New Developments
On August 16, the New York Times reported that "Study Abroad Is New Focus of Inquiry Into Perks."
The Chronicle of Higher Education provided its own coverage: "Study-Abroad Providers Are New Target of Investigation by New York State Attorney General."
The Chronicle of Higher Education provided its own coverage: "Study-Abroad Providers Are New Target of Investigation by New York State Attorney General."
Labels: Standards
1 Comments:
Concerning the investigation of Study Abroad providers' "cozy relationships" with universities, has anyone ever considered the bankrupt morality of certain schools that accept to "validate credits earned" on a transcript from their own institution's Registrar's Office in exchange for a fee from a for-profit company?
Or has anyone ever questioned the "lofty values" of study abroad, when in fact the students are enrolled in classes taught in English, in the providers own building, by "Professors" whom the provider -- not the University or credit issuing institution -- hire according to the number of student requests for a certain subject without even requiring that a syllabus be presented to the credit issuing institution?
Or students who are "ghettoized" in living quarters with only other "clients" of the same provider? Where are the goals of
"a broader social awareness" met in such conditions?
More recently, the marketting gambit of a "GLOBAL CAMPUS" - which in fact can translate as total isolation from the host country they are living in, be it in living arrangements, class room contact, or "outreach excursions" should be reconsidered.
The US educationl community has indeed been very lax in permitting their students to participate in programs run by "for profit" companies. But then, perhaps marketting has replaced ethics, as business appears to have replaced Education.
The best way to evaluate a program is quite simple: take a detailed student poll among those who have already participated in such and such a program and then evaluate the evaluations.
Not all for profits are "bad"; nor conversely are all University led programs good.....it is the students themselves, and the educators who oversee them, who can and should do the best job of weeding out the solely profit motivated.
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