International studies program receives national recognition

Author: Shannon Roddel

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The University of Notre Dame is one of just 13 U.S. schools recognized for outstanding study abroad programs in a new report titled “Internationalizing the Campus 2004: Profiles of Success at Colleges and Universities.”

Prepared and published by NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the report was released today to coincide with the nationwide commemoration of International Education Week (Nov. 15 through 19).

The report showcases U.S. colleges and universities that are making innovative, wide-ranging efforts to integrate global approaches to teaching into campus learning.

Notre Dame, which currently supports 24 programs in 17 countries, is featured in an article that states in part that the University is “one of a handful of research universities that sends as many as half its students to study abroad during their undergraduate careers. Today it takes 19 pages in Notre Dames outsized Bulletin of Information to list the study abroad programs and courses offered on five continents.”

The report underlined the Universitys excellence in study abroad across the curriculum. Of significance, growth has come primarily by reaching non-traditional participants – students in business, engineering and science.

“Notre Dames commitment to internationalism is palpable in the strategic plans recently created by deans in all four colleges,” said Julia Douthwaite, assistant provost for international studies and professor of French. "Especially laudable is (Notre Dame President) Father Malloys challenge to create a bilingual student body, and his call for more study sites in Africa and Asia. Through leadership, financing, and intellectual and spiritual engagement, our administration has made enormous strides toward realizing the dream of a global campus.

“Father Malloy says it best: ‘Our campus is in South Bend, Ind., our classroom is the world.”

Notre Dame currently offers study abroad programs in Fremantle and Perth, Australia; Innsbruck, Austria; Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Cairo, Egypt; London and Oxford, England; Paris and Angers, France; Athens, Greece; Dublin, Ireland; Rome and Bologna, Italy; Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan; Monterrey and Puebla, Mexico; Moscow, St. Petersburg and Vladimir, Russia; and Toledo, Spain.

In addition to Notre Dame, the NAFSA report honors the Universities of North Carolina, Oregon, Florida and Delaware; Duke, Binghamton, Lynn, Missouri Southern State and Suffolk Universities; and Bellevue Community, St. Norbert and Juniata Colleges.

NAFSA ( “http://www.nafsa.org”: ) promotes the exchange of students and scholars to and from the United States and encourages the belief that international educational exchange advances learning and scholarship, builds respect among different peoples and encourages constructive leadership in a global community.

In another survey announced this week, Notre Dame ranked sixth among doctoral and research universities in the annual Open Doors report on the percentage of students who study abroad. The report is published by the Institute of International Education.

Additional information on Notre Dames study abroad programs can be found on the Web at http://www.nd.edu/~ois/ .

  • _p. Contact:

_ * Julia Douthwaite, assistant provost for international studies, 574-631-5203, douthwaite.1@nd.edu **

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