Internationalization of the U of R: Globalization and Higher Education

1. Internationalization of the U of R: Globalization and Higher Education Andrea Sterzuk, PhD Faculty of Education, University of Regina October 3, 2011

2. Overview of this session • Nationalism • Globalization • Internationalization of higher education • Internationalization of the University of Regina • Communicative & Pedagogical Adaptations • Conclusions

3. A. Nationalism

4. A. Nationalism The Education of New Canadians, Saskatchewan Dept of Education, 1919

5. A. Nationalism The Education of New Canadians, Saskatchewan Dept of Education, 1919

6. A. Nationalism • Why is a film made by the Saskatchewan Department of Education in 1919 discussing “canadianization,” “racial assimilation” and nation-building? • What do these things have to do with education?

7. A. Nationalism • “Education is often seen as a source of upwardly movement or as simply a place where children [students] receive knowledge and skills required for successful lives. Often ignored is the continuing role that schools play as a nationalizing force and all that this phrase implies in terms of the pedagogical practices necessary for producing homogeneity in a heterogeneous settler society” (Sterzuk, 2011).

8. A. Nationalism? • From the Faculty of Education Language Competence Policy Statement • Standards of Speaking Performance for the B.Ed Degree: 3.2. Discourse • B) Participate in discussions following common rules of conversational discourse: listening, taking turns, building on others’ responses, etc.

9. A. Nationalism? • From the Department of English Handbook: • ESL Students in English 100: “It should be recognized that students whose native language is not English have learned the language in a different way and, to some extent, make different cultural assumptions. As a result, they have problems of a different kind to overcome and may require individual attention and different approaches to teaching. However, ESL students should be judged by standards as rigorous as those applied to students whose first language is English”

10. A. Nationalism • “The isolated, self-perpetuating, parochial environment can no longer serve a functional purpose for the educating institution... • ...Historical experience, custom, tradition, the nation-state preoccupation and the evolution of some disciplines tend to perpetuate a relatively narrow focus impoverished by an absence of intercultural and international perspectives, conceptualizations and data” (Bartell, 2003, p. 49)

11. B. Globalization

12. B. Globalization • The 21st century is often described as a time of globalization. • Characteristics specific to globalized times include: 1) a unified global market; 2) innovations in communication technology and 3) increased migration (Lo Bianco, 2000). • Lo Bianco, Liddicoat, and Crozet (1999), suggest that "we are in the midst of the greatest movement of populations of any time”

13. B. Globalization Leader Post - February 4, 2011

14. B. Globalization Regina Sun – March 14, 2010 “Using the conservative, medium-growth scenario, Regina’s foreign-born population would grow from approximately 15,000 in 2006 to 20,000 in 2031.”

15. B. Globalization • Leader Post - September 16, 2011: “As part of Design Regina, the city’s official community plan process, projections indicate that by 2030, one-third of Regina’s population (or 87,155 people) will be made up of immigrants, compared to 11 per cent (20,554) today.”

16. B. Globalization • In the past, Canada “felt relatively secure as a member of the British Commonwealth, having a largely resource-based and branch plant economy with strong commercial and cultural ties to the United States. For both countries and their institutions, changes in worldwide environmental parameters have necessitated not merely a reactive but a proactive response by adapting, innovating and internationalizing higher education (Bartell, 2003, p. 48)

17. B. Globalization • So, can we continue to assume that there are “common rules” of English language communication or use first language speakers of English as the benchmark for assessment?

18. Internationalization of Higher Education

19. C. Internationalization of higher education • Internationalization is often confused with globalization (Altbach, 2004). The two are related by not the same thing. • Altbach and Knight see globalization as “the economic, political, and societal forces pushing 21st century higher education toward greater international involvement” 2007, p. 290).

20. C. Internationalization of higher education • “Current thinking sees international higher education as a commodity to be freely traded and sees higher education as a private good, not a public responsibility” (Altbach & Knight, 2007, p. 291).

21. C. Internationalization of higher education March 9, 2010: “Facing a record deficit, province hopes to turn education into export industry by boosting enrolment of international students by 50% over five years”

22. C. Internationalization of higher education • Internationalizing a university involves more than the creation of an export industry. • Internationalization is an ongoing, future-oriented, multidimensional, interdisciplinary, leadership-driven vision that involves many stakeholders working to change the internal dynamics of an institution to respond and adapt appropriately to an increasingly diverse, globally focused, ever-changing external environment” (Ellingboe, 1998, p.199).

