“FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR TITLE VI AND FULBRIGHT- HAYS PROGRAMS” William I. Brustein Associate Provost for International Affairs University of Illinois TITLE VI 50 TH Anniversary Conference

PROPOSITION: The future of Title VI/FH depends greatly on the ability of these programs to respond creatively to new challenges and opportunities emanating from the Beltway and from our campuses

CHALLENGES Demonstrate to skeptics that the field of Area Studies is not dead. Respond to allegations by critics that Title VI/FH has under- performed in equipping our graduates with foreign language proficiency, in-depth knowledge of non-U.S. societies, familiarity with critical global issues, and in placing our graduates in national security positions Carve out its own niche as other governmental and non- governmental programs establish competitive programs (e.g., ROTC Language and Culture Project of NSEP) Growing demand for foreign language proficiency for non- language majors

CHALLENGES Emphasize that Title VI/FH aims to combine the learning of foreign languages with critical thinking skills and in-depth knowledge of world regions while dispelling the notion that the primary objective and value of Title VI/FH is the establishment of crash courses to deliver linguists/interpreters fluent in critical languages Operate in a fiscally-constrained environment where higher education institutions have limited resources to hire traditional area studies scholars and where libraries may no longer have adequate resources to maintain separate area studies libraries and area studies librarians, and where higher education institutions can no longer support foreign language courses with single digit enrollments Convince our campus administrators and faculty that the programs of Title VI/FH add significant value to the institutional missions of teaching, research, and engagement especially in light of budget rescissions and low overhead (8 percent) from Title VI grants

New Mission for Title VI/FH The education of globally-competent students, that is, students possessing a combination of critical thinking skills, technical expertise, and global awareness allowing them not only to contribute to knowledge, but also to comprehend, analyze and evaluate its meaning in the context of an increasingly globalized world so that they are well prepared to seek and implement solutions to the challenges of global significance (e.g., economic, technological, political, and environmental).

Foundational Skills of Global Competence for Faculty and Students Ability to work effectively in international settings Awareness of and adaptability to diverse cultures, perceptions and approaches Familiarity with the major currents of global change and the issues they raise Capacity for effective communication across cultural and linguistic boundaries Comprehension of the international dimensions of field of study

Achieving the New Mission for Title VI/FH Adding Value, Demonstrating Relevance, and Enhancing ROI: Title VI/FH Principal Driver and Locus of Campus Internationalization – A. Reaching out beyond the humanities and social sciences (e.g., engineering and business multi-national teams, design, application, and marketing) – B. Grounding study of critical global issues within world regions—the benefits of combining general and particular knowledge (e.g., Pitt Global Studies, Illinois JACS) – C. Internationalize the Curriculum

Achieving the New Mission for Title VI/FH D. Foreign Language Proficiency for all Faculty and Students – Promote advantage of Title VI/FH over competitors. Foreign languages, by themselves, do not provide people with insight into what people think. According to MLA 2007, “deep cultural knowledge and linguistic competence are equally necessary if one wishes to understand people and their communities” – Promote two-prong approach to foreign language proficiency: one size does not fit all – Increase Title VI/FH funding and interest in initiatives to train faculty in content-based language modules—including language and non-language faculty (e.g., summer study programs both within and outside of the U.S.)

Achieving the New Mission for Title VI/FH E. Putting Smiles on the Faces of Senior Administrators: – Internal and External leveraging of funds – Collaboration among Title VI and other international programs on campus (e.g., Study abroad, international students and scholars, thematic centers) – New approaches to adding area and international studies faculty (e.g., “sweep-stakes”, incenting departments, focus on professional schools) – Embrace new models of shared services and distance education particularly in areas of LCTLs (e.g., CIC CourseShare) and library collections and staffing (e.g., enhanced web presence)

Final Thought Title VI/FH administrators and Program Officers embracing the proposed added mission and communicating them to proposal evaluators