Roundtable points for discussion

Posted on September 3, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

Hello everyone out there in EAIE-land. The SAINTs will be conducting a Roundtable at the Nantes conference on mindsets, and their influence on international education. We need some stories or anecdotes from you about times when, in your professional work, you have come up against mindsets. Sometimes the effect of mindsets can have been negative, but sometimes they can have been positive too. Both kinds of stories would be valuable to us. We will make sure to protect your anonymity. If you would prefer not to respond publicly on the blog you could email your stories to me at kreus@me.com. These stories could greatly enrich the discussion at our Roundtable. Continue reading →

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Cultural mindsets: to be embraced or shunned?

Posted on August 27, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

Attitudes towards cultural mindsets seem to vary when these are encountered in a professional setting. At times they even carry a negative undertone and are seen as things to be dealt with or worked around.

In a time when borders are fading and globalisation threatens to erase (to a certain degree) cultural identities, should we not be embracing cultural differences and thus the variety in mindsets? Is it not perhaps the lack of intercultural competences, which enable us to deal with such mindsets, that is the problem? Do we admire the global citizen in part because (s)he is sensitive to these mindsets and capable of working with them instead of be deterred by them?

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Tips: how to leave a comment anonymously

Posted on August 19, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

Anonymity: the key to speaking your mind without worrying about who reads your comments. Here’s how to share your experiences freely:

  • Use an alias. There is no rule saying you need to use your real name when posting a comment.
  • Be specific but keep it vague… When you know that your insights and advice may be highly valuable to some but could be sensitive subjects for your institution, why not refer to your place of work as Institution Z?
  • Remember: you need to use an email address in order to post a comment, but only I (the person behind the scenes of this blog) can see it, and I promise to keep it a secret. Email addresses aren’t visible to the public.

Short comments are great, no essays required! We are, after all, s(t)imulating a conversation here. Feel free to be as direct as you like; we’d love to read your thoughts!

Posted in International offices, Questions of culture, Retirement, Roundtable discussion - conference Nantes, Student exchanges, Student recruitment | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

It takes a lifetime to develop, and then you retire…

Posted on August 13, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

One of the most valuable things we accumulate during our careers is “street wisdom.” This is not formal knowledge, but an accumulation of ideas, feelings, insights and so on about how the world, and in particular the working world, works. We get to “know in our bones” what will work and what will not. We develop a fifth sense about which ideas will fly and which will crash.  Very importantly, we develop a sense of the politics of a situation, and that knowledge often enables us to get things done.  Street wisdom can be quickly lost when one retires; lost not only to oneself, but also to others. That is a pity, because it takes a lifetime to develop.  Continue reading →

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What will my university need to keep in mind when we begin charging fees to non-EU students?

Posted on August 11, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

First off, you need to ask why you would want fee-paying students.  Is it that they will fill empty seats in lecture halls?  Is it that they will boost university income?  Is it that they will enrich your university’s cultural environment?  Is it that they will eventually solve some of the needs of your nation’s economy?

If you take them and you charge them a lot of money, do understand that these students are paying customers, and that means they want a return on their investment.  Continue reading →

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Are student exchange agreements legal?

Posted on August 11, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

There is a view that student exchange agreements are legally-enforceable, and that serious disputes could end up in court. That view leads towards highly legalistic framing of the agreement, and the university lawyers have endless fun making sure that all of the legal bases are covered.  There is another view that student exchange agreements are more or less simple affirmations of trust between partner institutions, and that disputes will be resolved by discussion.  

Has anyone had experience of settling disputes between institutions?  Has any institution ever, anywhere, taken another to court?

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Exploring new markets

Posted on August 3, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

Has anyone had experience working with Saudi Arabian students?

The Saudis have, over the last few years, been spending quite a lot of money supporting increasingly large numbers of Saudi students in order to study in other countries. This support typically comes in the form of generous scholarships, some of which include an allowance for the payment of fees. Normally the Saudi government, through its scholarship agencies, enters into agreements with selected foreign universities. These universities are regarded by the Saudis as high-status. Continue reading →

Posted in Questions of culture, Student recruitment | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Can mindsets be learned?

Posted on July 30, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

Mindsets are at least partly determined by character and genes. It also has to do with the policy in an organisation, and how the structure of the office is set up, including the approach of the person in charge.  These factors are more the results of experience, education and insight a person gained.

Travel and work placements can, of course, work wonders.  These experiences can help us get “under the skin” of a culture.  Some would like to say these experiences should be obligatory, but perhaps that is too much to hope for.  Continue reading →

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Ask us a question and we will answer!

Posted on July 23, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

As you may know, the main goal of the SAINTs is to provide advice on matters concerning international higher education. A number of topics will be adressed, with new entries posted each week, and we welcome you to join in the conversation. But if you have a question that hasn’t been brought to light yet, feel free to ask us!

If you would  like advice on a topic in general or are you searching for specific information, then post a comment here and we’ll start talking.

Posted in International offices, Questions of culture, Retirement, Student exchanges, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Nantes roundtable: the discussion begins

Posted on July 14, 2010 by SAINTs Think Tank

What do we mean by mindsets?

Mindsets are traditions, values, thought patterns, ways of thinking and ways of learning, shared by members of the same culture. Like the mother tongue, these mindsets are transmitted from birth by the family and society, unconsciously, so that they are often taken for granted. Ask someone what it means to be French, Dutch or Australian and chances are you’ll get a puzzled look in response, or stereotypes. Continue reading →

Posted in Roundtable discussion - conference Nantes | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments