Internationalization Initiative

Summit next steps

The Internationalization Summit: April 18, 2008 at the RC campus Events Center was supported by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, and attended by one hundred thirty five participants (FT/PT faculty, staff, administrators, academic professionals and others) interested in advancing and working on internationalization at Portland Community College. Many comments from the Internationalization Summit and ideas from the workgroups at the Summit emerged as important themes. These emerging themes were organized and clustered into three categories, then presented to the Deans of Instruction as “Recommendations from the Internationalization Summit” as a Next steps document 08-09.

Next steps implemented in Fall 2008

  • A table at the district In-service focusing on the Internationalization Initiative:
    To increase the visibility of the work the Internationalization Initiative and the programs that are part of it ( The Internationalization Committee, The Asian Studies Program, the BIE Grant (Business International Education Grant)and the Office of International Education) hosted informational tables at the Fall district In-service at the Sylvania campus to share what has been happening at the college.
  • Workshops focusing on the Internationalization Initiative:
    The workshop on Internationalization was part of every campus in-service program. They varied in the format and the presentation but the purpose was the same; to raise awareness about the Internationalization Initiative, what has been accomplished, and where do we go from here.
  • More signatures of individuals wanting to join the Internationalization Initiative
    Signatures were gathered at the workshops and the tables during the district In-service. The number of members increased from 80 members Fall of 2007 to 305 members on the International list serve.
  • The creation of a district-wide Internationalization Steering Committee:
    New members were added to the core members from the International Summit planning Committee. The Steering committee is representative and inclusive of all PCC Campuses, FT and PT full and part time faculty, administrators, classified staff, academic professionals, and the majority of the offices representing student services, and much more.

Steering Committee accomplishments during Fall term 2008-09

Structure of the Steering Committee:

  • The committee focused on the development of a website and the development of a calendaring system as part of the communications/marketing plan to promote internationalization both internally and externally.
  • Three subcommittees were formed:
    • Curriculum Subcommittee.
    • Internal External Partnerships Subcommittee
    • Staff Organizational and Professional Development Subcommittee.

The Steering Committee oversees the work of the 3 task groups, with at least 1 member of each task group being on the steering committee.

Every Subcommittee has two facilitators; members of the Internationalization Steering Committee.

Minutes are posted to the MyPCC Groups page.

Prioritization of goals into short, medium and long term goals were ranked by each committee respectively. Ongoing projects by each and all of the subcommittees.

Office of International Education (OIE): The PCC Office of International Education has supported these efforts with funding and staffing resources. OIE funds the following international staff development programs: Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE) International Faculty Development Seminars (IFDS); the East-West Institute on Infusing Asian Studies into the Undergraduate Curriculum; Instituto Cultural Oaxaca; Summer Institute for Intercultural Education; and others.

Other noteworthy events