Comprehensive report on campus international activities published

By publishing the International Profile 2010-11 detailing university activities at a global scale, Cal State Fullerton is making information available about the various study opportunities on campus. 

The profile was published online to document, share, promote and increase awareness of international matters to the CSUF community and will be available on Fullerton.edu/world.

A collaborative effort, the first international program’s comprehensive report is a compilation of data collected over the last 10 years. Subject matters covered in the publication include international student numbers by college, the percent of students who study abroad according to class, international projects, visiting scholars and international partnerships.

“Our campus has a long history of international engagements and partnerships going back nearly 30 years, but we never had a comprehensive report that showcased such activities backed by data,” said Mikyong Kim-Goh, Ph.D., acting associate vice president of International Programs.

According to Kim-Goh, it is a primary concern of international university affairs to institute a global perspective on campus, as well as establish the importance of international relationships in modern-day society.

“This day and age, we are living in a globalized world where everything we do affects and is affected by someone else on the other side of the globe,” Kim-Goh said.

Students from different countries who have come to CSUF recognize the value of a globalized, international education to their future.

“International exposure is always a good thing to have in your resume. Besides, a degree from the United States has a global value attached to it,” said Toms Linnes, an international student and computer science major. “A global campus introduces you to different culture.”

In their experience at CSUF, international students learn skills to help them succeed in the future at a global scale.

“(As an international student) I have learned to be competitive and organized; the world is full of smart people and you have to be smarter than the rest to sell your skills,” Linnes said.

Global opportunities on campus give students the opportunity to witness international connections and relationships. These opportunities prepare students for dealing with global issues.

“Due to an increasingly inter-dependent world, issues take on significance in the area of resolving problems – students can no longer say that what is happening in other parts of the world does not concern us,” said Tuan Tan, director of International Education & Exchange Lay. “With a global perspective, our students will be better prepared and equipped with skills that prepare them for a global economy and for working together to resolve world issues.”

A main purpose of the profile, which was published Sep. 20, is to promote international education and activities among faculty and students, as well as increase awareness of related programs.

“There are numerous global opportunities for students at CSUF. Every year, 30 to 40 students are involved in international research and about 50 students do their fieldwork/internship abroad,” Kim-Goh said. “Nearly 300 students participated in study abroad last year, and we hope to grow the number significantly.”

According to the profile, in the fall 2010 semester, 1,832 international students from 80 countries attended CSUF. Conversely, 284 students enrolled in study abroad courses in 36 countries– a 91 percent increase from the previous year.

“This semester we have a lot of German students that are learning all kinds of things about American culture and business,” said John Hickok, chapter president of Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars and Faculty of the Library Department. “They wouldn’t be getting that same perspective in Germany.”

For more information on international opportunities such as study abroad, visit the Office of International Programs at UH-244 or call 657-278-2787 or email ieoffice@fullerton.edu.