International Programs recognized for high quality programs in education abroad

NEW PALTZ — The Center for International Programs at the State University of New York at New Paltz was recently notified that had it had been determined to be in conformity with the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad by the Forum on Education Abroad.

New Paltz was one of only 14 institutions throughout the world selected to participate in a pilot project to establish standards for study abroad. The college was recognized for its “commitment and dedication to offering high quality programs in education abroad.”

“This is very unique,” said Bruce Sillner, dean of the Center for International Programs. “No other SUNY – and very few other colleges and universities around the world – have this distinction. We have not only been recognized for our programs, but also for the dedication of our staff to student service.”

In January 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Anti-Trust Division and Federal Trade Commission designated the forum as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the field of education abroad.

In January 2006, the forum began testing the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad in a pilot project with a group of volunteer institutional participants – domestic and overseas providers, domestic and overseas universities and colleges, community colleges and consortia. This structured field testing involved a rigorous self-study and report, site review and report by peer reviewers, response to the report, and final determination issued by the Forum Review Panel, an objective third body.

The results of this landmark project will be presented and discussed at the forum conference in Austin, Texas, March 1-3, 2007, where Sillner will participate in a panel on Lessons Learned for the Standard’s Pilot Project: The Impact of the Standard’s Review on the Organization/Institution.

The Center for International Programs offers more than 40 semester, academic year, summer and intersession study abroad programs. These programs consist of traditional classes held at host universities abroad, internships and experiential programs, as well as faculty-led programs.

More information on study abroad programs offered by the Center for International Programs can be found at www.newpaltz.edu/studyabroad and study abroad blogs can be found at http://abroadblogs.newpaltz.edu.

The Forum on Education Abroad was created in 2001 to meet the needs of the education abroad profession. Members include educational institutions, consortia, agencies and organizations, as well as individual leaders in the field. Members have worked to establish standards of good practice, improve study abroad curricula, and promote data collection and outcomes assessment, all to advocate for high quality education abroad programs.

The forum membership has matured to include 200 institutions, with a growing presence of non-U.S. institutions, most notably from Australia. The membership represents 60 percent of the U.S. study abroad market.

For more information on the Forum on Education Abroad pilot project, visit www.forumea.org/standards-pilotproject.cfm.