The 2012 NAFSA Annual Conference is loaded with content to help you lead and enable sustainable internationalization. The Annual Conference Committee took to heart the theme of “Comprehensive Internationalization: Vision to Practice.” The result is more than 30 educational offerings that fit closely with this theme. I urge you to add them to your conference agendas.
Three seminars are highlighted which tie directly to the theme:
- Wednesday, 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Forecasting the Future of Internationalization: View Through the Crystal Ball
- Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.: Comprehensive Internationalization: Whose Job Is It Anyway?
- Friday, 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.: Enhancing Your Leadership Contributions and Collaborations for Comprehensive Internationalization
Whether you want to know about world trends in internationalization, how your job enables comprehensive internationalization, or how to lead comprehensive internationalization efforts on campus, we have new materials and insights for you. Regardless of your knowledge community, there are plenty of offerings related to comprehensive internationalization, as well as opportunities to learn from our international colleagues.
What's a KC? International education is a broad field with many specializations. NAFSA organizes the professional specialties of international education into five main groups (Knowledge Communities or KCs), with teams of member-leaders charged with creating and disseminating knowledge.
I also encourage you to learn more about our host city, Houston. At 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, May 30, you can learn about the international industries that make Houston an important city for business and education with “International Pillars of Houston.” And if you’ve missed the blog posts about all Houston has to offer, be sure to go back through and read about the Museum District, good eats, and more.
I look forward to seeing you in Houston in a few weeks. If you have any questions about the conference, respond to this blog post or send me a tweet @PatPWiller.
Patricia Willer is the chair of the 2012 ACC. She is also associate vice president for international programs at the University of South Carolina. She has extensive experience in international education leadership, international student services, and education abroad. She is also an advocate for the need for campus collaboration in support of international education. Willer has presented extensively on international education issues. She received her master’s degree in communication studies from the University of Kansas.