The sixteen constituent campuses of the University of North Carolina have a long history of international activity. In 2000-2001, UNC campuses reported nearly 300 institutional exchange programs in Europe, Central and South America, Australia, Asia and Africa. Over 3,000 UNC students participated in international study programs. According to data collected by the UNC Office of the President, in 2001-2002 over 5100 international students enrolled at UNC campuses, either through exchange programs or as fee-paying students; this number represents an increase of nearly 15% over 2000-2001. In addition, UNC constituent institutions have established a wide array of cooperative research and public service programs through which the intellectual resources of UNC faculty, staff and students provide constructive means to address political, social and economic problems around the world.

In recent years, the Office of the President of the University has hosted delegations representing Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Moldova, Nigeria, Poland, Qatar, South Africa, Sweden, and Uruguay. The President has signed Memoranda of Understanding with a number of other foreign states and systems, including an agreement with the Monterrey Tech University system (ITESM) in Mexico, the Brazilian state of Paraná, a consortium of eleven Danish and Swedish institutions, and six universities in Montevideo, Uruguay. Several of these agreements include student and faculty exchange programs through the University of North Carolina Exchange Program. UNC has also worked closely with the Department of Commerce and with the Triangle's World Trade Center to broaden involvement with international business and industry. New technologies are increasingly enhancing UNC opportunities for international partnerships and the delivery of educational programs. The University of North Carolina has the structure and experience to lead the increasing internationalization of U. S. higher education.

Acknowledging the importance of international education to the University and the state, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors in January 2002 adopted Internationalization as one of six strategic directions for the University's long-range plan. The Board of Governors set the following broad goal:

Promote an international perspective throughout the University community to prepare citizens to become leaders in a multi-ethnic and global society.

In order to achieve the Board's strategic goal for internationalization, the University has developed this strategic plan for internationalization of the University; it includes a discussion of (I) the benefits and importance of international activities for UNC and its external environment; (II) the organization in place to undertake internationalization across UNC; (III) specific strategies for achieving the Board's goal; and (IV) suggestions to assist constituent institutions in planning and evaluating their efforts in internationalization.

I. Benefits and Importance of Internationalization

A. The Benefits of Internationalization

Individual, University and State Benefits. The University as an educational institution realizes direct benefits from international activity. Foreign scholars and students coming to our campuses bring fresh viewpoints to our departments and broaden the horizons of faculty and students. Faculty and students who work or study abroad return to the University to share a greater understanding of global inter-relatedness and new perspectives on their professional fields, as well as new perspectives on their own communities and cultural values. Recognizing and accepting global diversity encourages faculty and students to understand cultural and social differences within North Carolina. The development of these new and shared perspectives is a cornerstone of the University and represents a significant gain for the institution, its faculty, and its students, as well as for the State.

Academic Benefits. UNC students, who will graduate and accept positions with businesses and organizations that have international dimensions, must be prepared to work with diverse cultures and people. In addition, international experiences enhance students' academic abilities in several cognitive and affective areas, including critical thinking, information gathering, problem solving, decision-making, and ability to deal with change. Increasingly, faculty work in partnerships with international colleagues or pursue research with an international component or focus. International alliances strengthen the research and public service base of UNC institutions as well as enhance curricula and deepen the personal and professional development of faculty and students.

Economic Benefits. The interdependence of the United States and the rest of the world and the impact of world events on the United States have increased dramatically. The State's economic life is increasingly dependent on global cooperation and the international movement of capital, goods, and technology. Within this context, North Carolina and its leaders, including the University, promote expanded international involvement.

Cultural and Social Benefits. Historically, the University has served as a primary center for education, cultural activities, outreach, and public service in many communities. The exposure of North Carolina's citizens to the traditions and thought of other races, religions, and nationalities enhances intercultural communication and understanding. The human impulse toward creative activity is universal, and the performing and visual arts are a powerful tool for mutual understanding and bridging differences among people of different cultures. International faculty and students visiting UNC return to their home countries with an enhanced understanding of the culture and values of our state and nation. People living and learning in close proximity, as they do in the University setting, discover commonalities and learn to negotiate differences peacefully and productively.

