Conference Symposium on Leadership 2008 Recap

Excavating the Layers of Institutional Culture: A Key to Internationalization

In NAFSA's 2007 survey of the most important specialized knowledge needed by a Senior International Officer, "Knowledge of the Home Institution" ranked number one.

The 2008 Conference Symposium on Leadership, presented on May 27 in Washington, D.C., addressed this critical need for those who occupy leadership positions and contribute significantly to campus internationalization and policy formulation.

The symposium began with a keynote presentation by David Maxwell, President of Drake University. President Maxwell discussed the process of internationalization into the formal structures of Drake University, such as strategic plans and mission statements. He discussed his challenges and how he succeeded in pushing his internationalization agenda at Drake.

Richard McGourty, management consultant, gave a presentation on navigating through the informal or "shadow side" of institutional culture. Symposium participants learned how to identify the informal culture of personalities, power, social systems, and politics at work in institutions and how to harness informal culture in order to effect change.

Symposium participants also had an opportunity to hear from a panel of distinguished and accomplished international education leaders relate these frameworks to their own experience in managing internationalization in a variety of U.S. institutions. The panel included Jane Edwards, associate dean for international affairs, Yale University; Diana Carlin, professor, department of communication studies and former dean of the graduate school and international programs, University of Kansas; and David Larsen, Vice President and Director of the Center for Education Abroad, Arcadia University.

Comments from participants

• "If you are thinking about making it or making a difference in the IE field, you need to develop skills that position yourself as an effective leader in your immediate and global environment. NAFSA leadership symposium provides opportunities for you to do just that."
• "The symposium was very informative as well as inspiring. The panel is diverse and collectively their backgrounds and experiences are outstanding which added to the depth and value of information and experience presented. They also had a great sense of humor which helped lighten up a very difficult & complicated issue."
• "Very relevant to what I do – gave me great ideas but also much courage to do what I believe needs done – open doors- break down old barriers and don’t accept "no" without a satisfactory explanation. This was super! Great to be at the beginning of the conference too. Thanks!!"
• "I am currently in the fog of change. The speakers helped me begin the process of mapping my way out."
• "If you are laboring on internationalization without the help of the dialogue and interaction available at NAFSA conferences, your work is harder than it needs to be."