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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.
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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
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)
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
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
Models/Other • Presenting papers at professional meetings symposia • Conferences/workshops • Other
Prerequisites • Understanding family • Desire • Values • Attitude • Adaptability • Administrative leadership • Co-workers’ support Should short-term international work be part of your professional development? When?
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?
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?
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?
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