The Study Abroad Curriculum Integration initiative offers funding for individuals or groups of staff and faculty to visit learning abroad sites. For more information see the information below.

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Facilitated Site Visits

Facilitated Site Visits: The Study Abroad Curriculum Integration initiative, with representatives from all five campuses of the University of Minnesota, offers Facilitated Site Visits. Facilitated Site Visits allow small groups of faculty and advisers to participate in organized visits to a variety of programs. Applicants need to provide partial funding for their site visit. This partial funding ($500) may come from the participant's academic unit, or college. The University of Minnesota provides funding to cover the remaining costs, including airfare, ground transportation, and reasonable food and lodging expenses. Submission of an application is required for participation.

2009-2010

Beyond London (United Kingdom) - Fall 2009*
Programs that may be visited:

• University Study in the United Kingdom: Lancaster University (Learning Abroad Center)
• University Study in the United Kingdom: University of East Anglia (Learning Abroad Center)
• Business Exchange in Manchester (Carlson)
• Study Abroad in Birmingham (U of M — Duluth)
• Arcadia England (Arcadia)
• Butler England (Butler)
• Arcadia Scotland (Arcadia)
• Butler Scotland (Butler)

*Site visit final dates will be set after the participants are selected and accepted.

Learning Abroad (New Zealand) - Spring 2010*
Programs that may be visited:

• University Study in New Zealand: University of Auckland (Learning Abroad Center)
• University Study in New Zealand: University of Otago (Learning Abroad Center)
• University Study in New Zealand: Victoria University of Wellington (Learning Abroad Center)
• Study at the University of Waikato (U of M — Duluth)
• AustraLearn New Zealand (AustraLearn)
• AustraLearn PDAC Internships (AustraLearn)
• Butler New Zealand (Butler)

*Site visit final dates will be set after the participants are selected and accepted.

To view past site visit participants, click here.

• Applicants must have served as an adviser or faculty to undergraduate students for at least one full academic year at the time of application.
• Applicants must demonstrate a prior and successful commitment to promoting study abroad among advisees.
• Applicants must develop a workable plan to increase future undergraduate study abroad participation.
• Applicants must have explicit approval from their supervisor to apply for a site visit.
• Applicants need to find partial funding for the site visit ($500) from their academic unit, or college

International programs staff from the University of Minnesota are responsible for the final selection. After applications are reviewed, all applicants will be notified via e-mail with the committee's decision. All participants are required to attend two orientations held prior to the visit. Participants may not bring guests (family, friends) along on the Study Abroad Curriculum Integration Site Visit.

Expectations While On site
University of Minnesota faculty and advisers receiving funding through Study Abroad Site Visits are expected to participate in the program and duplicate the student experience as closely as possible. Either through a Facilitated Site Visit or an Individual Site Visit, participants do as many of the following as possible:

• Attend several different classes
• Meet with students
• Tour facilities such as residence halls, computer labs, dining halls
• Have informal discussions with local faculty, personnel, and students
• Participate in scheduled field trips
• Attend other activities organized on site

1. Complete a Study Abroad Site Visit Report to help the academic unit and the study abroad office better understand how study abroad can be incorporated into the curriculum.
2. Complete an on-line evaluation of site visit organization and logistics.
3. Organize one presentation to faculty, advisers, and students to share insights and experiences.
4. Advocate for Study Abroad Curriculum Integration in the academic unit and for University of Minnesota study abroad programs. Participants become a resource for faculty, advisers, and students on their campus and work closely with their campus’ study abroad office.

Faculty and advisers already going abroad for research or other reasons may apply for funding to visit a nearby study abroad program site. Interested faculty and advisers should complete the application process below.

Application Process

Contact Gayle Woodruff at 612.625.6065 or gwoodruf@umn.edu to apply for an individual site visit.

Office of International Program Global Spotlight "Water"

For 2009–2010, both Study Abroad Curriculum Integration site visits will allow University of Minnesota faculty and academic advisers to explore the Office of International Programs’ new Global Spotlight theme of “Water in the World".

Water is a central theme in conservation and ecology, as a sustainable resource, but also has a cultural and economic impact on societies around the world.

University of Minnesota students can study the theme of “water” while abroad in a variety of ways—by taking classes at Lancaster University in the U.K. (pdf) on hydrological processes by investigating potential water contamination and the environmental effects of soil and water pollution. Or studying Antarctica and global change at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand to understanding how water has made an impact on the Maori culture by taking classes in the School of Maori and Pacific Development at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

These are a few of the many ways that students can study a specific multidisciplinary theme while abroad. The 2009-2010 Study Abroad Curriculum Integration site visits will be designed to provide University of Minnesota faculty and academic advisers with the opportunity to “think outside of the box” about how study abroad can be an expansive learning experience for their students.

The 2009-2010 site visits will not be exclusively focused on the theme of “water” however, as a variety of study abroad options will be visited and discussed on the site visits.

The Study Abroad Curriculum Integration site visits are not intended for program development purposes but rather as a mechanism to introduce U of MN faculty and advisers to existing programs in order to understand the diversity of program offerings already available to U of MN students.