A panel of faculty appointed by UB Provost Satish Tripathi has compiled a report examining discrepancies in UB's international presence and have provided suggestions to correct the problems, according to Maureen Jameson, associate professor of French.
The International Strategy Task Group aims to make changes in several areas including the international population at UB, expanding academic involvement into the Middle East and the study abroad program.
"Our assignment was to look at ways in which UB could expand its identity as an international university," Jameson said. "UB recognizes that we need to be a positive presence in all parts of the world."
According to Jameson, UB currently lacks involvement in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
"We don't have a Middle Eastern studies program...we had virtually nothing in the way of expertise," Jameson said.
To Jos?(c) Buscaglia, director of the Caribbean studies program, this lack of involvement reflects the general state of America in terms of international interest.
"I strongly believe that there may not have ever been a powerful country or empire whose general population has been so ignorant to the outside world," Buscaglia said.
David Engel, director of international programs in the UB Law School, stated that universities must have an international dimension today, and building on UB's existing strengths can only affect the university's international visibility in a positive way.
"Everyone is feeling the need to reassess global society and all are affected by the obligation to train students to work in this world and form international relationships," Engel said.
Engel went on to say that students need to be prepared to become global citizens. He would like to see an improved communication between domestic and international students, as UB's strong international population brings their culture with them to UB.
Other task group members agree that this initiative isn't only an improvement for administrators to undertake. The ultimate goal of the task group is to persuade students to make internationalization a priority in the upcoming years.
"The challenge now is in the students' court," Buscaglia said.
According to panel members, this initiative is not directly working for increases in the international student or faculty population at UB. However, Andreas Daum, associate dean for undergraduate education and professor of history, thinks that these increases go hand in hand with the task group's suggestions.
"I think increases are aims that are parallel with the task force recommendations," Daum said.
The group also proposed updating the general education curriculum to incorporate more international influence. Additionally, the initiative called for building on existing partnerships and increasing the number of students who study abroad substantially.
To reach this goal, Daum wants to see improvements in the study abroad program. He spoke about some of the impediments to students going abroad such as falling behind in schooling, credits not being able to transfer and students' need to balance familial responsibilities.
Daum would like to see shorter stints abroad to make it more affordable and more realistic.
"I think there is a lot of work to do," Daum said.
According to Jameson, the group is hopeful that they can secure funding for the changes through alumni, corporations and possible grants.
Although Jameson acknowledged that the initiatives would incur some additional costs, she claimed that many of the goals do not require increased funds because they are based on administration doing things differently.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
