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While Texas A&M has
been engaged in international education research, teaching, and
service almost since its establishment, the information below is a
sampling of some of the activities of the last few years, in
addition to some historic milestones.
In 1889, the first
known international student, Helge Ness from Norway, graduated from
A&M and then begins to teach on campus. Ness is the first in
America to produce hybrid Oaks. Several of his trees can still be
found on campus. There are now over 3,700 international students
enrolled from more than 125 countries.
Texas A&M has a
Center in Mexico City that has been in operation for eleven years
with the mission of promoting cooperation, technology transfer, and
international understanding between Texas and Mexico. One important
program of the Center is the annual Faculty Abroad Seminar that has
had 140 participants and hundreds of joint research and educational
projects as outcomes.
In 1979, Texas A&M
signed its first Memoranda of Agreement with a foreign university.
Since that time Texas A&M has entered into hundreds of these
agreements with universities and institutions worldwide to explore
research opportunities as well as to exchange students and/or
faculty. Currently Texas A&M has 117 active MOAs in 47 countries.
Dr. Robert M. Gates
has become recognized as a leader on international education issues
through national advocacy efforts promoting the balance between
security and the need for freedom of inquiry and eliminating
barriers to international exchanges. His efforts have had a direct
impact on key issues such as the SEVIS fee implementation and
providing priority processing for student and scholar visas during
peak times at US embassies and consulates. To read his speech
presented at the convention of National Association of State
Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, November 18, 2003 and his
OP-Ed to the New York Times in March of this year visit
http://international.tamu.edu/gatesoped.html.
An international
student, Shanti A. Kudchadker, from Bombay, India, was the first
woman ever to graduate with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M in 1967. Today,
women comprise about 29% of the international student population.
Texas A&M has
become the US administrator for Uzbekistan Presidential Scholarship
Program (UMID), which sends students sponsored by the Uzbek
government to the US to pursue their studies. Texas A&M has been
the destination of choice for many of these sponsored students.
The Texas A&M
University European Union Center is one of only fifteen such Centers
in the United States, and the only one in Texas. Its mission is to
support the institution’s Vision 2020 internationalization
efforts by fostering EU-related initiatives that enhance the
University’s academic, research, outreach, and service programs.
Over the years,
there have been many international students enrolled in the Corps of
Cadets. In 1967, Veerapun “Tom” Putamanonda, became the first known
international cadet to become a Flag Officer (General) of his home
country, in the Royal Thai Army.
In fall 2003,
Texas
A&M University opened a branch campus in the State of Qatar, in the
Middle East, where four undergraduate degree programs in chemical,
electrical, mechanical, and petroleum engineering are offered. The
10-year agreement between the Qatar Foundation and Texas A&M will
also establish two research centers in the future providing research
opportunities for faculty and graduate students.
In September of
2003, as part on the ongoing efforts to create a welcoming
environment for our international faculty and scholars, the
International Faculty and Scholars Services together with the City
of College Station, the International Center and other units and
departments at the International Programs Office and on campus,
celebrated the first annual Welcome Barbeque for New International
Faculty and Scholars. It is important to note that this event, which
was also celebrated, again this year on October 2004 shows the
commitment of TAMU and the City of College Station to the
development of an ever-growing welcoming atmosphere for TAMU’s
international population.
In fall 2003, Texas
A&M hosted the US-China Conference, the largest bi-national
conference of its kind ever held to focus on educational linkages
between the two countries. A follow-up conference will be held in
China in 2005.
There are over 40
international student organizations on campus representing many
nationalities and regions of the world. The first such organization
was established in 1969 and was called the International Student
Association (ISA). In spring 2005, ISA will celebrate its 25th
year of holding International Week festivities on campus.
International Week is the largest event of its kind in the
Southwestern United States.
Texas A&M graduate
students can apply now for the East Asia Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI)
to become a fellow of the National Science Foundation spending the
summer doing research in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan or
Australia. Texas A&M University had the highest number of students
participating in EAPSI among U.S.
institutions in 2004 with nine participants.
The International
Center collaborates with other IPO departments and works with
student groups each year to present cultural programs to raise
awareness of a particular country, region or continent to audiences
on campus and in the local community. The second annual China Week
was held Nov. 1-5. Similar events have been held for Germany, Spain
and Korean in recent years. Plans are underway to present
Celebrating Arab Cultures Week in February of 2005. These events are
especially helpful in heightening the cultural awareness of those
students who may never be able to travel outside the Unites States.
The Sterling Evans
Library has more than 2OO interlibrary agreements with foreign
universities.
ExxonMobil and
Marathon Oil have contracted with Texas A&M University to assist in
administering their educational commitments in Africa through the
Sponsored Student Programs Office.
Texas A&M has a
physical presence in three locations abroad: the branch campus in
Doha, Qatar, founded in 2003; the Mexico City Center, founded in
1993; and the Santa Chiara Study Center in Castiglion Fiorentino,
Italy, founded in 1990.
One of the purposes
of International Education is to attract future leaders from abroad
to study, learn and exchange experiences in the United States. A
number of former international Aggies have become important
officials in their home countries. In 2001, Jorge Quiroga, became
president of Bolivia, the first Aggie Head of State. The second is
Martin Torrijos the current president of Panama. The International
Alumnus Award was established in 1995, and nine awards have been
presented since that time. This prestigious award recognizes
accomplished former students from around the world. It was created
to honor former international students, who have achieved career
prominence and continue to be loyal to the mission and goals of
Texas A&M University. To view an impressive list of international
leaders who were educated in the United States go to
http://exchanges.state.gov/education/educationusa/leaders.htm
The International
Faculty Network project is an ongoing collaborative effort of
International Faculty and Scholar Services, the International
Center, the Dean of Faculties and the Faculty Senate International
Committee. Its purpose is to provide international faculty and
scholars with a welcoming environment and nurturing experience at
Texas A&M University by facilitating their integration,
participation and adjustment to life in College Station and in
particular at Texas A&M University.
