Global Education Responds Swiftly to
Changing Immigration Guidelines
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Summer 2020 has been challenging for those whose personal, academic and/or professional lives are affected by U.S. immigration policy. Numerous COVID-19 geographic and labor market travel restrictions remain in place and continue to impact the ability of our students and scholars to come to UC San Diego or travel internationally. According to the most recent guidance from the Student Exchange & Visitor Program (SEVP), continuing students who will take a fully remote course load in Fall 2020 will be able to maintain their F-1 student visa status. Newly admitted students who are outside of the U.S., however, will not be able to obtain an F-1 visa to enter the country if their courses are fully remote.
The International Faculty & Scholars Office (IFSO) and the International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) continue to assess how these changes impact UC San Diego, and the offices are working with campus partners and the UC Office of the President to both advocate on behalf of our international students and scholars and ensure campus policies and practices keep up with changing federal immigration policies. IFSO and ISPO have increased communication via newsletters and webinars to explain how these changes affect different communities and units' work and provide guidance and next steps to effectively navigate these changes. Both offices also maintain regularly updated pages to serve as resources for the entire campus as remote, in-person and hybrid instruction for Fall 2020 evolves.
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The Great Global Challenge and
International Summer Programming
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This summer, Global Education expanded and amplified programming activities so Tritons could connect with each other, campus and the world. Study Abroad worked with the Alternative Breaks program and academic departments to recruit participants for the Hacker Exchange’s Great Global Challenge, a virtual competition in which students from universities all over the world teamed up to solve problems different industries face during the pandemic. Dozens of UC San Diego students participated, and a recent graduate of the UC San Diego Department of Sociology won first prize for her team's project called KidCal, a community calendar that connected parents with local business to provide children with live, virtual experiences. Global Education is working to offer a similar challenge during Spring Break 2021 with other UC campuses and international partners.
Global Education capitalized on the “remote campus” experience to not only partner with the Hacker Exchange but to foster new and creative cross-campus collaborations with units such as Extension International Programs, Recreation, CAPS and others. In doing so, Global Education reached new, broader audiences in a way that was not possible previously during summer. Below is a list of Global Education’s summer programs, many of which will continue into the next academic year:
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International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) |
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ISPO has taken the challenge posed by COVID-19 to re-imagine New International Student Orientation for incoming students. The theme is modeled after branding typical of popular summer music festivals like Coachella or South by Southwest (SXSW). ISPO created virtual welcome packet and a curated playlist for students to have while they browse various sessions and explore the virtual art installation of the Stuart Art Collection on campus.
To accommodate students who are starting Fall 2020 remotely, different sessions are held at every hour of the day. Sessions range from regulatory workshops such as learning about immigration documents and regulations to networking with other remote international students (who might even be in their same city) and learning how to acclimate to university life at UC San Diego.
Students can show their Triton Pride by downloading customized ISPO Triton Zoom Backgrounds or entering a social media giveaway filled with Triton Swag. Students can begin exploring UC San Diego's digital campus map and taking a virtual tour or wearing virtual shades to explore the different neighborhoods of sunny San Diego, New International Student Orientation is designed to welcome them to UC San Diego and celebrate their new beginning as a Triton.
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Study Abroad UC San Diego |
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Study Abroad Offers
Virtual Global Experiences
In response to 2020’s unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic, Study Abroad has had to adapt by pivoting to more virtual global engagement. New online initiatives are creating exciting possibilities for students to engage with people and communities around the world. In addition to offering online coursework, many programs are project-based internships that focus on students' academic profiles and career goals. Students can engage in both synchronous and asynchronous collaboration across time zones while gaining critical on-the-job skills like self-confidence, independence, and project management. As one study abroad provider puts it, these virtual programs "educate, enable and empower [students] to develop skills today that will prepare [them] for employers' needs of tomorrow," especially in a world that is becoming more reliant on connecting, collaborating and performing virtually.