Political Benefits. At a time of complicated global crises, accelerated change, and instant global communications, international experiences are critical to the security and competence of the United States in world affairs. International education provides the most reliable, long-term foundation for national security, achieved through heightened understanding and communication between peoples and cultures. It establishes constructive means by which people may communicate to solve political problems and demonstrate a national and statewide willingness to contribute to a peaceful future.

B. The Growing Importance of International Education

The academic environment has changed so that today global awareness and international experiences are essential elements of a university education:

• The events of September 11, 2001, dramatized the importance of educating U. S. citizens about other cultures, world politics, critical languages, and global interdependence.
• In April 2000, President Clinton called on the U. S. Departments of State and Education to develop "a coherent and coordinated international education strategy" that "will help us meet the twin challenges of preparing our citizens for a global environment while continuing to attract and educate future leaders from abroad."
• NASULGC and other higher education organizations have urged universities to make internationalization an integral part of their mission and strategic plan.
• As reflected in numbers collected by the Institute for International Education (IIE), American universities are more international than ever. In 1999-2000, 547,867 students from other countries were studying in American universities, up 6.4% from the previous year. In addition, 79,651 foreign scholars were teaching or doing research at U. S. institutions, an increase of 6.8% over the previous year.
• According to IIE, international students contribute more than $11 billion to the U. S. economy through their expenditures on tuition and living expenses.
• American students are increasingly interested in studying abroad and recognize the importance of understanding diverse cultures. The number of American students studying abroad has doubled in the last decade. According to IIE, 143,590 U. S. students earned college credits abroad in 1999-2000, an 11% increase over the previous year.
• IIE reports that in 1999-2000, UNC Chapel Hill ranked 8th among the top 20 research universities in the number of students studying abroad. ASU ranked 7th among the top twenty master's institutions.
• In a September 2000 survey by the American Council on Education, 75.6% of the respondents indicated that students should have a study abroad experience during college.
• Beginning in 2004, students entering the University of North Carolina will be required to have taken two years of a second language as a minimum course requirement.
• Three UNC institutions offer International Studies programs: UNC-CH has a baccalaureate program with 203 students enrolled in fall 1999; UNCC began a baccalaureate program in the fall of 2000, and ECU has a master's program. Other UNC institutions offer programs with significant international components.
• Distance education and Internet-based courses and programs can provide opportunities for international students to participate in UNC academic programs and for UNC students to study abroad and take UNC courses from anywhere in the world.

C. Increasing Globalization in the External Environment

The external environment is characterized by instantaneous global communications, a competitive global marketplace, the interdependence of national economies, and growing reliance on international cooperation in addressing political, economic, social, and environmental issues.

• International organizations and foreign governments rely on the research and public service activities of U. S. institutions to address issues such as health, the environment, and economic development.
• The need for diplomacy, statecraft, and international public service has never been greater. Students who understand other countries and cultures and who speak the languages necessary for international communication are critical to the national interest.
• In a September 2000 survey by the American Council on Education, 84.7% of respondents said that to compete successfully in a global economy students must speak a foreign language, 92% said they must understand other cultures and customs, and 89.4% said they must know about international issues and events.
• Global competition is one of the most significant forces of change for business in the last decade. Nearly three-quarters of American goods manufactured today are subject to competition from abroad. Even the smallest companies often need to do business on a worldwide scale.
• America's dependence on global trade has grown. Overall, foreign trade now accounts for nearly one quarter of America's gross domestic product-well over $1 trillion a year. Increasingly, North Carolina is contributing to this figure. The North Carolina Department of Commerce has trade offices in Toronto, Canada; Huizquilucan, Mexico; Frankfurt, Germany; Tokyo, Japan; Hong Kong; and Pundang, South Korea. North Carolina is the 12th largest export state in the US with 1999 total exports of $16.3B.
• The structure of business and industry has changed fundamentally. No longer are businesses or countries independent; they now form a global web-highly interconnected and interdependent. International students studying at our universities contribute to the links from the United States to other countries, enhancing trade and cultural relationships.
• The line separating "foreign" from "domestic" is much harder to define today than it was yesterday, and much of our "domestic" success depends on events taking place elsewhere. In the global marketplace, companies, industries, products, technologies, and even jobs no longer depend upon the strengths and weaknesses of any one nation's economy or industrial base. Jobs lost at home reappear abroad. Industrial accidents spread pollution across borders and among trading blocs. American graduates must have the knowledge and experience to compete effectively in this global marketplace.
• One impact of globalization is that business must adapt quickly to stay competitive. The rapidly changing needs of employers will necessitate continuous retraining and development. A dynamic, technology-intensive work place demands such continuous learning. International experiences, among other elements of higher education, help students develop needed critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and ability to adapt to change.

