Press Room
National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NASULGC – Paul Hassen, 202.478.6073
NAFSA – Ursula Oaks, 202.737.3699 x2553
NAFSA – Ursula Oaks, 202.737.3699 x2553
For Release: Jul 22, 2008
Center for Capacity Building in Study Abroad Launched by Education Associations
Margaret Heisel Named Director
WASHINGTON – The National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) and NAFSA: Association of International Educators today announced the launch of the Center for Capacity Building in Study Abroad (CCBSA) and the selection of Margaret Heisel as director.
The Center is designed to support students and institutions as demand increases for quality study abroad experiences and as the higher education community anticipates passage of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act. Heisel, who is deputy to the vice provost for academic affairs at the University of California System, will join the CCBSA September 1.
"Expanding study abroad as envisioned by the Simon Act will require a broader institutional commitment, more innovative programming, and an increase in enrollment capacity overseas," said Peter McPherson, president of NASULGC. "The Center's action agenda of community engagement and the creation of a portal of information and resources for leaders and study abroad professionals to use moving forward is a crucial contribution to this effort."
"This Center represents a committed and proactive effort on the part of the U.S. higher education community to do what is needed to ensure that we are ready for Simon, and ready for the significant growth that study abroad will experience in the coming years," said NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Marlene M. Johnson. "The Simon legislation's vision, and ours, is that study abroad must become an integral part of the education of all American college students. This Center, with Margaret Heisel's leadership, will help us chart a road map to get there."
Heisel brings to the Center nearly four decades of experience as a leader, administrator, and faculty member at colleges and universities across the United States. Her leadership in managing system-wide higher education issues in California; her active participation in national commissions and task forces; and her work with myriad types of institutions in California will be critical assets as she advances the Center's mission to assist institutions in their efforts to expand study abroad.
The Center for Capacity Building in Study Abroad will focus on helping institutions expand their capacity to serve an increasing number of study abroad students, while maintaining quality. The Center also will identify opportunities in emerging, potentially high-demand study abroad markets—beyond the traditional destinations—and provide guidance to U.S. higher education institutions on how to best access those markets responsibly. In addition, the Center is expected to use innovative action-learning teams and to convene groups of institutions experiencing rapid growth to share ideas and information, act as peer support, and foster collaboration.
The following higher education associations are providing financial support for the Center: American Council on Education (ACE), American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Association of American Universities (AAU) and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).
The Center's Web site is http://www.studyabroadcenter.org
The Center is designed to support students and institutions as demand increases for quality study abroad experiences and as the higher education community anticipates passage of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Foundation Act. Heisel, who is deputy to the vice provost for academic affairs at the University of California System, will join the CCBSA September 1.
"Expanding study abroad as envisioned by the Simon Act will require a broader institutional commitment, more innovative programming, and an increase in enrollment capacity overseas," said Peter McPherson, president of NASULGC. "The Center's action agenda of community engagement and the creation of a portal of information and resources for leaders and study abroad professionals to use moving forward is a crucial contribution to this effort."
"This Center represents a committed and proactive effort on the part of the U.S. higher education community to do what is needed to ensure that we are ready for Simon, and ready for the significant growth that study abroad will experience in the coming years," said NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Marlene M. Johnson. "The Simon legislation's vision, and ours, is that study abroad must become an integral part of the education of all American college students. This Center, with Margaret Heisel's leadership, will help us chart a road map to get there."
Heisel brings to the Center nearly four decades of experience as a leader, administrator, and faculty member at colleges and universities across the United States. Her leadership in managing system-wide higher education issues in California; her active participation in national commissions and task forces; and her work with myriad types of institutions in California will be critical assets as she advances the Center's mission to assist institutions in their efforts to expand study abroad.
The Center for Capacity Building in Study Abroad will focus on helping institutions expand their capacity to serve an increasing number of study abroad students, while maintaining quality. The Center also will identify opportunities in emerging, potentially high-demand study abroad markets—beyond the traditional destinations—and provide guidance to U.S. higher education institutions on how to best access those markets responsibly. In addition, the Center is expected to use innovative action-learning teams and to convene groups of institutions experiencing rapid growth to share ideas and information, act as peer support, and foster collaboration.
The following higher education associations are providing financial support for the Center: American Council on Education (ACE), American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Association of American Universities (AAU) and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU).
The Center's Web site is http://www.studyabroadcenter.org
