Preface
On behalf of the entire staff of the Center for International Education (CIE), I am pleased to share this report with you. In this document, you will find statistical information on Course Abroad/ Study Abroad, International Student and Scholar Services, and Intensive English Language Program.
The report is intended to inform the research, education and related outreach communities at Central Connecticut State University about the state of international education programs and services at our University. Our intention is simply to share with the university community clear, accurate, and unbiased information about the size, scope, and depth of international program activities at our University. We hope that this information will be useful to you.
This report was the result of the valuable contributions from all the staff in CIE. They all spent countless hours helping me prepare this report. There is no way I could have compiled the data and put this report together without their assistance. I am deeply grateful to all of them.
We at CIE look forward to your suggestions for how we can expand and improve our services for the entire university community.
Please direct your comments to or and please continue to visit our website at for more extensive and up-to-date information on international education programs and services studies at CCSU.
Momar Ndiaye
Momar Ndiaye, Ph.D
Director, Center for International Education
Central Connecticut State University
1615 Stanley Street, P.O. Box 4010
New Britain, CT 06050-4010
Tel: (860) 832-2040
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the following people for their outstanding contribution towards the realization of this report:
Oluwatoyin Ayeni, AssociateDirector
International Student and Scholars Services
Center for International Education
Hoa Do, University Assistant
International Student and Scholars Services
Center for International Education
Christie Ward, Associate Director
Intensive English Language Program
Center for International Education
Carmetta Williams, Program Assistant
Intensive English Language Program
Center for International Education
Lisa Marie Bigelow, Associate Director
Course Abroad/Study Abroad Programs
Center for International Education
Noreen Knortz, University Assistant
Course Abroad Programs
Center for International Education
Mikka Tracey, Program Assistant
Course Abroad Programs
Center for International Education
Erin-Leigh Beecher, International Education Coordinator
Study Abroad Programs
Center for International Education
Taylor Tavera, University Assistant
Study Abroad Programs
Center for International Education
Paa Kwesie Cudjoe, Keithlin T. Caroo, Yasmin Asante, Charlotte Branch
Student Assistants
Center for International Education
Contents
Major Headings ______Page number
Study Abroad……………………………………………………,……………………………………… 1
National Ranking of CCSU’s Study Abroad Program…………………………………………………………….. 2
Study Abroad by Program Type……………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Study Abroad by Semester/Term…………………………………………………………………………………………... 8
Study Abroad by Ethnicity ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..11
Study Abroad by Gender………………………………………………………………………………………………..14
Study Abroad by School Affiliation…………………………………………..………………………………………..16
Study Abroad by Destination………………………………………………………………………………………………..19
Scholarship Support for Study Abroad.………………………………………………………………………..22
Conclusions and Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………………….23
International Student and Scholar Services..…………………….…………….……………………24
International Students and Scholars by Category and Gender..………..……………………………………. 25
International Studies by Country of Origin…………………………………..……………………………………..28
Conclusions and Recommendations……………………………………………..………………………………………34
Intensive English Language Program……..……………………….………………………………35
IELP Participants by Gender…………………………………………………...……………..…..…………………………. 35
IELP Participants by Visa/Immigration Status………………………………………………..……………………….37
IELP Participants by Country of Origin…………………………………………………………………………40
Recommendations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………46
Study Abroad
By Lisa Marie bigelow
CCSU’s study abroad programs offer students the opportunity to spend anywhere from one week to one year abroad immersed in another culture earning credits that count towards degree requirements. Through these experiences, students gain knowledge and skills while also developing an attitude open to new ways of thinking, a prerequisite for success in today’s globalized society. The Center for International Education (CIE) administers two types of study abroad programming: long-term programs through which students spend a semester or year abroad and short-term faculty-led programs that include an overseas component ranging in length from one to five weeks. This analysis covers the fourteen-year period from 2001 to 2014 and includes data on the 4,040 students who went abroad on CCSU international programs during that period.
The long-term study abroad programs takes on two forms: partnership programs with overseas university partners (of which CCSU currently has 22) and programs sponsored by third-party study abroad providers, such as the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). Two types of partnership programs are offered: one-way direct enrollment programs and exchange programs. Through the direct enroll programs, students enroll directly at and pay tuition and living expenses directly to the host institution. CCSU exchange programs have three different types of payment structures: (a) Students pay tuition only to their home university. Room and board is paid directly to the host institution;(b) Students pay tuition and room to their home university. Board is paid directly to the host; and (c) Students pay tuition, room and board to their home institution.
In all instances, full-semester/year study abroad students must apply to CIE and meet study abroad criteria, which include a minimum GPA of 2.75 and the recommendation of their academic advisor. While abroad on a full-semester/year program, students must carry a minimum of twelve credits/semester (or equivalent). Students must obtain prior approval from their academic advisor for the coursework to be taken overseas and upon completion of the study abroad program, CCSU records all letter grades earned and calculates the grades earned abroad into the CCSU GPA. Students accepted to participate in a CCSU-sponsored study abroad program may apply institutional, state, and federal financial aid toward the cost of their study abroad experience.
