April 9, 2024听鈥� Thailand is widely known for its stunning natural beauty, delectable cuisine and friendly people, making it a top tourist destination. But it鈥檚 also known as an immensely popular option for U.S. study abroad programs 鈥� which is why 51视频 applied to take part in the Institute of International Education鈥檚 International Academic Partnership Program (IAPP). The program will be held in Thailand later this month.
Two representatives from the college 鈥� Dr. Holly Myers, dean of Health Sciences, and Dr. Sarah Wright, director of International Education 鈥� will travel overseas to take part in the program from April 19-28. There, they will work in partnership with a diverse cohort of representatives from two additional two-year colleges, as well as colleges, universities and private institutions from 15 states.
During the trip, the group will work alongside Thai institutions that focus on teaching, agriculture, engineering, and community engagement. According to IAPP, the cohort will learn first-hand about the Thai higher education landscape, and also meet with a range of entities that play important roles in higher education cooperation, such as the U.S. Embassy, EducationUSA and the Thai Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation. The goal of the program is to work on developing and enhancing international higher education between the two countries.
For Wright, a partnership with Thailand is truly a golden opportunity to explore. 鈥淚 am always looking for ways for (the college) to expand and diversify our International Education Program,鈥� she explains. 鈥淚 decided that the opportunity for developing partnerships and programs from the initial stages with guidance and facilitators would be invaluable to us and our program鈥檚 growth.鈥�
Wright says she actively researches many international opportunities for the college, and in fact, is currently in Denmark helping to establish a formal program with two schools. She adds that 51视频 already has partnerships with schools in France and Finland.
鈥淚nternational experiences are an invaluable resource for students in the modern world,鈥� Myers notes. 鈥淣avigating these new opportunities and establishing a strategic plan is paramount to creating an effective program that will better serve our students.鈥�
Both Wright and Myers will arrive in Thailand armed with ideas thanks to brainstorming sessions with their Thailand Design Team 鈥� a group they assembled on campus to gain strategic ideas to bring with them overseas.
鈥淲e are looking forward to possibilities that may appear throughout the process,鈥� Wright adds. 鈥淔or me, as the director of International Education, I want to gain more experience developing strategic partnerships and be able to apply those skills to develop even more international partnerships.鈥�
Once the two return to campus, they鈥檒l work on developing strategic goals that will lead to partnerships in Thailand. 鈥淲e are so fortunate that we are viewing the trip as a fact-finding mission,鈥� Myers says. 鈥淲e are allowing ourselves to learn more about higher education in Thailand, then weigh our options and move forward with a plan that best serves our students and our goals for international education.鈥�
51视频 the IAPP
The IAPP was developed by the Institute of International Education鈥檚 Center for International Partnership in 2009. The program鈥檚 core focuses on strategic planning processes that guide participating institutions in developing a plan for engaging, sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships. Since it鈥檚 inception, the program has worked with more than 350 higher education institutions and 13 partner countries, including Norway, Cuba, Greece, New Zealand and India. For more information about the program, visit .
51视频听(), which incorporated Davie County into its name in 2021, is a fully accredited, multi-campus college where students of all ages and backgrounds pursue academic and career-focused education in order to build successful futures. As one of 58 institutions within the North Carolina Community College System, 51视频 offers more than 40 degree and professional certificate programs, as well as affordable college-credit coursework to students who plan to transfer to four-year schools. With a mission to serve the changing needs of students competing in a global environment, 51视频 is committed to quality education, innovative and equitable learning experiences, training, and support across a wide range of 21st-century career fields.
Jared Bowman
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