Texas A&M graduate
students can apply now for the East Asia Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI)
to become a fellow of the National Science Foundation spending the
summer doing research in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan or
Australia. Texas A&M University had the highest number of students
participating in EAPSI among U.S.
institutions in 2004 with nine participants.
In the month after
September 11, 2001, when many international students were leaving
the United States because they were afraid to remain in our country,
Texas A&M and the local community showed such an outpouring of care
for the Aggie international community, that not one international
student withdrew due to concerns for safety.
Texas A&M students
first went abroad to study languages. Now, more than 1,200 Texas
A&M students from all colleges study abroad annually in over 40
countries. An average of 35 faculty lead programs abroad annually,
there are more than 30 active reciprocal exchange agreements with
foreign universities, and there are 10 active affiliation agreements
with study abroad providers in the United States and abroad.
The Office of Latin
American Programs has facilitated an important research agreement
with CONACYT, a Mexican federal agency that promotes research in
science and technology. Through this agreement, there are 46
jointly funded ongoing research projects between faculty at Texas
A&M and Mexican researchers. CONACYT is also an active member of
the consortium for the promotion of Internet 2 CUDI.
Texas A&M’s
response to Truman’s Point Four Program in the 1950’s brought the
first of many sponsored students funded by US government contracts
to obtain degrees primarily in agriculture. Today the US government
is no longer the primary sponsor of students obtaining academic
degrees with numerous governments and companies supporting students
in many different disciplines. There continues to be an increase in
the number of sponsored students choosing to attend Texas A&M
particularly from the Middle East and other energy producing
countries.
International
Education has far reaching significance and impacts the daily lives
of U.S. states, cities and citizens. The State of Texas is the third
largest host of international students with Texas A&M ranking 15th
in the nation. International students contributed nearly $795
million to the Texas economy in 2002/03 with as much as $69 million
added to the local Bryan and College Station economies.
International
Outreach efforts bring hundreds of Texas school teachers to Texas
A&M University each year earning as many as 2000 hours of continuing
professional education units yearly while they learn new and
exciting ways to add an international component to their Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements. School children also
receive outreach attention through the World Room Fellows Program
providing interesting curriculum through pre-service teachers
directly to the class rooms of local schools and local senior
citizens have been traveling the world in 2004 via “armchair” travel
through presentations delivered by our staff, visiting international
faculty and scholars, and international student organization
representatives.
Each year Texas A&M
University encourages faculty to conduct research abroad and
provides $40,000 in funding through the International Research
Travel Assistance Grants program to help with the expense of travel
and accommodations. Funds are also available for faculty to create
or redesign courses to embrace an international perspective through
the International Curriculum Development Grants.
The MSC L.T.
Jordan Institute Fellows Program has been provides highly qualified
students personal enrichment and educational opportunities since
1986. Not only can students do independent study or research, they
can also do internships or international service projects in the
Dominican Republic or Honduras.
There has been an
approximate 26% increase overall in international faculty and
scholars in the last year. Within this population, the countries
with more faculty and scholars than others include Peoples Republic
of China, South Korea, India, Canada and Russia. The College with
most international faculty and scholars is the College of Science
with a total of 203, followed by the College of Agriculture with 177
and Engineering with 129.
The Academy for Future International Leaders just selected
their eighth group of 18 undergraduate candidates from a pool of
talented student leaders. The class prepares students who have
leadership potential for success in the global environment and is
comprised of three main components: three-credit hour academic
spring seminar, mentoring program, and optional international
experience. The Academy class, coordinated by International
Programs for Students, is a joint effort among 10 academic colleges,
and three units: the Honors Department, Memorial Student Center, and
the Department of Multicultural Services. Since the Academy was
organized, students have participated in forty-eight international
experiences, including internships, study abroad and language
study. For more information about the Academy, visit http://intlcenter.tamu.edu/Academy.
Texas A&M’s Department of Biochemistry in conjunction with
Study Abroad Programs, NSF USA and NSC Taiwan, has established a new
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) to Taiwan. The 10-week
summer research experience began summer 2004 as a pilot project with
3 Aggie undergraduate researchers. If the grant funding is approved
later this fall, a group of 10 students will be selected by
application from across the US. The program enables US
undergraduates with previous lab experience to work with top
scientists at one of several Universities in Taiwan.
The European Union Center at Texas A&M supports the
institution’s internationalization efforts by fostering EU-related
initiatives that enhance the University’s academic, research,
outreach, and service programs. The Center has sponsored the
development of two undergraduate certificate programs in EU Politics
and EU Business, and a joint graduate course in US-EU comparative
food marketing and management systems with the Wageningen University
in the Netherlands. As part of its outreach initiatives the Center
has also developed and administered programs that include
international symposia, forums, lectures and workshops for social
studies educators. By sponsoring and facilitating research
initiatives involving the European Union, the Center contributes to
the advancement of new insights into European matters as well as to
the collaborative research with European institutions on issues of
transatlantic concern. The Center works closely with the EU Consular
Corps in Houston and assumes a facilitative role in developing and
nurturing institutional relationships with partner institutions in
Europe, and sponsors short-term European visiting scholars to work
with faculty and students in all A&M colleges.
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