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The short-term faculty-led study abroad program, also called the Course Abroad Program, now in its 27th year, is the University’s flagship study abroad program. Features that make this program popular among CCSU students (and their counterparts within the Connecticut State College and University system) include the short-term duration of study, the comprehensive nature of program arrangements, and the fact that these programs are led by CCSU faculty, often faculty from the department of their major. This program works well for students who, for a variety of reasons including employment and family responsibilities, cannot spend a semester or longer period of time abroad. CCSU offers between 30 and 40 Course Abroad programs per year. Programs are offered in Winter and Summer Session, as well as embedded in Spring semester-long courses (in this model, the travel component occurs over Spring Break). Course Abroad programs are planned at least one year in advance. CIE issues a Call for Proposals each February inviting faculty to propose to offer a program in the following calendar year. Once programs are submitted to and approved by the department chair and academic dean, they are reviewed and, in most cases, accepted by CIE. The latter assists faculty with marketing and recruitment, logistics support (including all financial transactions), student registration, scholarship awards, and pre-departure orientation for both faculty and students. CIE offers ongoing support and assistance to all participating students and faculty,including 24/7 support during the delivery phase of all Course Abroad programs.
National Ranking of CCSU’s Study Abroad Program
The Institute on International Education (IIE) annually tracks study abroad enrollment data, classifying the data according to duration and institution type using the Carnegie classification system. The data is published annually in Open Doors: Report on International Educational Exchange. CCSU’s study abroad program has consistently been ranked among the Top40 Master’s Level Institutions in the category of All Types of Study Abroad and in the Top 20 Master’s Level Institutions in the category of Short-Term Programs. CCSU debuted in the Open Door Report in 2008 when the short-term program was ranked 18th in the country. Subsequently, the program was ranked 19th in 2009 and 2011, 11th in 2012, 17th in 2013 and, most recently in 2014, the program was ranked as the 8th largest short-term program at all Master’s level institutions in the country for academic year 2012-2013.[1] In all years in which the short-term program made the Top 20 list, CCSU was the only Connecticut institution of higher education on the list.
As for the IIE Open Doors ranking in the category of Top 40 Master’s Level Institutions for All Types of Study Abroad Programs, CCSU debuted on the list in 2009 when CCSU’s Study Abroad program was ranked 33rdh in the country. In this category, CCSU was subsequently ranked 14th in 2010, 30th in 2011, 23rd in 2012, and 27th in 2013. CCSU proudly placed 18th in the nation in this category in 2014.[2]
Study Abroad by Program Type
The full-semester/year study abroad program, as currently structured, limits enrollment. Some of the existing partnerships are more attractive to students than others. The most popular and, thus, most enrolled partnership programs are those offered in the United Kingdom. This popularity is based primarily on English being the language of instruction. Other programs, such as existing partnerships in Hungary, Poland, China, and South Korea, are less attractive to students because the language of instruction is, for the most part, something other than English.
Another challenge that the Partnership Program faces is the lack of a catalog of course articulations. Students must negotiate prior credit approval for each and every course they intend to take abroad. To date, faculty have been reticent to catalog these approvals, which would allow all future students taking the same coursesoverseas to receive the same CCSU course equivalency upon completion. A third factor that must be considered is that study abroad, in general, is not embedded in the curriculum to the extent it should be. Despite the existence of a set of Study Abroad Advising Sheets – which draw parallels between CCSU majors and courses available through the Partnership Program – the credits earned by most study abroad students are applied to their General Education requirements.
Table 1 presents the raw data for study abroad participation by program type and session/year for the period from Fall 2001 to Summer 2014. During that period 4,040 CCSU students participated in overseas programs.
CCSU began offering the Passport to Global Citizenship Program in school year 2008-09 (SY08-09). This non-credit cultural enrichment program was originally designed to provide an intensive international experience to first-year students during the Winter Session of their freshman year. The goal of the program is to encourage students to obtain a passport for the purpose of eventually studying abroad for academic credit. The first four Passport programs were offered in London, England; England was chosen primarily because of itsfacility of language. Beginning in SY11-12, the Passport program was expanded to include programs for targeted populations that were under-represented, such as students in the B.S.-Ed program, business and technology majors, and graduating seniors.
As Chart 1.1 shows, overall enrollment in study abroad has increased steadily over the 14-year period studied. Full semester study abroad peaked in SY07-08 when enrollment reached 81 students, representing a 395% increase over SY01-02. Course Abroad enrollment reached its peak in SY12-13 when enrollment reached 340. This represents a 293% increase over SY01-02. The growth in full-semester/year study abroad programs is impressive, in part, because the number of partnership programs has actually diminished over the reporting period. In SY01-02, CCSU had nearly 50 partners “on the books.” Many were unsustainable, either because the language of instruction was something other than English or a language offered by CCSU’s Modern Language Department or because CCSU could not, in the long-term, recruit enough students to “balance” the exchange program.
