1. Status of International Business in Community Colleges Presented by: Bill Motz Professor Lansing Community College

2. First The Facts There are 1,100 local community colleges in the United States. There are now over 200,000 international students at over 500 community colleges around the USA. 20% of international students are majoring in business. It is the most sought after degree. Almost half of the nations community colleges are actively involved in some form of international education.

3. Furthermore….. All of the regional accrediting associations have adopted standards or policies to guide two-year institutions as they move into international education. Many two-year institutions have altered their mission statements to include foreign study for students as a means to develop global perspectives.

4. WHY ? American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) in their 1984-1985 standards and guidelines for business school accreditation encouraged business schools to adopt a systematic acceptance of the internationalization of their curriculum. Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) included in their standards, for two year institutions, that students develop a global perspective, and the study of the international environment should be included in the business curriculum.

5. Government supported these initiatives with an international education policy To continue to compete successfully in the global economy and to maintain our roles as a world leader, the United States needs to ensure that its citizens develop a broad understanding of the world, proficiency in other languages, and knowledge of other cultures… A coherent and coordinated international education strategy(which includes the community college) will help us meet the twin challenges of preparing our citizens for a global environment while continuing to attract and educate future leaders from abroad.

6. How does the government support the initiative? Encouraging students from other countries to study in the United States; Promoting study abroad by U.S. students; Supporting the exchange of teachers, scholars and citizens at all levels of society; Expanding high-quality foreign language learning and knowledge of other cultures.

7. International education must be part of the community college’s mission….. Why? Nearly half (44% in 1999) of all Americans begin their education at a community college- equates to 10.5 million students. As communities across the US have become aware of the importance of learning how to compete in the global marketplace, community colleges have become the most important institutions charged to respond to this challenge. Curriculum internationalization helps us stay competitive in the business education marketplace, meet accreditation requirements, and provide the business community with a well prepared labor force.

8. American Association of Community Colleges Policy on International Education “To ensure the survival and well-being of our communities, it is imperative that community colleges develop a globally and multi-culturally competent citizenry. In Meeting this challenge, community colleges should provide:” internationalized curricula multicultural activities and programs

9. The ACC Policy also includes... Foreign language programs Cultural and ethnic studies Study abroad programs Faculty and student exchange programs Professional development Technical assistance to other countries and their businesses/industries Local/state/national/ and international forums International student enrollment

10. The Challenges….. 1) Faculty support. (administration is very supportive and eager to move forward) 2) Marketing the program. In terms of a terminal degree we have yet to find a job market for our students, or make the right connections. 3) Student Interest- out of 18,000 students at LCC fewer than 50 have selected the IB options. Difficult to run courses without #’s.

11. “Saber es poder” Knowledge is power. It is time to define a new set of principles for international education that responds to the contemporary challenges of our time, including distance learning. Expanding international education strengthens democracy, encourages prosperity, and inspires new intellectual thought and inquiry.

12. Global education does a lot for shedding egocentric and ethnocentric attitudes. What happens outside of the US does indeed affect the price of the automobile, per-capita income, national security, your job and perhaps personal freedom Global education can help community college students make this connection.

13. So what is the status of International Business in Community Colleges? At LCC we have recognized that the world is our oyster, and we are willing to deal with the sand, if the end result is a beautiful string of pearls.