Joint EAIA and NAFSA Symposium Commonalities and Differences in Systems

1. Joint EAIA and NAFSA SymposiumCommonalities and Differences in Systems Linda Tobash Institute of International Education Amsterdam March 22-23, 2007

2. Overview • Commonalities in Systems • U.S. System • Historical and philosophical underpinnings • Structure • Decentralized nature • Governance • Quality assurance approaches • Diversity in types of students and institutions • Emphasis on access and equity

3. Commonalities • Desire to enhance mobility of students • Desire to attract an international student body • Desire to work cooperatively • Joint and dual degrees • Tools and structures to promote transparency and mobility • Common degree structure • Credits

4. U.S. Higher Education SystemKey Philosophical Beliefs Belief in limited government and freedom of expression • Decentralized control and governance of higher education • Institutional autonomy Belief in capitalism and rationality of markets • High quality best achieved through competition rather than central planning Belief in equal opportunity and social mobility • Access to and support for higher education seen as a ‘public good’ • Diversity in institution type and student populations to meet needs Belief in value of general education at the undergraduate level • Historical roots in the ‘liberal arts’ tradition • Current day focus on critical thinking skills that can be applied across disciplines and toward life-long learning Partially taken from Diversity, Access, & the Role of the Marketplace, ACE, 2004

5. Philosophical Underpinnings Began with 9 colonial colleges modeled after the ‘English College’ • System is historically rooted in a liberal arts tradition Students studied abroad in Europe • Heavily influenced reforms in the U.S. in mid-1800’s Three ‘key’ ideas at beginning • Centrality of the arts and sciences • Academic freedom • professors teach what they feel qualified to teach • students can choose what they want to study • Unity of teaching and research • core of the PhD Taken from A History of American Higher Education, J. Thelin (2004) & remarks by Dan Fallon, Carnegie Foundation at Fulbright Educational Experts Seminar for German Rectors, Fall 2005

6. Current Undergraduate Structure Two part undergraduate curriculum • Academic major courses • discipline-based • General education courses • core curriculum all students take and/or • electives chosen from a pre-specified list of courses representing a range of topics

7. Role of general education Breadth of knowledge • informed citizens • critical thinking skills Skill set needed for labor force • interdisciplinary competencies • maneuver career transitions • lifelong learners

9. Governance Decentralized with limited government control • No federal or central government overseeing or coordinating the system • Individual institutions establish policy and management structures • Public institutions experience more regulation at the state level Partially taken from Higher Education in the U.S.: Diversity, Access and Role of the Marketplace, American Council on Education, 2004

10. Governance Policies Regulations Finance Budgets Sources of funding Tuition and fees Faculty Hiring Promotion Curriculum & degrees Content Degree conferral Student recruitment & marketing Student admission Decentralized Controlin Policymaking and Management

11. Decentralized Quality Assurance and Accreditation Accreditation is a process of external quality review • Non-governmental, independent, peer review • Voluntary process • Self-regulated • Goal is both quality assurance and quality improvement No federal governmental body that oversees the quality control of institutions or prepares an external ranking of institutions

12. Accreditation: Two Types Institutional Accreditation • Comprehensive review of all institutional functions; the institution as a whole, including all programs, is accredited • Regional Accrediting Bodies • Each regional accreditation body sets its own standards • National Accreditation • Accredits for profit, distance learning, single-purpose, private career, etc. Program and Professional Accreditation • Review and accredit specific programs or schools within a university • Architecture, Business, Engineering, Law, Medical, etc.

13. Philosophy of Universal Access • Higher education as a ‘public good’ • Emphasis on fair and equitable access and treatment • High demand • 2005-2006 academic year: over 14 million students • 85% undergraduate level • 15% graduate level • Application acceptance rates • 60-68% at undergraduate baccalaureate level • 46% at graduate level Taken from the College Board Annual Survey of Colleges & Open Doors 2006, CGS/GRE Surveys of Graduate Enrollment 2005, & U.S. Department of Education Digest of Education Statistics

14. Diversity in types of institution “Pluralism” in the types of institutions considered a strength of the system • Nearly 4,500 accredited degree-granting institutions • Research, comprehensive,liberal arts colleges, specialized institutions, community and junior colleges • 60% private • 40% public • 76% of the students attend a public institution • Taken from U.S. Department of Education Digest of Education Statistics and reports in the Chronicle of Higher Education

15. THANKS!

16. Appendix A: Credits and Semesters Defined Definition of semester What is full-time study? • 15 semester hours of credit for undergraduates • 9-12 semester hours of credit for graduates What is a semester? • 15 weeks of attendance of classroom instruction -- beginning in August/September and ending in May/June • two semesters per year • other calendars exist Definition of a credit What is a credit hour (semester credit)? • theory course: 1 credit = 50 to 60 minutes of contact per week for one semester (15 weeks), plus an expected 2 hours of preparation time including library research, reading, homework, etc. • laboratory, practical or studio course: 1 credit = two to four 50 to 60 minutes of contact per week for one semester Adapted from materials prepared by Margit Schatzman, Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.