Powell and Biederman Publish Article in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice

Powell and Biederman Publish Article in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice

Dorothy Powell and Donna Biederman recently published an article entitled "U.S.-Based Short-Term Public Health Cultural Immersion Experience for Chinese Undergraduate Students" in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. 

Abstract: 

A U.S. and Chinese university developed a short-term student exchange program in public/community health. The program—which consisted of lectures, seminars, field trips, cross-cultural experiences, and a synthesis excursion—resulted in high levels of program satisfaction, increased intrapersonal awareness, and skill acquisition. Program content and student evaluations indicate that short-term study-abroad programs in the United States may be attractive alternatives or enhancements to long-term academic study for foreign nationals.

Study-abroad programs are rapidly expanding due to an increase in globalization and the internationalization of curricula in institutions of higher learning (American Council on Education [ACE], 2014American Council on Education [ACE]. (2014). ACE study illuminates opportunities and challenges of international joint and dual degree programs. Retrieved fromhttp://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/ACE-Study-Illuminates-Opportunitie... Scholar]). Internationalization is a term widely used in the literature to describe the intersection of higher education and global activities. It is often conceptualized as “the process of integrating an international, intercultural or global dimension into the purpose, functions or delivery of post-secondary education” (Knight, 2003Knight, J. (2003). Updated definition of internationalization. International Higher Education, 33, 2–3. Retrieved fromhttps://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/research_sites/cihe/pdf/IHEpdfs/ihe... Scholar], p. 2). Internationalization can be construed as an opportunity for “learning from the world” (Hawawini, 2011Hawawini, G. (2011). The internationalization of higher education institutions: A critical review and a radical proposal. INSEAD (The Business School for the World). Retrieved fromhttp://www.insead.edu/facultyresearch/research/doc.cfm?did=48726 [Google Scholar]) through programs and processes that emphasize the reciprocal teaching and learning that takes place in cross-cultural international settings.

Study abroad by foreign students is at an all-time high, and the United States is the top-ranked destination, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE, 2016). Foreign students enroll in American colleges and universities because there is a level of prestige attached to studying at a U.S. institution that may translate into increased job opportunities (Obst & Forster, n.dObst, D., & Forster, J. (n.d.). Perceptions of European higher education in third countries outcomes of a study by the Academic Cooperation Association (ACA)—Country report: USA (Coordinated by the Institute of International Education [IIE]). Retrieved fromhttp://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ewGoGN8vCzwJ:www.ii... Scholar].). Bilateral partnerships between foreign and U.S. universities and the rising middle-class income in China and other countries enables families to send undergraduates abroad to study (IIE, 2015Institute for International Education [IIE]. (2015). Open doors tool kit. Retrieved fromhttp://www.iie.org/Who-We-Are/News-and-Events/Press-Center/Press-Release... Scholar]). While there are studies on long-term programs (a year or more), there is little data on short-term options. In 2011, a U.S. and a Chinese university formed a partnership that included a short-term student exchange program in public health. This article examines the design and impact of this public/community health cultural immersion program for undergraduate Chinese students studying in the United States.

Scroll back to top automatically