Student/Faculty Exchange

In 2004-5, Park hosted 447 students from 91 countries. Park is also home to 16 international faculty, and boasts three Fulbright scholars in the last four years. Many of Park’s administration, faculty, staff and students are demonstrating the importance of internationalization by participating in the ACE Internationalization Laboratory and Internationalization Task Force (ITF).

Park University's international programs have a worldwide focus, and seek a simultaneous presence on all continents. These examples listed below are sorted by continent:

Asia

• Because of a new partnership formed with Ming Chuan University during FY04, a criminal justice professor taught at Ming Chuan University and Tamkang University in Taipei during the fall 05 term.
• Professors Steve Youngblood and Carol Getty traveled to China for three weeks in June and July, 2005. Their mission, consistent with Park University's internationalization efforts, was to teach, and to make sustainable contacts with Chinese professors, students, and universities.
• Park University is forming a partnership with Pacific Resource for Educational Learning (PREL) in 2005 that will serve as the bridge for the future. This partnership will offer Park University access to PREL’s satellite coverage of Asia and the Pacific; assistance to PREL staff in their distance learning; providing Park University credits for teachers and others in the PREL region as they pursue credit, programs and certificates; and collaborating on institutes (e.g. the institute that Park has held this summer and in previous years). PREL’s goals include developing “High-performing Learning Communities” consisting of partnerships with schools, districts, Ministries/Departments of Education, Institutions of Higher Education. Their second goal is to improve the quality of teaching and education administration, increase the number of professionals and increase the number of teachers and administrators.

Africa

• A business professor was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for FY05 in Benin. He was Park's third Fulbright professor since 2001.

Europe

• Park University has had a partnership with The American College of Thessaloniki (ACT) since 2001. ACT was a program provider for short term faculty lead trips to Greece in the summers of 2001- 2004. One Park University student also attended the American College of Thessaloniki during the summer semester of 2001, two students attended during the summer semester of 2002 and one during the fall semester of 2004.
• Park University has had a partnership with Denmark’s International Study Abroad Program (DIS) in Copenhagen, Demark since 2003. This cooperation between schools was developed in order to enhance international student exchange of high academic quality. This partnership allows for Park University students to study in Copenhagen for a semester or year-long term. In 2006, 20 students are planning to attend DIS.
• The ITF has been has planned and launched the Visiting International Scholars/Artists program. The first visiting scholar from Aristotle University in Greece taught at Park University in May, 2005.
• Park University is forming a partnership with The Istituzione di Alta Cultura in Lucca, Italy to establish university cooperation to facilitate the exchange of students majoring in music in 2005.

South America

• In September of 2004, Olga Ganzen and Michael Fitzmorris visited universities (FBV, and FAFIRE), and English schools in Recife and Sao Paulo, Brazil. They also worked with social programs with the Ana Prado NGO in Recife. In March 2005, Steven Youngblood, Sapna Gupta, and Laura Lane visited Recife to study the possibilities of further programs with local universities and the Ana Prado NGO in Recife. As result, in March, 2006, 30 students and faculty from Park University will participate in a service learning project in Brazil

Miscellaneous

• In March 2005, Park University received a grant from the American Council on Education (ACE). The grant was jointly given to Park and St. Mary’s University, Kapi’olani Community College, and The University of Kansas for a “Global Solutions Service Project” that will result in a consortium for future service leaning exchange programs for students and faculty.
• Oregon State University System representatives presented study abroad opportunities to Park University students on April 14th during its International Career Day.

University Resources