23. C. Internationalization of higher education • Internationalization “includes the policies and practices undertaken by academic systems and institutions—and even individuals—to cope with the global academic environment.” (Altbach & Knight, 2007, p. 290)

24. C. Internationalization of higher education • Bartell (2003, p. 50) suggests that the process of internationalizing universities must include: • A curriculum review to ensure emphasis on international dimensions of issues • An increase of the proportion of students from abroad including both developed and newly industrialized countries • Further development of the number and types of exchange programs, study abroad programs and internships so that Canadian students can experience other cultures • Enhanced utilization of diversity and international experience from faculty, students and the wider community.

25. D. Internationalization of the U of R

26. D. Internationalization of the U of R • Presentation by the Immigration Services Division – Saskatchewan Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment & Labour on June 14, 2010: • Key Services: “We work with Saskatchewan stakeholders to increase the number of international students in the province” • Goals: Increase opportunities for international education • Strategies: International Education Committee

27. D. Internationalization of the U of R Student Enrolment Statistics: Total Credit Students by Citizenship Status 2000-2010 Source: http://www.uregina.ca/orp/facts.shtml#URS

28. D. Internationalization of the U of R Leader Post - July 19, 2011: “University of Regina president Vianne Timmons hopes a new partnership with a South Korean university will increase internationalization for both institutions”

29. D. Internationalization of the U of R • Global Learning Centre: “The hub for all international undergraduate, graduate and English as a Second Language students at the University of Regina seeking assistance during their stay in Canada. The Global Learning Centre will be the location of the new international transitioning program, which includes providing academic support, teaching intercultural skill development and hosting socio-cultural activities.”

30. D. Internationalization of the U of R • UR International “provides assistance for international students, as well as helping domestic students looking for adventure abroad. It also supports staff, faculty members and the greater community with internationalization initiatives. UR International also takes the lead in implementing the University's internationalization strategy, hosting visiting scholars, international delegations and coordinating University international delegation travel.”

31. D. Internationalization of the U of R • Faculty initiatives – Science • Changes in admission requirements • Motion passed at FGSR meeting on September 22, 2011. • Previously, Physics “required” international grad students to write the GRE Physics Subject exam. Now they are “encouraged.” This follows the lead of Chemistry and Biochemistry. (Domestic students have never been required to write it.)

32. D. Internationalization of the U of R • Do we find evidence of a deliberate process of internationalizing the University of Regina in response “to an increasingly diverse, globally focused, ever-changing external environment.” • What’s going on in teaching, learning and language policy as a result of internationalization?

33. D. Internationalization of the U of R • My research set out to explore this changing reality, with a particular focus on language policy & standard language ideologies and the types of pedagogical practices that might result. • Two-year study (2009-2011) • Interviewed 17 faculty and staff • Interviewed 15 international students (2 of whom were recent permanent residents) • Four Faculties: Arts, Business Administration, Engineering and Education

34. D. Internationalization of the U of R • Through policy document analysis and semi-structured interviews with staff and international students at a Canadian university, this study set out to explore: • How do faculty language policies describe "English language standards” • What kinds of practices do these policies produce?

35. D. Internationalization of the U of R • Faculty initiatives – Engineering & Applied Science • R110 Uh, I think uh, what we discussed about that, that we are not concerned—this is not the place to—to discuss how to improve their English.. • Q111 Uh-huh. • R111 ...but what concerns us as faculty, uh their technical writing skills. • Q112 Their technical writing…kay. • R112 ‘Cause we share with them their thesis writing, the—we share with them the papers and whatever we are going to publish together. So this is why there are some technical writing courses that we, uh, agreed, uh, to actually make them take it. • Q113 Okay. • R113 Uhh…there is a technical writing assistant in the department… • Q114 Oh, there is? • R114 …to help them out, yea. Uhh, and to help professors, also, on some proposals, and, uh, also we, u, there is a graduate seminar course where we ask them to present their uh, their research.Uhh, and this would definitely give them an opportunity to little bit improve, uh, their uh, presentation skills.

36. E. Communicative & Pedagogical Adaptations • Internationalization of the U of R – Implications for Intercultural Communication (November 1) • What are the implications of internationalization in terms of how we communicate effectively? • Internationalization of the U of R – Implications for Inclusive Pedagogical & Institutional Practices (December 1) • What are the implications of internationalization in terms of approaches for teaching effectively?

37. F. Conclusions • We can no longer position “sameness” as a learning goal. • Our increasingly heterogenous campus is the result of deliberate institutional and provincial policy. • We need to be equally deliberate in making proactive changes to our communication skills, language policies, pedagogical practices, research connections, and campus initiatives.

38. Thank you & see you on November 1! • Andrea.sterzuk@uregina.ca • Andreasterzuk.com • @andreasterzuk