Overseas Educational Advisers & Education Abroad

by Evelyn Levinson and Sally Raymont

In 1999, Sally Raymont (SECUSSA Liaison to OSEAS-NAFSA, 1999-2000 and Region VI SECUSSA Representative, 1999-2001) and Evelyn Levinson (OSEAS Liaison to SECUSSA-NAFSA, 1999-2000 and Immediate Past OSEAS Overseas Coordinator 1996-1999) joined together to find ways to strengthen the ties between their two sections.

There are some obvious links:

• Many Overseas Educational Advisers serve as Fulbright program officers for incoming U.S. scholars and students to all countries. Many education abroad professionals are responsible for the Fulbright student selection process at their universities.
  
• Some Overseas Educational Advisers also work in international offices at universities involved in exchanges with the United States. Education abroad directors are often the staff members in U.S. international offices responsible for the exchange student programs.
  
• Both groups are providing incoming or pre-departure orientations dealing with academic, cultural, social, health and safety, housing, and immigration issues.

Here are some of the ways in which we can all collaborate. We look forward to hearing from you about additional ideas of mutual interest and concern.

How Overseas Educational Advisers Can Assist Education Abroad Professionals

One very obvious way is to ask education abroad advisers to encourage departing U.S.-based education abroad students and U.S. Fulbright grantees to be sure to contact the overseas advising centers before or upon arrival in their host countries. Overseas educational advisers can assist visiting students/scholars (and U.S. program officers who are sending them) with questions on everything from the local academic and cultural scene to mores, safety, and "survival 101" issues.

1. Safety Issues and Crisis Management for Education Abroad Students
2. Overseas advisers can serve as a primary resource to education abroad advisers on the educational systems, ministries, and institutions in their various countries.
3. Overseas advising centers can provide U.S.-based advisers and their students information or direction on the following:

• accomodation overseas
• banking, immigration issues overseas
• searches for programs taught in English outside the United States
• assistance in announcing new programs outside the United States
• networking with local ministries, universities, and government agencies

How Education Abroad Professionals Can Assist Overseas Educational Advisers

Overseas advising offices offer perfect opportunities for professional development internships for those interested in issues related to international education/relations, cross-cultural understanding, etc. What understaffed and overworked OSEAS center couldn't enjoy the benefits of having volunteers assist them in presentations, research, and front-line advising? U.S. education abroad volunteers can contribute enormously to their programming and staff's development in addition to their own personal growth. They can develop an exciting perspective of the work overseas centers do to promote U.S. education outside the United States.

1. Volunteer internships for U.S.-based students and scholars
   
2. Inform departing education abroad students of Overseas Advising Center addresses. Include OSEAS centers' addresses and e-mail contact information with their pre-departure packages. Let students/scholars know that these centers exist and the OSEAS staff is there for them.
3. Inform OSEAS centers of new programs, exchanges, or agreements established between U.S. and foreign institutions.
4. Copy country- or region-specific messages to one of the following listservs in order to reach overseas advisers in that geographic area:

• To send messages of specific interest to advisers in the NIS, use the EAC-L listserv at EAC-L@IREX.RU.
• To find out more about the profession of overseas educational advising and the Principles of Ethical Practice in Overseas Educational Advising, visit the NAFSA Network on Overseas Educational Advising.
• To learn more about OSEAS-Europe, visit the OSEAS-Europe homepage.
• Visit the Department of State’s Office of Global Educational Programs (formerly USIA)’s Web site for a listing of overseas advising centers worldwide.