Browsing by Subject "international"

Now showing 1 - 8 of 8
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    Collaboration Across Borders, or Piiride-ülene Koostöö: Estonians and Americans Working Together Towards Accessible Archival Collections
    (Journal of Library Administration, 2019) Engseth, Ellen; Ramler, Gristel
    A collaborative project to improve global description and thus discovery of library material is shared and analyzed after a decade of activity. The Immigration History Research Center Archives and the National Archives of Estonia work together to arrange and describe archival collections, utilizing the assets of the two different institutions. This project recognizes that the unique research material located in Minnesota holds importance to patrons in many countries, are a result of cultural and informational migration, and that access to this multilingual source material relies on robust description. The article provides the project’s context, and describes its administration.
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    Creative Minds Abroad: How Design Students Make Meaning of Their International Education Experiences
    (2016-05) Johnson, Rachel
    The purpose of this study is to explore the ways in which students majoring in a design discipline make meaning of their study abroad experiences in relation to their creativity and creative design work. Students and recent alumni from the College of Design (CDes) at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities (UMTC) who had studied abroad formed the population of interest. Mezirow’s (1991) transformative learning theory is at the center of this epistemologically constructionist study’s theoretical framework, and is combined with the intergroup contact theory (Allport, 1954; Pettigrew, 1998), the systems perspective on creativity (Csikszentmihalyi, 1988), and motivated cultural cognition (Chiu et al., 2000; Chiu & Hong, 2005) to form an integrated conceptual model. The model proposes a rationale for how study abroad is meaningful for design student sojourners. A variant of Brinkerhoff’s (2006) success case method (SCM) was used to select study participants. A recruitment survey was sent to the entire population of interest, and then, based on the survey responses, information-rich interview participants were selected; therefore, the majority of the study data is qualitative. Both the survey instrument and the interview protocol were independently developed by the researcher. Blogs and designs created by the interview participants were used to triangulate information from the survey and interviews. The findings are organized by research question, and focus on four distinct yet related lines of inquiry: students’ expectations for the study abroad experience; the ways they describe the learning they experienced; the ways they make meaning of the experience in relation to their creativity; and the ways it influenced their future aspirations or plans. The key findings of the study relate to the process of making meaning of the learning experience, and include: the value of engaging with a culture mentor who has deep knowledge of both the host culture and design; the importance of experiencing, firsthand, the reciprocal relationship between culture and design; and the ability to borrow and apply concepts and processes from the study abroad host culture into new and creative designs.
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    The Engagement of Multicultural Student Affairs Staff in the Internationalization of Connecticut Higher Education Institutions
    (2016-12) Gorlewski, Emily
    The rise in diversity and the increasing internationalization of United States higher education institutions are well established. In order to deal with these phenomena, areas of practice for multicultural education and internationalization have arisen. In the past few decades there have been calls for practitioners within these two separate areas to work together toward common goals. The purpose of this study was to explore the engagement of multicultural student affairs professionals in the internationalization of the selected higher education institutions in which they work. This study used a basic qualitative methodology, consisting of interviews and observation, to investigate how a selected group of multicultural educators in the state of Connecticut defined and described internationalization, what internationalization activities they did and did not engage in, and their motivations and barriers to engagement. The investigation found that not all of these professionals were familiar with the term “internationalization,” but all were able to define it. Their definitions had to do with student mobility, globalization, a broader perspective, and one more comprehensive definition, though many focused on international students coming to the United States. The participants were all engaged in internationalization to some extent. This engagement occurred at all institutional levels, the most common being the individual student level through student and student organization advising, as well as programming for students. The participants’ motivations to engage were philosophical, personal, and practical. They were motivated by their beliefs and values, their backgrounds as immigrants or study abroad students, and the practical needs of their students. The origins of their engagement were most often student based, though the professionals also initiated the activities themselves or were invited by colleagues or administration. The participants’ efforts or desires to engage more in internationalization activities were hindered by a lack of time and personnel, their own or others’ perception that this was not part of their job, as well as perceived cultural and financial barriers. Most participants did desire to engage more in internationalization activities, but were unable to due to these factors. Future research on this topic is warranted, as is further research on multicultural student affairs in general. The effects of recent, race-related events on U.S. campuses should be taken into consideration and studied further as well. As increasing diversity and globalization continue in U.S. higher education, further research into collaborations between practitioners of multicultural and international education will also be needed. Upper administration in higher education institutions should support both multicultural education and internationalization efforts. This would include promoting the internationalization of multicultural education and multicultural transformation of international education. Training should be provided for practitioners in both of these areas and other personnel across the institution. The administrative structures responsible for managing the processes of internationalization and multicultural transformation should be brought closer together administratively and physically, but remain separate so that their individual missions are not diluted.
