Fall 2006 Course Description
Policy Research Project
Description: International cooperation in higher education has been around for quite a while. In the west, European colonization often incorporated a dimension of advanced education, for students from the colonies to study in Europe, including the formation of learning institutions in the colonies. In the 20th century, universities became active in international extension services soon after the public university became a feature of the national landscape. Federal policy in the U.S. has also facilitated international collaboration. ?Globalization? has provided a further incentive for international collaboration in higher education. Business Schools, in the US and in Europe, have been notable leaders in establishing international collaborations. Today, several federal agencies also encourage and support international collaboration in higher education. Frequently, educational and professional programs from the ?Third World? seek partners in more developed countries.
Thus, building on a significant base of international affiliations, ranging from student exchanges, ?area? studies, research projects, and professional outreach by its colleges, schools and research units, and in accordance with the ?Commission of 125? recommendations, the University of Texas at Austin is committed to expanding its international focus. In this context, it is important for the institution to develop an understanding of the range and types of international collaboration in existence world-wide, and the opportunities they might hold. The purpose of this PRP is to map the field of academic collaboration in the international arena with a particular focus on opportunities for the University of Texas at Austin. As a priority of the university, it will be important to identify actors, motivations, goals, and implementation issues.
Consequently, the primary goal of this PRP is to identify strategic opportunities and directions for the University to pursue in international collaboration, (e.g., possible regional and disciplinary emphases, strategic alliances with higher education institutions in other countries, etc.). In sum, the project will make recommendations as to how the University of Texas might position itself "internationally".
In terms of specific objectives, the study hopes to identify and report on:
- The types of international collaboration found throughout the world in higher education
- Objectives and programmatic activities of international collaborations
- The networks and associations that support international alliances
- The types of governmental and other institutional support for these endeavors
- Experiences from the professional disciplines, especially Business Schools
- International alliances at UT, guidelines and practices
- Opportunities for the University of Texas to pursue in developing international alliances
A sampling of the questions the PRP will attempt to answer include:
