U.S. Sponsored Campus Internationalization Seminar at President University
President University just concluded its two-day international seminar on the topic of Campus Internationalization from 18th to 19th of August. The seminar initiated by Jhanghiz Syahrivar, Director of International Office, was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), and the Institute of International Education (IIE).
The keynote speaker for the seminar was Dr. Christina Sanchez, Associate Director for International Programs at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, who has worked in the field of higher education for 19 years with specialization in international education for the past 11. Currently, her work is focused on campus-wide internationalization initiatives with an emphasis on educational outreach and assessment. She has taught various courses addressing cultural adjustment and intercultural communication, as well as assessment and research methods. She has designed and developed residential-based international living-learning communities at three institutions. Over the past few years, Dr. Sanchez’s work and personal interests have enabled her to travel to 32 different countries. She has lived and worked in Japan and Spain. Twice she received the U.S. Administrators in International Education Fulbright to visit Germany In October 2007 and India in 2013.
President University was also grateful to have Ms. Deborah C. Lynn, the Representative from the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, who also attended the seminar and contributed a topic on U.S. Scholarships. The U.S. Embassy also gave away useful guidebooks on various U.S. Scholarships.
At the end of the training, Dr. Sanchez said that in addition to the investment in internationalization demonstrated by the instructors and administrative leaders, she was delighted by the enthusiasm expressed by President University students to learn more about engagement opportunities in the United States.
The one day seminar plus one day Focus Group Discussion (FGD) managed to attract a wide range of participants, including students, faculty members, International Office administrators, and representatives of other local universities.