UNICEN COMMUNICATION AND REPORTING
- 2. 1 Identifying and Mitigating Communication Barriers Reporting Outcomes to Administrators and Institution Assessing Impact Through Monitoring and Evaluation Presentation Outline
- 3. 2 • Monochronic <-> Polychronic time • Prompt time recognition, regardless of relationship or circumstances <-> Response based on nature of relationship and circumstances • Committed to the job and results <-> Committed to the relationships and people • Practical relationships <-> Life-time familial relationships • Individualism <-> Collectivism • Privacy and individual ownership <-> Community and shared connections • Low Power Distance <-> High Power Distance • PERSONAL SPACE AND PRIVACY • Self-confidence <-> Lack of confidence U.S. vs. UZ. Identifying Differences
- 4. Mitigating Barriers. Save Time! U.S. universities have many partners all around the world, receive many emails and very busy! ✓ Establish a professional email address (gmail.com, edu, no mail.ru!) ✓ Include your professional affiliation in the signature + the website ✓ Create a professional profile (set up LinkedIN page, Research Gate, website with your CV and publications, etc) ✓ Write the subject matter in your email ✓ Try to get to the point immediately, no need to “take time to establish personal relationships” ✓ All information about your university, program, request, objectives, ideas, etc should be no more than 1 page! ✓ “Call for action”, follow up ✓ Keep your responses short and relevant and stay focused!! 3
- 5. Mitigating Barriers. Schedule! Plan in advance and consider time commitments seriously (deadlines, schedules)! ✓ Set your partnerships goals, write a detailed implementation plan and how you are going to track it ✓ Start monthly planning, mark your calendar ✓ Discuss your plans with the U.S. university partner! ✓ Set the system of regular communication, e.g. biweekly conference calls on skype, whatsapp, telegram ✓ Respond to the emails timely ✓ If you do not know how to response, just acknowledge the receipt and tell that you’ll return to it later ✓ If you can’t make it to the deadline, tell about it in advance ✓ If you can’t make it at all, provide an alternative/ any other solution • Plan how you are going to measure success and fine tune the strategy if needed 4
- 6. What else to discuss with the U.S. university representatives. Helpful tips. • Don’t be afraid to ask, be proactive! • Ask for introductions, reference common connections - connections everywhere matter! • Do your research, investigate the websites: • Admin structure of your U.S. university • Degree programs and syllabi at your U.S. university • Contacts at the university • Professional conferences and workshops (NAFSA, AIEA, etc) • Professional associations • Professional journals, Publishing houses • External funding opportunities, grants and fellowships 5
- 7. What else to discuss with the U.S. university representatives. Helpful tips. • Think what you can offer and how you can interest your potential partner • unique data • connections with the local industry • joint research • student exchanges • summer programs, etc • Virtual exhange, COIL - Collaborative Online International Learning • Be honest about your capabilities • Be flexible • Don’t take it personally if you don’t get what you want immediately • Be patient, continue frequent communication! 6
- 8. 7 • Cultural and national framing • Visa to Uzbekistan, local flights • Information about the custom house • Local housing, hotels • Airport pick-up • Agenda • Your needs! • 1 pager about your university • University structure and key departments, your department • Curriculum – Degree Programs at your Department and course syllabi • Key Contact People • How to get around • An interpreter, if needed U.S. university representatives travelling to UZ
- 9. 8 • A lot of attention to Uzbekistan and its reforms in Washington, DC • Funding available from different sources • More opportunities! vs • Reputational Risks • Financial Risks Be a reliable partner, it’s a small world! ✓ More stories about your partnerships on your university websites, FB pages, Telegram and local press ☺ ✓ Inform your U.S. partner! Why do we need to report and how?
- 10. 9 Goal: Central Asian universities adopt international higher education practices through increased academic cooperation with U.S. 1) Central Asian university administrators apply knowledge and skills learned through UniCEN to adapt faculty policies, practices, and administrative structure 2) Central Asian university administrators increase international student exchanges with the U.S. 3) Central Asian university faculty increase collaboration and partnerships with U.S. counterparts that support the role of universities in society and economic and workforce development. 4) Central Asian university faculty apply knowledge and skills learned through UniCEN to adapt their curriculum, teaching and assessment methods for improved student outcomes Monitoring and Evaluation – M&E
- 11. M&E Goal 4 – to apply knowledge and skills learned through UniCEN to adapt curriculum, teaching and assessment methods for improved student outcomes Results (outcomes) Indicators Data Source Faculty introduce or revise undergraduate courses based on U.S. teaching methods or curriculum Number of undergraduate courses improved Improved course syllabi Faculty introduce or revise graduate courses based on U.S. teaching methods or curriculum Number of graduate programs improved Undergraduate program structure U.S. faculty have jointly supervised graduate dissertations Number of shared supervision of graduate students Lists of joint supervision Faculty have introduced new student assessment methods Number of faculty who report introducing new assessment methods Course syllabi Departments have introduced faculty evaluations by at the end of the course Number of faculty evaluated by students at the end of the course Faculty evaluations 10
- 12. M&E Goal 3 – to increase collaboration and partnerships with U.S. counterparts that support the role of universities in society and economic and workforce development. Results (outcomes) Indicators Data Source Faculty have submitted proposals for international conferences and professional workshops Number of joint papers and sessions submitted Paper or session submission confirmation Faculty have (co)submitted papers to international peer-reviewed journals Number of submissions Paper abstracts/submission confirmation Faculty have presented their research at international conferences/workshops Number of presentations Conference/workshop programs Faculty successfully published papers in peer- reviewed journals Number of papers accepted for publication in peer-reviewed journals Acceptance confirmations/papers in peer-reviewed journals Faculty submitted joint proposals to international funding agencies Number of joint proposals submitted Joint proposal abstracts 11
- 13. M&E Goal 2 – to increase international student exchanges with the U.S. Results (outcomes) Indicators Data Source Administrators have included targets and goals for student exchange with U.S. partners Number of administrators who included targets and goals for student exchange to strategic planning Names of administrators Students have been advised on exchange and study opportunities in U.S. Number of students advised on exchange and study opportunities in U.S. Names of students Students participate in outgoing exchange programs in U.S. Number of students who participated in international exchanges in U.S. Names of students U.S. students participate on exchange programs at Central Asian universities Number of incoming U.S. students in the university Names of U.S. students MoUs are signed with U.S. universities on student exchange Numbers of MoUs signed MoUs 12
- 14. M&E Goal 1 – to adapt faculty policies, practices, and administrative structure Results (outcomes) Indicators Data Source Senior leadership has included international activity in the university mission and vision statements Number of mission and vision statements adapted to include internationalization University mission and vision statements The university has formed an internationalization committee with established roles and responsibilities Number of universities that established Committee/Board List of Committee/Board members Administrators have introduced new internationalization policies and practices Number of universities that adopted policies and practices Policy documents/In- person meetings Administrators implement recommendations of U.S. internationalization policies and practices to senior leadership Number of administrators that implement recommendations Policy documents/In- person meetings The university has integrated US practices into administrative structure with support from professional networks Number of universities that built in U.S. practices Practices confirmation documents/In-person meetings 13
- 15. Contact: Ksenia Ivanenko kivanenko@americancouncils.org + 1 202 322 9823 10 hour time difference between Tashkent and Washington, DC