U.S. based education, pursuant to the Policies of the Higher Learning Commission of
the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (“Higher Learning Commission”) and is
subject to the approval or notification requirements established by the Higher Learning
Commission.
Numerous formats for MOAs exist, such as the following:
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2+2 = UG at UMKC: This is the most common MOA type called a “twinning”
agreement, and represents two years of coursework completed at an international
institution with the final 2 years completed at UMKC
3+1 = UG with degree awarded at international institution, UMKC or as a dual degree
earned at both schools: In this MOA 3 years of coursework are completed at the
international institution with a final year of coursework completed at UMKC. The
involved parties can determine whether the students transfers the year of coursework
at UMKC back to their home institution and earns a bachelor’s there, or whether UMKC
accepts all 3 previous years of coursework and awards a UMKC bachelor’s degree or
whether both institutions elect to award a joint degree, commonly called a dual degree
3+3 = UG at home institution + MS UMKC: The student completes 3 years of
coursework at their international institution then transfers to UMKC, where they do
one more year of undergraduate study, which is transferred back to their home
institution for a bachelor’s degree. They remain at UMKC to complete 2 more years of
study to earn a master’s degree here.
3.5 + 0.5 + MS = UG at home institution + MS UMKC: The student completes 3.5 years
of coursework at their international institution then transfers to UMKC, where they do
half a year of undergraduate study, which is transferred back to their home institution
for a bachelor’s degree. They remain at UMKC to complete 2 more years of study to
earn a master’s degree here
4.5 + 1.0 = MS UMKC: The student earns their bachelor’s degree at their international
institution and remains an extra semester, then transfers to UMKC to complete a
master’s degree in just one year. Scenarios like this can be worked out thoroughly by
determining which courses will be allowed to transfer to UMKC in support of the
master’s degree
International – on-site education + US education: UMKC does not have branch
campuses overseas, although we can share curricular aspects of our academic
programs. It is possible to combine overseas education and on-line offerings to
significantly reduce the amount of time it will take to earn a UMKC degree in Kansas
City.
Online programming
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Satellite Campus/Programs
Certificates and other short-term programs: These are especially appealing to students
from other countries that must have an international component in their degrees, such
as one year of study in the US.
Outcomes Goal 2
Increased diversity, quality and quantity of international student population, with corresponding
increased revenue
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International Recruitment based on strategic, comprehensive plan for incoming
international students and outgoing Study Abroad students
Key geographic areas are targeted for exchange and partnership agreements
Diverse models of partnership are maximized (i.e. “twinning agreements)
ALI initiatives serve as a pipeline to academic programs
GOAL 3
Advance Excellence in Graduate and Professional programs and support scholarly research
at all levels through international education and outreach
Strategy 3A
The International Academic Programs office formulates strategic objectives to support
international education opportunities for students
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Increase the number of UMKC students enrolled in Study Abroad programs by working
with and supporting faculty who want to develop programs
Increase the number and diversity of applicants for nationally competitive prestigious
fellowships such as Fulbright, DAAD, Rhodes, Marshall and Mitchell
Increase the number of incoming exchange students through MOUs developed in line
with the academic and geographic priorities of the University
Train departmental advisors to help students find appropriate international
opportunities
Strategy 3B
Support internationally-based faculty research
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Fellowships such as Fulbright Scholar
Research funding from NSF, FIPSE, and other foundations
International partnership collaborations such as UMSAEP (University of Missouri South
Africa Education Program)
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Strategy 3B
Support ISAO and academic units’ efforts to bring international scholars to campus
through such programs as Fulbright, Muskie, Edgar Snow Scholar, AMIDEAST and IIE
Outcomes Goal 3
Increased excellence in Graduate School, professional programs and scholarly research
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Improved enrollment, retention and timely graduation
Internationally-based research supported for faculty members
Satisfied alumni who identify an international experience while at UMKC as very
important
Increased number of UMKC students having international experience (Study Abroad,
Internships, Volunteer and Service Learning)
Increased number of international students choosing UMKC as a Study Abroad option
Increased number of international students receiving competitive and externally
recognized prestigious scholarships
GOAL 4
Maintain a high level of expertise and professional standards at all levels in international
education and programming
Strategy 4A
Quality control and oversight of international programs
 Established procedures, guidelines and policies endorsed by the administration
o UMKC Policy for Study Abroad and International Opportunities
o UMKC Group Study Abroad Program Approval Form
o UMKC Standardized Template for MOUs; MOAs are customized to meet the
needs of the particular partnership
o UMKC Policy on Using Agents for Recruitment
o UMKC Policy for Recruiting at Sponsored Student Organizations/Embassies
Strategy 4B
Support of professional development of international administrators
 Professional memberships, subscriptions
 Attendance at professional meetings
 Keeping abreast of State, Federal and International Information
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Outcomes Goal 4
State of the art professional leadership provided by the three international offices: International
Academic Affairs, International Student Affairs Office, and Applied Language Institute
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An established infra-structure that builds and supports the capacity of the three offices
to work in concert;
Adherence to best standards and codes of ethics established by the major professional
organizations in the field of international education, and the Higher Learning
Commission;
Regularly updated policies and procedures related to international education and
programming that are posted on the Provost’s website;
Regular workshops and on-campus education for those involved in international
education and programming;
Memberships and professional development opportunities for the International staffs.
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