University Handbook, Section H:
Extension Services and International Programs

(July 2006, 09/08/14, 06/10/25 revisions)

K-State Research and Extension Service

H1 Organization and administration. The Kansas Cooperative Extension Service is administered by the Dean of the College of Agriculture and the Director of K-State Research and Extension. It is a part of a nationwide system of non-formal education which is a partnership between federal, state, and local governments. The system was established by the federal Smith-Lever Act and the Kansas Extension Law. The purpose is the dissemination of research-based information to the people of Kansas in agriculture, family and consumer sciences, youth development, and community development.

H2 Personnel. Extension faculty are located in every county in Kansas, and area offices and in a number of departments on campus. A number of volunteer leaders are also integral to the functioning of the organization.

H3 Dissemination of information. Extension faculty utilize numerous strategies to reach Kansas citizens: online resources, face-to-face delivery of educational information through workshops and public meetings, publications, radio programs, personal consultations, and cooperation with various other public and private entities.

Kansas Industrial Extension Service

H10 The Kansas Industrial Extension Service, also known as the Energy Extension Service or Engineering Extension at Kansas State University offers information services and technical assistance and education in the areas of energy and the environment.

H11 The energy component of Engineering Extension provides targeted information dissemination, educational outreach, and technical/engineering analysis for energy customers. Energy efficiency and energy conservation for both residential and commercial/industrial entities is a key area of focus. Another major focal point of Engineering Extension is the practical, prudent, and sustainable evaluation and utilization of renewable energy resources such as biomass, wind, and solar as alternative sources of energy.

H12 Through the Pollution Prevention Institute, specialists provide businesses with direct assistance by conducting on site visits where specific technical, regulatory, and economic opportunities are evaluated. Fact sheets, pamphlets, and manuals introduce Kansas businesses to pollution prevention techniques that can minimize wastes in their manufacturing processes, and information needed to keep them in compliance with environmental regulations.

H13 The Kansas State Indoor Radon Grant Program is responsible for managing and conducting various radon projects. Information presented here includes courses, fact sheets, contact information, etc., related to radon issues in homes and public buildings.

International Programs

H30 Background and purpose. Kansas State University has a long and rich tradition of international involvement, including international and area studies programs on campus, faculty and student international exchange programs, technical assistance abroad, and international services to the people of Kansas and the United States. Recognizing the key role of international programs in a major land-grant university, Kansas State University has identified increasing international emphases as part of its Next-Gen strategic plan. The university serves the needs of the Manhattan community through its cooperation with "Friends of International Programs," a community-based group established in 2005.

H31 Coordination. International activities are coordinated by an associate provost for International Programs (APIP), located in the Office of International Programs (OIP). For more information about these programs, see the OIP website.

H32 Consortia. K-State is a member of the Midwest Association of Universities International (MAUI).

The Mid-America International Agricultural Consortium, incorporated in 1977, coordinates the involvement of K-State and four other Big 12 land-grant institutions in international agricultural development projects.

H33 International and Area Studies Programs. Interdisciplinary curricula in several international and area studies subjects provide opportunities for student degree concentrations, faculty research collaboration, and work abroad. Secondary majors are provided in international studies, South Asian studies, and Latin American studies. Other interdisciplinary programs include international trade studies, Canadian studies, and East European studies. There is a minor in East Asian studies.

H34 International students. Students from more than 90 countries attend K-State annually. The Office of International Student and Scholar Services, assists international students and faculty with immigration matters and other needs.

English Language Program. This is a year-round intensive English language program to assist those whose primary language is not English. It is located on the second floor of Fairchild Hall.

H35 Education Abroad. The Office of Education Abroad provides information and assistance to students wishing to study outside the United States. Kansas State University in Italy offers Kansas State University faculty and students the opportunity to engage in a variety of education abroad opportunities in Orvieto Italy. Faculty-led programs are short-term study tours over breaks, intersessions or summer in which students learn and travel with a K-State professor and students. K-State also maintains bilateral exchanges with several foreign universities. Through membership in the International Student Exchange Program, K-State may send students to more than 100 foreign colleges and universities. Each year, K-State students compete successfully for a variety of international scholarships, such as Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, and Rotary International Scholarships. Other student opportunities overseas include volunteer, service-learning, internship, research or teach abroad programs in such countries as Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Turkey through the university's community service program (see H39 below).

H36 Faculty Exchange Programs. US government grants under the Fulbright-Hays Act are available for university lecturing and advanced research in many countries. Faculty from abroad may also come to K-State through the Fulbright Program. In addition, there are numerous programs in specific geographical areas or which are based in individual departments or colleges.

H37 Technical Assistance. The College of Agriculture maintains contracts with foreign governments, United Nations agencies, and other international institutions to provide both technical assistance abroad and training at K-State for foreign specialists. The Office of International Programs coordinates technical assistance to developing countries and works with the World Bank, the U.S. State Department, and other funding agencies.

Other programs in the College of Agriculture that offer significant technical assistance abroad include the Food and Feed Grains Institute; the IGP Institute; and the International Meat and Livestock Program.

H38 International Student Recruitment. The Office of Recruitment and Admissions, within the Division of Enrollment Management, actively recruits international undergraduate students.

H39 International Service Learning. The Office of International Programs, in cooperation with the Staley School for Leadership, seeks to provide opportunities for students to benefit from experimental learning in a foreign setting, including service learning, internships and teaching English.

H40 The College of Business Administration has several education abroad opportunities and partner institutions. See the College of Business Administration Study Abroad website for additional information.