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    Essays in International Trade
    (2023-07) Phillips, Paul
    This dissertation consists of three chapters, and contains analysis of trends in international trade along the spatial and dynamic dimensions. In the first chapter, I review recent papers relevant to my areas of study, and highlight some areas which I believe the recent literature to be overlooking. The second chapter uses a static trade model and 2018 data on a panel of 197 metropolitan statistical areas to estimate import penetration rates for cities across the U.S. Results from this chapter show that more densely populated metropolitan areas are more exposed to foreign imports than cities with a lower population density, but are not necessarily more adversely affected by an increase in tariffs because compared to more spread--out areas they have a greater ability to substitute locally made goods for imported goods. The third chapter is my job--market paper, and constructs a multi-sector dynamic general equilibrium model of trade between the United States and the rest of the world to investigate why the pandemic affected services trade more adversely than goods trade, in contrast to trade patterns during and after the 2008 financial crisis. Different parameters in the model represent the different channels through which trade would have reacted to the two downturns, and I calibrate these values to match trade and gross output data. I find that trade frictions play the biggest role in explaining services trade; decreasing costs of conducting trade in services helped prevent losses in services trade during the financial crisis, while increasing trade frictions decimated services trade during the pandemic. A decline in consumer preferences for goods drove the losses in goods trade during the financial crisis, while the absence of such a decline limited the losses in goods trade during the pandemic. A brief analysis of consumer welfare suggests that policymakers concerned about a pandemic-like situation should focus on reducing barriers to trade rather than stimulating demand.
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    Examining the Role of International Service-Learning in American Medical Education: A National Exploratory Study
    (2019-05) Sopdie, Elizabeth
    There is a recent rise in demand for international rotations in medical school, during which U.S. schools send medical students to another country for an immersive educational experience, but there is little research surrounding the characteristics, ethics, and institutional support for these types of rotations. This study examines the types of international rotations that exist in medical education in the United States and its territories as key avenues for international service-learning (ISL) by investigating the key characteristics of international rotations and the structural and programmatic features necessary to support such rotations; the barriers and facilitators to the advancement of ISL from the perspectives of stakeholders within medical education who design and implement international rotations (i.e., faculty, staff, administrators); broader contextual factors that might influence a medical school’s decision to include ISL in its medical program; and whether relationships exist between components within a medical school or institutional environment and the inclusion of international service-learning components performed during international rotations. This study utilizes a mixed methods design with an exploratory approach. Quantitative data were collected through a survey that was sent to all 185 MD- and DO-granting medical schools in the United States and its territories that had full accreditation status as of July 2018, which had a response rate of 31%. Qualitative data were then collected through 15 interviews with international rotation coordinators that had also responded to the survey. Inductive and interpretive methods were used to analyze data. Key findings from this study provide highly contextualized guidance to scholars and practitioners interested in the transformative potential of service-learning, or any other reform effort in medical education, and the organizational components necessary to sustain such efforts. Results in this study demonstrate the variety of ways in which international rotations are designed and implemented across medical schools. Design aspects of international rotations depend greatly on safety considerations, components required for academic credit, student considerations such as level of experience, and the agency or motivation of the international rotation coordinator to include certain components as part of international rotations, such as pre-departure orientation or post-travel debrief and reflection. Formal structures and processes are shown to help support international rotations, integrate international rotations more formally into medical school curricula, and strengthen partnerships with community host sites. Issues of funding and timing a student could perform an international rotation during the four-year program were most influential to student participation as well as to design decisions regarding planning and implementation of international rotations. Barriers to planning and implementing international rotations include cost and safety challenges as well as challenges to meet student expectations during the design of international