Best Practices in Globalizing Engineering Students

摘要

In the fall of 2013, Texas Tech University (TTU) and the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering (WCOE) implemented a requirement for all undergraduate engineering students to participate in an international experience as part of their degree plan. The intent behind this initiative is to facilitate the preparation of future engineers at the college level to become part of an ever-increasing international profession. In the implementation of the International Experience Initiative (IEI), the members of the International Engineering Programs (IEP) Office discovered a series of best practices to help globalize engineering students. These best practices include leveraging advisors and peer advisors called the Engineering Diplomats to educate and recruit students on their international opportunities, the marketing of programs, and maximizing partnerships and creating customized programs. Marketing is an essential tool needed to promote programs. Since the IEI's inception, IEP updated its website, created flyers for all programs, and established email marketing for engineering students. Throughout this paper, we will provide examples of creative material, data on the increase in student participation and of web traffic as a direct result of marketing. Through partnerships with providers, IEP collaborates to create diverse programs that meet student interests, personal needs, and future career goals. This is done by examining past, present, and future programming with specific partners. In the past, IEP created an ongoing summer research exchange with Universidad del Norte (UniNorte) using the support services of International Studies Abroad (ISA). Today, IEP and Butler University Institute for Study Abroad (IFSA-Butler) collaborated to create a program that has curriculum available for multiple universities that focuses on engineering and culture. Looking toward the future, IEP and Cultural Experience Abroad (CEA) are creating three geographically diverse programs while integrating engineering curriculum and cultural immersion.