The OISS Annual Report Presented by: Adria L. Baker, Ed.D., Executive Director, OISS Associate Vice Provost for International Education OISS: Office of.

The OISS Annual ReportThe OISS Annual Report

Presented by:

Adria L. Baker, Ed.D.,

Executive Director, OISS

Associate Vice Provost for International Education

OISS: Office of International Students & Scholars

Highlights, Challenges & Opportunities

Administrators’ Forum – January 13, 2015

Highlights

Challenges & Opportunities

International Education Exchange at Rice

Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS)

Brasil@Rice Initiatives

OISS Annual Report

“Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other

form of communication can to the humanizing of

international relations.”

Senator J. William Fulbright quote, 1983 speech to the Council on

International Education Exchange

Internationalization That Matters

OISS Annual Report

Highlights:•Building infrastructure for agreements, collaborations and engagement. (Virtual Global Office (VGO) meets bi-monthly, chaired by Dr. Vassar).

•Focus on Fulbright initiative

•Various committees across campus creating internationalization standards and coordination.

•Finalist for Simon Campus Comprehensive Internationalization award

International Education Exchange at Rice

OISS Annual Report

Challenges & Opportunities:

•Need more interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination. •Need to continue to learn “best practices” from one another and ways to communicate that.

•Quantifying the vast internationalization efforts and initiatives across campus.

International Education Exchange at Rice

OISS Annual Report

Highlights:•Record numbers of international students = 23% of overall student population.

• 11.8% of undergraduates• 39.7% of graduates

•Staying compliant with immigration, given the high/growing numbers of internationals and expanding regulatory mandates.

•Refined undergraduate international student support including iPREP. Coordination with other offices.

Office of International Students & Scholars(OISS)

OISS Annual Report

Who are the internationals at Rice University?

The OISS is responsible for tracking, reporting, and providing services for 3000+ internationals at Rice.

The total international population is a 12+% increase from last year.

Overall International Student Population

OISS Annual Report

International Student Enrollment Trends at Rice

The overall graduate international student population increased by 6+% from last year.

Total graduate internationals = 1037(39.7%)

The overall undergraduate international student population increased by 2+% from last year.

Total undergraduate internationals = 462(11.8%)

Graduate vs. Undergraduate Enrollment 1998-2014

OISS Annual Report

Comparative Data with Peer Universities(from IPEDS)

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Major Fields of Study: Rice International Students

The largest percent of international students at Rice University study in one of the Engineering fields, with Natural Science in second and Social Sciences is third. Architecture, Business Administration and Music remained almost the same as last year.

OISS Annual Report

Areas of World: Rice International Students

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Country Diversity of Rice Students

Countries represented by students (2014) = 77

Countries represented by students 10 years ago (2004) = 83

Number of Countries Represented by Students 2004-2014

OISS Annual Report

International Scholar Population at Rice

Number of Countries Represented 2004-2014

OISS Annual Report

Rice hosted 735 international scholars last year.

This is a 16.8% increase from the previous year.

Fields of Specialization: Rice International Scholars

OISS Annual Report

The largest percent of international scholars at Rice University are in Engineering and Natural Science, with Humanities & Music being third.

Challenges & Opportunities:•New immigration regulations effective Jan. 5, 2015

• For J Exchange Visitors (mainly affects scholars)• Internships for F students (especially undergrads)• Campus-wide Briefing on procedures and Immigration

Reform Executive Order – January 22, 2015

•Managing the numbers of internationals (3000+)• 1499 International students• 736 International scholars• 109 Exchange and visiting international students

Office of International Students & Scholars(OISS)

OISS Annual Report

Challenges & Opportunities:•Managing unrealistic turn-around times. These will push back in 2015 due to:

• Increasing numbers• More steps required for visas, including Visitor System

process• Staffing

•Country diversity

•International population not throughout campus, i.e., heavy in particular areas

Office of International Students & Scholars(OISS) (cont.)

OISS Annual Report

Highlights:•Have expanded government scholarship participation into all categories (since Spring 2012):

• Undergraduate visiting (40)• Professional Masters (10)• Doctoral (3)• Intensive English (17)• Postdocs & other researchers (39)

•Faculty participation high• 50+ faculty engaged in Rice-Brazilian collaborations

Brasil@Rice Office

OISS Annual Report

Highlights:•Faculty Travel Grants

• Approximately $100,000 in AY 2013-2014• Calls for Grant Applications: April 1 & November 1

•Brasil@Rice board just approved student internship application grants via AIESEC

•Also finalist for Simon “Spotlight” Campus Internationalization award

•Relationships with Brazilian government leaders• Diaspora headquarters in Houston via Brasil@Rice• Visit from CNPq General Manager from Brasilia

Brasil@Rice OfficeOISS Annual Report

Challenges & Opportunities :

•Lack of outward student study abroad mobility to Brazil. Obstacles include:

• Costs• Language• Opportunities: CLIC doing a language immersion course;

Financial support of internship applications.

•Constantly changing parameters, policies, due to the Brazilian government reversing their decisions.

Brasil@Rice Office

OISS Annual Report

Professionally:•See a need? We can help pull together a short-term task force to discuss issues and solutions.

•Individual department, school, faculty trainings, i.e., immigration updates, procedures.

•Encourage participation from faculty and administrators in the Focus on Fulbright special visits.

Invitation for Rice Community (You and Your Department)

to Engage Internationally at Rice

OISS Annual Report

Professionally: (cont.)

•Encourage faculty to apply for Brazilian faculty travel grant.

•Encourage participation in your department for International Education Week (November 2015)

Invitation for Rice Community (You and Your Department)

to Engage Internationally at Rice (cont.)

OISS Annual Report

Personally:•Participate in the the Friends of International Students & Scholars (FISS) program, i.e., befriend a first-year student.

•Help us find other FISS friends.

•Consider being a substitute for the Volunteer English & Culture classes (usually at noon).

Invitation for Rice Community (You and Your Department)

to Engage Internationally at Rice (cont.)

OISS Annual Report

OISS Annual ReportOISS Annual Report

Questions & Discussion

Thank

you!