rotations. Other barriers included challenges to integrating international rotations into broader medical school curricula, such as finding faculty or school leaders to support international rotations. Elements that helped facilitate international rotations included high student interest, convenient opportunities to develop community partnerships, and international rotation coordinators’ personal experiences and motivation, such as passion or personal mission to inspire students or promote health equity. Broader contextual and environmental aspects that could drive or deter a medical school’s participation in international rotations included the various perceived benefits and disadvantages associated with international rotations and additional contextual factors within and surrounding medical schools held great influence in a medical school’s decision to engage in international rotations. Factors that drove medical schools to participate in international rotations included student demand, addressing changing workforce demands, and broader environmental drivers, while factors that deterred a medical school’s participation were related to a lack of structures or processes in place or the length of time a medical school had been open. Aspects within a medical program were found to influence the inclusion of international service-learning components in international rotations, such as a medical school’s mission, length of time international rotations had been offered at a medical program, presence of sites in lower-income countries, and whether international rotation coordinators held joint appointments or affiliations with other offices.
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    Transforming the University: Forging an International University: Recommendations of the Task Force
    (University of Minnesota, 2005-12-09) Isaacman, Allen; Okediji, Ruth
    To press successfully toward the goal of becoming a top three institution, the University must better leverage current disciplinary strengths in the study of global issues; support crossdisciplinary and cross-collegiate international initiatives; pursue a network of external partnerships/alliances with research organizations and other institutions in strategic regions of the world; emphasize international experiences of students, faculty, and staff; and structure institutional processes and programs to accommodate, encourage, and facilitate research and study of global issues.
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    Transportation facilities and services available to Minnesota exporters to serve Pacific area markets
    (1993-07) Harper, Donald V.
    The transportation facilities and services available to Minnesota exporters to export to Pacific area countries were identified. This included the modes of transportation, individual carriers, third parties, and ocean ports and airports available to Minnesota shippers. The service provided was evaluated as were its accessibility to Minnesota exporters and the ability of the system to handle a substantial increase in exports from Minnesota. Included were international water and air transportation and domestic railroad, motor truck, and intermodal railroad-truck transportation. The conclusions drawn were that (1) the transportation service from Minnesota to the Pacific area is sufficient in quantity and quality in all modes, with some problems with lack of enough air freight service at Minneapolis-St. Paul; (2) the transportation service is satisfactory in terms of cost for water and motor truck service, with less satisfaction with the cost of the other modes; (3) the transportation service is generally accessible to Minnesota exporters; and (4) the transportation system for the most part should be able to handle a major increase in the quantity of exports to the Pacific region from Minnesota, the possible exception is air freight transportation in terms of both carrier capacity and airport capacity.
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    What's Happening with Internationalization at Community Colleges? : Community College Presidents' Perceptions of Internationalization Actions, the Desirability and Feasibility of Internationalization Actions, and the Importance of Internationalization
    (2017-05) Bissonette, Bonita
    Internationalization of higher education is critical for United States’ citizens to be globally competent and economically competitive. With nearly 50 percent of U.S. higher education students currently enrolled at community colleges, the topic of internationalization actions at community colleges is an important one. This study examines internationalization actions taken at U.S. public community colleges, the college presidents’ perceptions of actions not yet taken as desirable or feasible, and presidents’ assessments of the importance of internationalization. Responses to a web-based survey sent to 887 presidents of public community colleges in February 2016 reveal certain personal and institutional characteristics that are significantly related to internationalization actions at community colleges. These include years as a president at any institution, number of foreign languages spoken, and number of professional international trips taken, as well as the geographic setting of the institution. These findings will be useful for understanding opportunities for and challenges to internationalization at community colleges.