The Hotel at Kirkwood Center will host the event July 23 – 25
Community college leaders from around the world gathered on the Community Colleges for International Development (CCID) headquarters’ home ground Saturday to discuss how to bring the globalization of education to the local level through community colleges.
Hosted at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center July 23 – 25, the CCID Summer Institute pulled in participants domestically and from several partner countries, including Denmark, Canada, Yemen and Qatar. Business and industry professionals joined community college trustees, workforce development leaders, and assessment organizations to share ideas on this internationally relevant subject.
Board member colleges’ international education directors opened the three-day institute by discussing new approaches and incentives for developing similar systems across continents to address workforce needs, high youth unemployment and equity and access in higher education.
“I believe so strongly in the community college movement… particularly as global interest in the community college model has never been stronger. CCID is perfectly positioned to support our members’ internationalization efforts while driving workforce development around the world,” remarked CCID’s newly elected CEO, Carol Stax Brown. “The Hotel at Kirkwood Center is a prime example of the hands-on practical training students receive at U.S. community colleges. It is fitting that this is the location of the Institute where community college presidents and leaders from various countries met to discuss the U.S. community college as a tool for development, commerce and employability. Other countries are looking to us for a model for how to do this.”
Focus groups at the Summer Institute received advice on overcoming obstacles related to internationalization efforts, with sessions focusing on governing boards, faculty and administration involvement, and hosting international students. But they also reignited the movement of globally serving local workforces through stories of what each member is passionate about.
“First, The Hotel [at Kirkwood Center] is very impressive. It’s pioneered the changing landscape for community colleges,” said Nithy S.R., system director for International Programs and Services at Lone Star College System. Regarding the sessions at the Institute, he commented on a session that focused on local colleges’ global presence: “Finding common ground between the global community and the local community inspires men and women to go abroad. When a company adds something as simple as one line, such as ‘International experience is preferred’ in their job descriptions, this encourages global competency skills where job seekers may not otherwise see pathways. Getting the community to engage CCID members in being involved makes our work more interesting and exciting.” He sees this as a prime opportunity to help local economies, both in the United States and abroad.
Tully Cornick, executive director of Higher Education for Development, based in Washington D.C., works in development at the postsecondary level. He sees the CCID membership as trying to cultivate and broaden the access of American higher education, and, from a governmental standpoint, believes it to be effective. Those international students who come to America through CCID’s exchange program “bring that knowledge back to their community and teach the world that the Unites States works within global economy and policy. We as a country tend to look inward. I think it’s important to have Americans look outward, as well.”
Cassandra Tomkin, director of operations for Cross-Cultural Solutions attended the summer institute to share service learning abroad fellowship opportunities for community college students. “We’ve been looking for a way to reach out to those who don’t traditionally volunteer for our programs,” said Tompkin. “We’re looking towards community colleges for volunteers because of the practical skills their students have in nursing, massage therapy and teaching English, but also because we want to diversify. We are best when we’re diverse.”
Help support global and local diversity with this international crowd at 2012’s Summer Institute, set for July 14 – 16 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For more information on CCID’s Summer Institute, or to become a member, visit www.ccid.cc or call the CCID executive offices in Cedar Rapids, Iowa at 319-398-1257.