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Faculty Exchange

Introduction

VSU faculty members may travel abroad to work at a VSU partner institution abroad. An "exchange" does not necessarily imply an exact, simultaneous exchange with someone in the same discipline at the same time. Exchange is a general term, used to describe a variety of arrangements under which a faculty member may spend time at a foreign partner institution teaching, conducting research, or collaborating on curriculum development. Sometimes, exchanges are arranged so that a VSU faculty member essentially changes places with a colleague abroad at the same time and in the same discipline. More commonly, an exchange experience involves spending a semester or portion of a semester abroad, without an exchange counterpart coming to VSU. Opportunities for exchange currently exist at institutions in Russia, the United kingdom, the Chech Republic, China, Hungary, and Belize. The specific institutions where exchange may currently be arranged are listed below.

Approval of an exchange is ultimately in the hands of both the academic units at VSU and the university where the faculty member would like to go.

Conditions for Faculty Exchange

1. Faculty on approved exchanges remain on full salary and benefits from VSU; exchange is an assignment, not a leave of absence.

2. Funding for roundtrip travel to the exchange site is provided through the Faculty Internationalization Fund; proposals have to be submitted on standard forms available through the Center for International Programs. One form is used for obtaining funding and official approval of the exchange.

3. Partner institutions provide housing for exchange professors. Conditions of support vary, depending on the particular exchange agreement. Some partner institutions provide for stipends to cover living expenses; at others only housing is provided.

4. Faculty exchange participants are responsible for all costs other than those specified, including passport and visa expenses, any health precautions that must be taken, and in-country travel.

5. Each exchange is arranged through the Center for International Programs and negotiated on a case-by-case basis.


Steps in Applying for Faculty Exchange

    1. Ideally, you should begin at least a year before you want to be away. Start by expressing interest to the Center for International Programs (CIP) regarding times, disciplines, preferred site, etc.
    2. Discuss with your chair and dean your interest and possible dates when it would be feasible for you to be away.
    3. Once you have informal approval from your chair/dean, meet with CIP director.
    4. Provide CIP with a c.v. and a brief, one page narrative describing teaching interests, research interests, special courses/ topics you might be able to offer.
    5. CIP will contact partner institutions and query their interest in your exchange.
    6. Once a partner institution agrees to the exchange, submit a proposal for funding through the Faculty Internationalization Fund (forms available on line). It is a good idea to inquire and apply simultaneously for Faculty Scholarship funding, too.
    7. Work with department in arranging coverage of courses, etc., during your absence.
    8. Once funding in approved, CIP will assist in orientation, travel arrangements, visas (where needed), other preparations.
    9. All participants in the faculty exchange program are required to submit a program evaluation report within a month after their return on campus. The evaluation should reflect the organization of the program, teaching and research contacts and experiences, community engagement and media exposure/contacts abroad, meetings with students and faculty, program improvement proposals and comments.

Partner Institutions with VSU

  1. Syktyvkar State University - Syktyvkar, Russia;
  2. University of Sunderland - Sunderland, England
  3. University of Paisley - Paisley, Scotland
  4. Toulouse Business School - Toulouse, France
  5. Esterhazy Karoly College - Eger, Hungary
  6. Palacky University - Olomouc, Czech Republic
  7. University of la Serena - La Serena, Chile
  8. Yangzhou University - Yangzhou, China
  9. Kansai Gaidai - Kansai Gaidai, Japan
  10. J.F.Oberlin University - Tokyo, Japan
  11. Tama University - Machida, Japan
  12. Otemon University - Otemon, Japan
  13. University of Northumbria - Newcastle, England
  14. University of Roehampton - Roehampton, England
  15. University of Education - Karlsruhe, Germany
  16. Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences - Karlsruhe, Germany
  17. ZeppelinUniversity - Friedrichshafen, Germany
  18. Daegu Haany University - South Korea
  19. Dongguk University - Seoul, South Korea
  20. Autonomous University of the Yucatan - Merida, Mexico
  21. Samara State University - Samara, Russia
  22. Samara State University of Economics - Samara, Russia
  23. Barcelona Business School - Barcelona, Spain
  24. Abant Izzet Baysal University - Bolu, Turkey
  25. Yeditepe University - Istanbul, Turkey
  26. International Student Exchange Program (ISEP)