global cities, global citizenship: an urban-themed mobility project

Global Cities, Global Citizenship: An Urban-Themed Mobility Project

Kathi A. Ketcheson, Ph.D.Portland State University

Portland, Oregon USA

Description of the project Excellence in Mobility Project.

European Union-United States Atlantis Program from 2008 to 2012.

Partners: University of Bologna, Italy; University of Nottingham, UK; University of Denver, USA; Portland State University, USA.

Faculty and student exchanges focused on the study of cities in the 21st century.

Atlantis Program

Transatlantic Declaration on EU-US Relations.

First agreement signed 1995.

Renewed 2000 until 2005, the 2006 to 2013.

US funding ended in 2012.

Types of projects

• Transatlantic Degree Consortia Projects (TD): dual/double or joint degree programs; included mobility funds for students and faculty.

• Excellence in Mobility Projects (EIM): short-term, transatlantic mobility, students and faculty.

• Policy-oriented Measures (POM): collaboration in higher education and vocational training.

Funding• Six EIM, eight TD, and two POM projects

funded in 2008.

• Global Cities: $180,000 divided among four partners; no-cost extension to 2013.

• Students: €5000 or $5,000 for four months.

• Faculty: $3,500 up to two weeks.

• Administrators: $3,000 up to two weeks.

Themes

DemographicSocioeconomicSpatialEcologicalAesthetic

Goals

Inter-institutional and interdisciplinary learning and community engagement.

Interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainable urban futures.

Common curricular focus.

Continuing relationships.

Student mobility

48 students over four years, divided evenly among institutions.

Courses within five urban themes, offered in English.

Internship or community-based learning component.

US students complete two weeks of language training in Bologna.

Faculty mobility

Five faculty members from each institution.

Stipends for up to two weeks’ stay abroad.

Lectures and presentations.

Establish collaboration beyond the grant period.

Proposed student mobility

Denver Bologna6 66 6

Portland Nottingham6 66 6

Actual student mobilityDenver Bologna

9 40 7

Portland

Nottingham9 23 2

Actual faculty mobilityDenver Bologna

2 12 1

Portland Nottingham

3 02 1

Successes

Bologna: development of new course, envisioning the possibility of interdisciplinary courses.

Nottingham: curriculum review of interdisciplinary courses, new systems to support internationalization strategy.

Portland: lasting impact on students, signing of formal agreements.

Denver: new internships, transformation of courses.

Assessment

Required of US institutions only.

Pre-departure and post, returning questionnaires and interviews.

Journals & reflections, weekly log of learning and extracurricular activities.

At PSU….

• Exchange students completed power point presentations and reflected on their learning within the urban themes of the project.

Learning in the community“Lorenzo has been awarded this Certificate

of Appreciation for making a valuable contribution to his project team in the development of a unique water passport and also for providing his cohort with an international perspective on drinking water.”

Michael P. Stuhr, Chief Engineer, Portland Water Bureau

What students had to say

“Not only did the education I received…fit in with my educational goals, but the substantial financial support allowed studying abroad to become a possibility…”

“I was thrown head-first into Italian culture, as well as other cultures…These connections with Italians and people around the world became priceless to me.”

“I can say with absolute surety that the city itself has been the most informative classroom of all.”

Challenges Bologna: Limited resources and time;

establishing interdisciplinary collaboration among faculties.

Nottingham: Negotiating departmental cultures; short funding period.

Portland: Limited funding and short funding period; assessing organizational differences among institutions.

Denver: Ambiguous learning environment; administrative transitions.

Overall challenges Competing study abroad opportunities for students.

Lack of urban-themed courses.

Difficulty in engaging faculty across disciplines.

Not enough courses in English.

Small number of students.

Students’ language competency.

Overall challenges--continued Semester vs. quarter systems.

Transferability of credits to specific programs of study.

One-semester internships.

Staff changes.

Loss of influential leader.

Lessons learned

Designate coordinators.

Involve faculty from the beginning.

Facilitate and host faculty visits.

Obtain campus leadership and international affairs’ support.

Postscript: Is Europe Passé’?• Atlantis “de-funded” by USDOE.• “…as Western universities struggle to establish

substantial partnerships and branch campuses in emerging nations, traditional partners may regain some appeal.” Chronicle, Aug. 2, 2013.

• Go beyond bilateral agreements to rethink the “global century.”

• Trilateral or multilateral agreements?• What do you think? Examples?

Questions?

Please contactKathi A. Ketcheson

ketchesonk@pdx.edu