The growth of the Course Abroad program is tied directly to increased participation by faculty representing a wider set of CCSU departments. In 1995, for example, the Geography Department was the only department sponsoring a short-term study abroad program. As of AY13-14, every CCSU department had sponsored at least one Course Abroad program.
Chart 1.1: CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Distribution by Program Type
As shown in Chart 1.2, enrollment in full-semester study abroad is relatively small. As Chart 1.4 shows, full semester/year population represents fewer than 20% of the students who study abroad, and is only slightly higher than twice the number of students who have participated in a Passport to Global Citizenship program. This data suggests that significant work is needed to make full-semester study abroad a more relevant and attractive option for CCSU students. Possible ways of doing this include working with faculty to embed study abroad in the curriculum, expanding the number and geographic reach of CCSU-sponsored full-semester/year study abroad programs, and using scholarships as an incentive.
Chart 1.2: CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Trends by Program Type
Chart 1.2 also shows somewhat erratic, but overall significantly positive growth in the Course Abroad program. The enrollment trend, except in the case of SY11-12, directlycorrelates with the number of programs offered.
Chart 1.3 shows how many Course Abroad programs were proposed by faculty, compared with how many actually ran, as opposed to being cancelled because of low enrollment. Over time, when the number of programs offered increased, so did enrollments; when the number of programs offered decreased, enrollments dropped. SY11-12 was an anomaly for which there is no explanation.
The “sweet spot” in Chart 1.3 is in SY05-06 and SY06-07, when no courses were cancelled due to low enrollment. The largest number of programs offered in any one academic year occurred in SY12-13 when 38 programs were offered. However, this was also the year in which the largest number of programs – twelve – were cancelled due to low enrollment. Despite cancellations, this year also saw record enrollments.
Chart 1.3 CCSU Course Abroad Programs: Trends in Number of Programs Offered
Chart 1.4 summarizes participation by program type across the fourteen-year reporting period. During this period, 73% of the CCSU students who studied abroad on a credit-bearing program did so via the Course Abroad program. Using SY12-13 as an example, 86.9% of CCSU students participating in an international program went on a short-term program. This number is significantly higher than the national average of 60.3% reported for SY12-13 by IIE.[3]It should be noted, however, that in this particular year, CCSU experienced a 14-year record high enrollment in Course Abroad program participation.
Chart 1.4: 2001-2014 CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Total Percentages by Program Type
Study Abroad by Semester/Term
Full-semester study abroad programs occur during the Fall and Spring semesters. Short-term faculty-led programs occur over Winter Session,Spring semester, and Summer terms.
Chart 2.1 reveals that, predictably, Fall semester is the period in which the least number of students study abroad. This is primarily because Course Abroad programs are not offered in the Fall semester; it is also because, as shown in Chart 2.2, the Spring semester is more popular among students studying abroad for a full semester.
Chart 2.1: CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Distribution by Semester/Term
Chart 2.2: CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Full-semester Study Abroad by Semester
As Chart 2.3 shows, the Summer term Course Abroad programs have had higher enrollments than Winter and Spring programs over most of the reporting period. This did not hold true, however, in SY9-10 and SY10-11, when Spring enrollments outpaced Summer enrollments. Since SY11-12, however, Summer has, once again, taken the lead. Winter enrollments have always been significantly lower than Summer program enrollments and, except for the three-year period SY04-05 through SY06-07, significantly lower than Spring enrollments. One contributing factor to the three-year period of SY04-05 through SY06-07, when Spring programs were the least enrolled, was the total number of programs offered in the Spring semester.
Chart 2.3: CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Short-term Course Abroad Participation by Semester
It is interesting to note that Summer Course Abroad programs are more expensive than Winter and Spring programs, yet they have the highest enrollments. The cost is high because summer is peak travel season, causing airfare and accommodation costs to rise. Also, students who register for Summer Course Abroad programs must pay not only the travel program fee, but also Summer course fees. The same two-part cost structure – travel costs and course fees -- applies to Winter programs. However, Spring programs are the least expensive for a full-time CCSU student because the course tuition is included in their full-time tuition; they only pay additional fees for the travel program. The data suggests that cost is not the most important factor in determining when a student studies abroad on a short-term program; the semester/term in which a program is offered, the destination, and the length of time abroad are more significant factors.
Chart 2.4 depicts the trend in study abroad enrollments across all types of programs by semester/term. In the aggregate, Spring and Summer enrollments significantly outpace Fall and Winter programs. As Chart 2.5 shows, over the fourteen years covered by this analysis, 36% of the 4,040 students who studied abroad did so during the Spring semester and 35% of the students chose to go abroad in the Summer term, while a mere 8.5% of the students went abroad in Winter.
Chart 2.4: CCSU Study Abroad Participants: Trends by Semester/Term