These new virtual platforms offer potential during this pandemic, and are likely to reshape how study abroad looks even after students safely return to in-person travel and the ‘traditional’ study abroad experience. New modalities show how it is possible to provide students with intercultural skills, global engagement, and exciting international experiences both in person and digitally, and digital innovation is making new ways of learning endless.
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Global Seminars Offer Domestic "Study Away" Opportunities
Global Seminars is excited to begin offering “Study Away” programs in Summer 2021. These high-impact programs will provide undergraduates with the same small class size, faculty mentoring, progress towards degree completion and structure as a Global Seminar study abroad program. These domestic programs will offer cross-cultural insights using global US cities as the backdrop. Study Away Global Seminars consist of two UC San Diego courses for a total of eight units.
These domestic programs offer some financial benefits as well. Participants will not need to purchase passports or visas, and domestic airfare is generally cheaper than international fares. Financial aid recipients will still be eligible for summer aid, and scholarships will also be available.
For Summer 2021 we anticipate offering study away seminars in Honolulu and New York City. Professor Simeon Man will teach Hawaiian Detours during Summer Session I. The focus will be on the Asian diaspora to Hawaii and the intercultural connections in Hawaiian society. One of the courses is approved for the DEI requirement. Professor Matthew Herbst will teach Making of the Modern Word in New York City during Summer Session I. This seminar will focus on environmental and sustainability issues using NYC as its prism.
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International Faculty & Scholars Office (IFSO) |
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IFSO Releases Latest Scholar Snapshot Data for
Institute of International Education's Open Doors Report
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Each year, the Institute of International Education (IIE) requests data from U.S. academic institutions pertaining to study abroad, international student, and international scholar numbers for its Open Doors Report. With the window for scholar data reporting just having closed, IFSO can report that, while this year has seen an 8% drop in our overall scholar population, we welcomed 2,486 scholars from 93 countries. While our top ten sending countries remained the same, Brazil jumped from eighth to fifth place, with nearly a 20% increase in scholar numbers this year. The top schools and divisions for inviting scholars are:
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School of Medicine (48%)
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Jacobs School of Engineering (18%)
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Physical Sciences (9%)
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Biological Sciences (7%)
Postdoctoral appointments, followed by Visiting Scholar and Visiting Graduate Student appointments, remain the top three appointment categories for our international scholars.
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IFSO'S Understanding the Presidential Proclamations on Immigration
and the Current State of Travel Restrictions Webinar
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The numerous Presidential Proclamations issued this year pose a variety of challenges for our departments inviting international researchers to campus and those international scholars planning on coming to UC San Diego. This webinar summarizes the COVID geographic travel restrictions and COVID labor market travel restrictions and also the suspension of entry for certain researchers from China affiliated with institutions supporting China's Military-Civil Fusion strategy, along with the practical effects of COVID-19 that have impacted the U.S. Department of State's ability to perform routine visa services.
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The Director's Office Global Education supports UC San Diego's vast global network by providing leadership on campus global education initiatives, serving as a resource for faculty and academic departments developing global partnerships and creating new modalities to support academic mobility.
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The International Students & Programs Office (ISPO) enhances the academic and intercultural experiences of international students, provides the highest levels of knowledge and expertise in advising and immigration services, and facilitates global education through programs and services to the campus community.
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Study Abroad UC San Diego is committed to making international academic and co-curricular experiences accessible to our diverse student population. Study Abroad UC San Diego program offerings include faculty-led Global Seminar summer programs, University of California Education Abroad Programs, Global Exchange programs, Opportunities Abroad Program, embedded study abroad programs and a variety of volunteer and field research opportunities.
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The International Faculty & Scholars Office (IFSO) is dedicated to serving UC San Diego academic departments and approximately 2,500 international faculty and researchers they invite annually to campus. We provide comprehensive informational resources, advising services, and educational, social, and cultural programs that support international scholars and their families in achieving their academic, professional, and personal goals. We also work diligently to help the institution meet its regulatory requirements relative to the U.S. Departments of Labor, State, and Homeland Security.
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Copyright *2020* *Global Education at UC San Diego* All rights reserved.
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