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K-State Today

October 5, 2015

Improvements to K-State's short-term programs abroad lead to record participation

Submitted by Matthew Yates

The 2014-2015 academic year in the Study Abroad Office was the most successful ever for Kansas State University's short-term faculty-led programs abroad.

Since fall 2014, the Study Abroad Office has helped facilitate the largest number of programs on record, 27 programs, from all nine colleges at Kansas State for 342 students — the highest number on record — studying, volunteering or conducting research abroad. The students collectively visited 15 different countries in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

This robust growth results in part from a new accounting system, new staff hires and streamlined policies that we have undertaken over the last year and are continuing through this year.

First, we have revised our accounting system to allow students to pay for their faculty-led program fees directly from their KSIS accounts at the start of the program's academic term. Students no longer face a burdensome time lag between when fees are due and when they receive financial aid or scholarships.

Second, we have reorganized our staff and hired new advisors to help ensure more effective facilitation of all faculty-led programs. Our faculty-led team now consists of the following international education professionals:

  • Matthew Yates, faculty-led programs coordinator, mkyates@k-state.edu
  • Brent Holliday, study abroad advisor, bholliday@k-state.edu
  • Brendan Richardson, study abroad advisor, brichardson@k-state.edu

Whereas central oversight of programs will remain with the faculty-led programs coordinator, any of these three advisors is available to assist faculty with their programs.

Finally, we have streamlined several of our policies and procedures to review faculty-led proposals in a more timely fashion. For example, the initial proposal and budget forms are shorter and more streamlined. To encourage repeat programs, we no longer require the proposal form at all; simply the revised course syllabus, study tour itinerary, program budget and documentation, and signed Compensation Contract.

Moreover, we have three standardized deadlines for proposal submissions, based on the term of a program’s course:

  • For summer term courses, proposals are due Aug. 1 of the year prior.
  • For fall term courses, proposals are due Dec. 1 of the year prior.
  • For spring term courses, proposals are due May 1 of the year prior.

All of these forms and information, along with a new Frequently Asked Questions page, are available on our redesigned faculty-led programs website.

In light of these improvements and the internationalization elements in the 2025 Strategic Plan, now is the best time to propose and lead a short-term program abroad. For faculty members, these programs are among the best ways to internationalize your discipline and teaching portfolio, as they pair courses with short-term study tours abroad that range in length from a week to six weeks. For students, they offer affordable programs during academic breaks, maximizing the accessibility of international education for all majors and minors. Tuition for faculty-led programs is always at instate rates, even for non-Kansas residents, international students and non-K-State students.

Help your students discover the world — and themselves! If you have any questions or would like to submit a proposal, contact Matthew Yates, the faculty-led programs coordinator, at mkyates@k-state.edu or 785-532-5990.