The Pilot Project of the Standards of Good Practice
In January 2006, the Forum began testing the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad, in a Pilot Project with a group of volunteer institutional participants – domestic and overseas providers, domestic and overseas universities and colleges, community colleges and consortia. These program and operational reviews for pilot project will determine how best to implement the Standards of Good Practice, which has been the subject of long study by the Forum Board of Directors of how best provide to services related to the Standards to members and the field, and what shape those services should take.
This structured field testing is a test of both the process for program review and evaluation and a test of the various instruments to be used in the review. It involves a rigorous self-study and report, site review and report by Peer Reviewers, response to the report, and final determination issued by the Forum Review Panel, an objective third body.
Institutions and organizations participating in the Pilot Project include:
- Dickinson College
- Foundation for International Education
- Institute for the International Education of Students (IES)
- IFSA - Butler University
- Pennsylvania State University
- St. Norbert College
- School for International Training
- SUNY, New Paltz
- Syracuse University
- Universidad Regiomontana
- University of Cincinnati
- University of Limerick
- University of Texas, Austin
- University of Wollongong
- Villanova University
- Members of CCIE (California Colleges for International Education)
From November 29 to December 1, 2006, participants in the Pilot Project met at the Forum offices in Carlisle, PA for a “Standards Summit” to discuss the lessons learned and suggest improvements to the self-study and peer review processes.
Results of the Pilot and lessons learned were presented at the Forum Conference in Austin, Texas, March 2007. They are fully described in the Final Report of the Pilot Project.
