Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS)
Statewide Standing Committee on International Education
Executive Summary
The Standing Committee on International Education, composed of 36 representatives from all 16 college districts and the state board, was established in 1994 to facilitate internationalization throughout the WTCS. The committee was formed under the auspices of the Instructional Services Administrators Association.
At the time that the committee was established, four subcommittees were formed to facilitate committee work: Curriculum Development, Staff Development, Student Development, and Business and Industry Partnerships. Beginning with the 1998-99 academic year, the committee formed six work groups in the following areas: Communications; Collaboration with Continuing Education and Economic Development;
Curriculum Development; Summer Institute Planning; International Professional Development for Faculty, Staff and Students; and International Student Issues.
The committee has made significant progress in meeting its goals. With funding from the WTCS Board, the committee organized the World of International/Multicultural Work Skills DACUM, through which 10 representatives of Wisconsin business, industry and service occupations identified the skills and abilities needed by WTCS graduates to function effectively in the global and multicultural marketplace. Based on the success of that initiative, the committee was awarded grants from the WTCS Board for 1996-97 and 1997-98 to update curriculum to include the competencies identified through the DACUM process. Through these grants, faculty from throughout the system produced 30 international curriculum development projects which were disseminated to all 16 districts.
The committee was the recipient of a grant from the U.S. Department of Education through the Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program (Title VIA) for 1995-1998, with Milwaukee Area Technical College as the lead institution. Through this grant, 46 additional international curriculum projects were developed. The grant also provided funding for the development of three international professional development programs for WTCS faculty and staff. The first program, a 10-day Spanish Language and Mexican Culture Immersion program developed by Milwaukee Area Technical College, took place in summer 1998, and had an enrollment of 55. The second program, a seven-day Study Tour to China developed by Blackhawk Technical College, is being offered in spring and summer 1999. The third, a 14-day Spanish Language and Peruvian Culture Immersion program developed by Milwaukee Area Technical College, will take place in summer 1999.
The committee has offered an annual WTCS Summer Institute on International Education since 1996. The Institute offers general breakout sessions on a variety of topics and has an average attendance of 150. The committee also co-sponsored, with The Stanley Foundation, a statewide global education conference in October 1997; and, with Command Spanish, a train-the-trainer workshop on teaching survival Spanish to specific occupational groups in November 1998 and 2000.
The committee surveyed importing and exporting businesses in each WTCS district to identify international trade training needs. Results indicated a strong interest in training from WTCS, and will be used to design and deliver training and services as appropriate.
A 1995 survey of the international experience and interests of WTCS faculty and staff revealed a wealth of expertise and strong interest in international education throughout the state. WTCS students were also surveyed to identify their current level of knowledge and attitudes toward global issues.