Staff Development For International Educators: The EAIE Academy

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb. 21, 2012 - Following a successful first Academy hosted by the University of Valencia in November 2011 and attended by higher education staff from more than 23 countries, the European Association for International Education has decided to hold the programme every year in spring and fall. Based on the EAIE’s 20 years of experience in training international higher education professionals, the Academy is a flexible training programme, featuring a wide range of in-depth courses at one location during one week. It allows participants to choose from the variety of professional development courses and design 2-, 2.5- or 3-day training schedules to suit their career demands. They can opt for one course or attend any combination of two consecutive or interrelated courses. In addition, through various receptions, participants are offered further opportunities for international career development and networking. The event is sponsored by ETS GRE, a non-profit organization which advances quality and equity in education for people worldwide by creating assessments based on rigorous research.

The next Academy will take place from 23–27 April at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden and will gather 20 highly skilled trainers from 10 countries to provide workable, personalised solutions to challenges that come with the internationalization of higher education. Following training courses focused on credential evaluation, international admissions and intercultural competency in Valencia, the Academy in Gothenburg will bring 11 courses from the fields of benchmarking, online marketing for international student recruitment, joint degrees, student support, higher education leadership and more.

Naturally, the Academy considers the latest trends in higher education, giving attendees the chance to gain both theoretical and practical insights for their role in international higher education and ultimately make a difference for their institutions: “Both courses that I took included a theoretical background and a practical approach. The theory is a mine of treasure since I can refer to specialists in the field to highlight issues related to my work in internationalization. The practical aspect of the courses, having the students chart their own business plan or internationalization plan based on their own realities was definitely a plus.  I came back to my university, well grounded by a full literature review in the field and on top of that a well-developed action plan to implement right away. The Academy courses were just amazing at all levels: content, setting, teachers and activities!” (Academy attendee in Valencia, Frida Anbar, Advisor International Relations Europe and Middle East, University of Montreal, Canada)

Professionals pursing international careers in higher education will have plenty of opportunities to broaden their knowledge every spring and fall. Participants can save on the fee by attending two courses, becoming an EAIE member as well as by applying for EU staff mobility grants. The early bird deadline for the Academy in Gothenburg is 5 March 2012 and the registration closes on 2 April 2012. For more information visit http://www.eaie.org/academy.

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The European Association for International Education is a center for expertise, networking and resources in the internationalization of higher education. It is a non-profit, member-led organization serving individuals actively involved in the internationalization of their institutions.

The EAIE organizes Europe’s largest international higher education conference, offering a platform for professionals to exchange knowledge, discover best practices, network and develop policies in the field.

The EAIE also holds the Academy, a bi-annual professional development event for international educators, providing a wide range of courses that can be adapted to one's career demands.

The organization connects more than 2500 members and offers a variety of publications on international higher education topics.