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Enhancing Professional Proficiency through Short-Term International Work

This presentation explores different models of international work and discusses the professional proficiency benefits and costs associated with short-term international work. It emphasizes the importance of individual decision-making, as answers will vary. The presenter shares personal experiences from various international projects and highlights prerequisites for successful international work. The benefits include increased comprehension of global changes, confidence, adaptability, and business development opportunities. However, there are also costs such as time commitment, interruption of responsibilities, and stress on families. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the need to understand evaluation criteria and considering benefit/cost ratios.

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Enhancing Professional Proficiency through Short-Term International Work

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  1. Enhancing Professional Proficiency through Short-Term International Work Daniel S. Tilley, Professor and Associate Director NPDC/IAS Oklahoma State University Presented at the American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meetings, Milwaukee, Wisconsin July 28, 2009

  2. Goal: Answer Two Questions with a Mentoring Perspective • What are some of the different types/models for international work? • What are the professional proficiency benefits and costs associated with short-term international work • Taken from your individual decision making position • Answers will not be the same for everyone • Generalizations are not particularly useful (nor could I find them in the literature)

  3. Models/Personal Experiences • Brazil as a direct job responsibility. • Indonesia • Workshops for universities • Seminars for the Junior Minister/Minister of Agriculture • Seminars forthe Minister of Food Affairs • USDA grant-funded market analysis project • Saudi Arabia as a consultant to a private company • Albania—VPI and Winrockacademic institution building project

  4. Models/Personal Experiences • Armenia—USDA, TAM Project, agribusiness loan program analysis • Chihuahua Mexico—OSU teaching project • Turkey • OSU research project • Study abroad course • Scotland, England and France—OSU Study Abroad Classes

  5. Models/Other • Presenting papers at professional meetings symposia • Conferences/workshops • Other

  6. Prerequisites • Understanding family • Desire • Values • Attitude • Adaptability • Administrative leadership • Co-workers’ support Should short-term international work be part of your professional development? When?

  7. Benefits/Costs Benefits • Your comprehension of the world/US changes • Confidence • Adaptability • Teaching/extension /research enhancement • Business development (recruitment of students) • New perspectives for interaction with professionals from other U.S. universities Should short-term international work be part of your professional development? When?

  8. Benefits/Costs Benefits • Opportunity to experience results of huge economic experiments • Increased ability to understand challenges faced by international students • Increase opportunities for international collaboration in research • Increase mobility • Money Should short-term international work be part of your professional development? When?

  9. Benefits/Costs Costs • Opportunity cost of your time • Interruption of other responsibilities • Perception by peers and administrators • Stress on families • Personal stress/risks Should short-term international work be part of your professional development?

  10. Realities • Know your evaluation/RPT criteria • Travel expenses and salary issues • Benefit/cost ratios may be higher for • Tenured faculty • People who have made international work their career • Multiple trips to same location may be desirable • However, marginal utility of additional experience may decline for some • People without the experience will not understand

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