Workshop Agenda - Evaluating International Research Experiences
Executive Summary - Evaluating International Research Experiences
Final Report - Evaluating International Research Experiences
CGS Webinar Presentation Slides: Measuring International Experiences
Webinar Recording: Measuring the Impact of International Experiences

February 16, 2016

Workshop Objectives

To develop a set of common research questions that institutions and organizations involved in graduate education can use to evaluate the benefits of international experiences by their graduate students, especially those related directly to structured research activities.

Workshop Description

There is interest in evaluating the impact of funding for graduate student international research experiences on student success, both in the short and long terms. A relevant body of literature at the undergraduate education level exists on what is broadly termed “global competency,” which includes study abroad and other similar cultural experiences. These studies generally assess student learning outcomes, and not career success. There is little equivalent research at the graduate education level. As the definition of success continues to broaden to include multiple career paths, both intrinsic and extrinsic measurements of success, and across disciplinary boundaries, the difficulty in defining and assessing relevant outcomes continues to increase. We seek to develop a list of research questions and assessable outcomes along with their associated analytical tools that can be used to evaluate the impact of international experiences for graduate students, both longitudinally and across disciplinary boundaries, especially those involving structured research experiences.

Workshop Agenda

8:00 AM     Continental Breakfast

Morning Sessions: What Do We Know?

8:30 AM     Welcome and Overview

Brian S. Mitchell, Council of Graduate Schools/National Science Foundation Dean-in-Residence
Max Vögler, Director, North American Office, DFG
   Supporting Document WO.1.A      Supporting Document WO.1.B      Supporting Document WO.1.C

8:45 AM     Session I:  Funding International Research Experiences: Two Program Evaluations

This session will focus on recent evaluations of funding programs relevant to the international research experiences for graduate students. The presenters will discuss the background of the programs, the reason for the evaluation, and give methods and results.

Carter Epstein, Abt Associates Inc.
Ten Years of the Partnerships in International Research and Education (PIRE) Program
   Supporting Document I.1.A            Supporting Document I.1.B

Sebastian Granderath, Program Director, International Research Training Groups, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
The International Research Training Group Program 2015 Evaluation
   Supporting Document I.2.A            Supporting Document I.2.B

Moderator: Denise Manahan-Vaughan, Director of the International Graduate School of Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany

9:30 AM     Session II:  International Research Experiences: The Institutional Perspective

How do institutions and organizations support international research experiences for graduate students?  How can they facilitate the assessment of international research experiences and how would they make use of these assessment results?

Thomas Jorgensen, Head, Council for Doctoral Education, European University Association
FRINDOC: Evaluating the Institution
  Supporting Document II.1.A           Supporting Document II.1.B 

Karen DePauw, Vice President and Dean of Graduate Education, Virginia Tech
International Research Experiences: Challenges and Opportunities for Graduate Students
  Supporting Document II.2.A           Supporting Document II.2.B

Moderator: Henning Schroeder, Vice Provost & Dean of Graduate Education, University of Minnesota

10:15 AM     Break

10:30 AM     Panel Discussion:  International Research Experiences: The Participant Perspective

Why do graduate students engage in international research experiences? How do they feel the experience has helped them scientifically and professionally? What were barriers and what are the opportunities that have developed later in their careers?

Kara Spiller, Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University

Andrea Stith, Assistant Director, Interdisciplinary Education, University of Colorado Boulder

Lisa Deuse, IRTG Participant, Universities of Aachen/Pennsylvania

Moderator: Julia Kent, Assistant Vice-President, Communications, Advancement and Best Practices, Council of Graduate Schools

11:15 AM     Session IV:  International Research Experiences: The PI Perspective

How do the labs and institutes in which the PIs work profit from sending /receiving graduate students? How do PIs deal with and manage exchanges? How is the length of stay a factor? What barriers exist?

Gerhard Erker, Professor, Organish-Chemische Institut, U. Münster, Germany
   Supporting Document IV.1.A         Supporting Document IV.1.B

Judith F. Kroll, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Linguistics, and Women's Studies, The Pennsylvania State University
Lessons from PIRE: An international network for graduate research and training in cognitive neuroscience and linguistics

Moderator: Max Vögler, Director, North American Office, DFG

12:00 PM     Networking Lunch

Afternoon Sessions: What Can We Do?

1:00 PM       Session V:  Tracking the Outcomes of International Research Experiences

What assessment practices and evaluation tools are currently being used to evaluate international experiences at any level, and can they be adapted to research experiences at the graduate level?  Are there existing models that can track the long-term impact of early international experiences on career success?

Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh
Measuring the Impact of Global Preparedness and Competency in Students
   Supporting Document V.1.A          Supporting Document V.1.B

Doris Rubio, Director, Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh: A Career Success Model
A Career Success Model
   Supporting Document V.2.A          Supporting Document V.2.B

Moderator: Rick Tankersley, Program Officer, Division of Graduate Education, NSF

1:45 PM       Conversation Cafe:  What Questions Should We Ask and How Should We Ask Them?

Participants will be placed into groups with similar interests and will be asked to develop a set of relevant questions that could be used to evaluate international research experiences for graduate students.  Instructions and handouts will be provided.  Time will be provided for groups to share their results with all participants.

Facilitator: Maresi Nerad, Director, Center for Innovation and Research in Graduate Education, University of Washington
   Supporting Document CC.1            Supporting Document CC.2            Supporting Document CC.3

3:30 PM       Wrap-Up:  Open Discussion and Next Steps

What should be the products of this workshop?  What are the one or two things you would like to see coming out of this workshop as the next steps?

Suzanne Ortega, President, Council of Graduate Schools

Rebecca Keiser, Office Head, Office of International Science and Engineering, NSF

Denise Manahan-Vaughan, Scientific Member, DFG Senate Committee on Research Training Groups

Moderator: Dean Evasius, Director, Division of Graduate Education, NSF

4:00 PM       Adjourn