November 21, 2002

Benjamin appointed to AASCU
Committee on International Education

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Indiana State University President Lloyd W. Benjamin III has been appointed to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Committee on International Education.

The committee will allow ISU to play a role in the national discussion about international programs. The committee helps member campuses respond to the globalization of society and implications for AASCU campuses, faculty, students and curricula.

"I am pleased to have been appointed to this AASCU committee dealing with a subject that has become even more acutely important given September 11 and the high pitch of international tensions," Benjamin said. "Serving on this committee will enable me to learn about methods used elsewhere to enhance internationalization on the campus as well as form partnerships with other U.S. institutions to jointly explore exchange opportunities. I am also interested in collaborative efforts to broaden cultural exchanges and enhance contacts benefiting business in Indiana."

Overall public, student and faculty support for international education, study abroad and language training remains strong following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, according to the results of a public opinion poll released in September by the American Council on Education (ACE).

According to the poll, nearly three out of four Americans agree that higher education has a responsibility to educate the public on international issues, events and cultures.

The poll also shows that 79 percent of Americans agree that students should have a study-abroad experience sometime during college and 80 percent of Americans said the presence of international students on U.S. campuses enriches the learning experience for American students.

ISU's agreements and partnerships with universities in Thailand, Morocco, China and Russia, for example, open the doors to greater opportunities for ISU students and faculty as well as students and faculty from around the world.

ISU's commitment to enhancing global awareness is embedded in the NCA Strategic Plan and other planning documents, Benjamin said.

"Internationalization refers to developing a long-term commitment to establish select overseas linkages for the purpose of facilitating faculty and student exchange, collaborative research, staff development and curricular innovation," Benjamin said. "The particular agreements we have signed with partner universities will help us toward meeting our goal of 2 percent of our students having a study abroad experience by 2005."

Benjamin also referenced a study published by Art and Science Group and ACE which points out that 50 percent of entering college freshmen want to study abroad, but only 3 percent actually do.

"Next to pursuing a job or internship in college, study abroad ranked second highest among activities deemed important on campus," Benjamin said. "We need to be certain more Hoosiers have a chance to see the world in order to become more effective in it."

The variety of agreements signed by ISU and other universities worldwide will be beneficial not only to the international institutions, but to ISU as well.

"The agreements we have signed will enable our faculty to apply their expertise in another setting -- often in areas where need is great and interest in our system of higher education is high," Benjamin said. "We already have significant projects to undertake in helping foreign faculty obtain advanced degrees, assisting with building administrative capacity, advising on health and social services issues, advising on curriculum and research, etc."

The president's wife, Wieke van der Weijden Benjamin, has also taken an interest in nurturing ISU's ties to its counterparts around the world. A native of the Netherlands, Mrs. Benjamin has worked to help develop ways in which ISU's international relationships can be mutually beneficial.

"How often do we say 'It's a small world after all?' " Mrs. Benjamin asked. "Coming from another country to the U.S., I learned many people don't know much about that 'small world,' even though this country is comprised of people who come from all over the globe to live and work here. Our unfamiliarity with other cultures makes us suspicious and sometimes intolerant of differences. It is through travel and study that we learn to appreciate the richness of other cultures and overcome our own isolation and distrust of others. Our greatest hope, of course, resides with the young people. We need to help them have an experience outside the U.S. in order to better appreciate our uniqueness as well as our role and place in 'this small world.'"

-30-

Contact:
Lloyd W. Benjamin, president, Indiana State University,
(812) 237-4000 or president@indstate.edu

Writer:
Jennifer Kearns, ISU Public Affairs,
(812) 237-8037 or devkearn@isugw.indstate.edu

ISU Public Affairs:
(812) 237-3773 or http://isunews.indstate.edu