II. International Education Across the University

The University supports the efforts of its sixteen constituent institutions to apply financial and human resources to worthwhile programs that are international in character. The University recognizes the following dimensions of international education and programs as essential to its mission:

• Providing opportunities for students to have direct contact with other cultures in travel, internships, study abroad and student exchange programs sponsored by the University, giving these students broadened personal experience as well as special academic training.
• Enrolling qualified students from other countries at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels in sufficient numbers and geographic diversity to foster appreciation and understanding of differences among cultures; providing academic and support services to meet the special needs of international students; and integrating them into the life and academic processes of our institutions so that both they and we gain maximum benefit from their presence on our campuses.
• Offering courses of study with international content at all academic levels-undergraduate, graduate and professional, and continuing education-to involve students in a variety of cultures and to inform them of the contributions of all people to human development; to present forums for the discussion of global issues; and to introduce an international dimension into general education and other appropriate courses.
• Maintaining vigorous foreign language programs to train students to communicate more effectively in other cultures and to enhance their understanding of other nations' values. This includes broadening the options for language study, particularly to include critical languages such as Arabic, Japanese and Chinese, through consortia among campuses, by agreements with other universities, and through the use of information technology.
• Encouraging and supporting the development of an international dimension to the teaching, research, and service of the faculty by recognizing such activities in the regular reward systems of the University, by allocating resources to support their development, and by establishing and facilitating faculty exchanges and collaborative programs with international institutions.
• Attracting international scholars to teach languages and other subjects at UNC institutions as well as international students who can remain in North Carolina to teach in the public schools.
• Operating international public service and research programs that draw upon the expertise and international experience of faculty to help other countries address critical educational, social, and economic needs.
• Presenting a broad range of intercultural programs, such as festivals, film and lecture series and performing arts events, to highlight the values and contributions of other cultures.
• Working collaboratively with business, government, industry and non-profit organizations on international projects that promote research and development.
• Working collaboratively with community leaders and educators to promote cultural awareness, increase understanding, and find new ways to address social, economic and educational problems.
• Recognizing and reaffirming that international education, like other forms of learning, is a lifelong process that takes place outside the University as well as within, and that the University has a special obligation to make its expertise available to state agencies, public schools and diverse segments of the North Carolina public in promoting greater understanding of global issues and events.

B. University-wide Support for Globalization and International Activities

In addition to campus units dedicated to the development and support of international activities, the Office of the President provides coordination and support for University international programs:

The Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for oversight of international programs and globalization efforts on behalf of the University of North Carolina. This office, through the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, coordinates visits of international delegations, responds on behalf of the President to invitations for international partnerships, and coordinates international activities with the campuses and State entities such as the Department of Commerce. Through the professional development efforts of this division, students, faculty and administrators will have opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills.

The University Council on International Programs (UCIP) consists of international program administrators from the 16 constituent UNC institutions and representatives from UNC affiliated organizations that support international efforts. UCIP meets regularly with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs to advance the international agenda across the University system and encourage inter-institutional programs, outreach and communication. The mission of UCIP is to advise the President on international matters and on policies influencing the support and operation of international programs and to coordinate the University's diverse international efforts to meet the growing needs for international education, research, and service.

The UNC-Exchange Program (UNC-EP) was established by action of the Board of Governors in 1997. Through this program, UNC students can study at a number of international universities at a cost equal to that of an academic semester or year of study at a UNC campus. The UNC Exchange Program operates seven system-wide exchanges with UNC partner states or systems in Australia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Israel, and Mexico and as liaison with the International Student Exchange Program. Through these programs, 328 UNC students have studied abroad and 311 international students have studied at UNC institutions through 2001-2002.

The North Carolina Center for International Understanding (NCCIU) provides international experiential education to address challenges facing policy leaders, K-12 educators, and citizens. Established in 1979, the Center reports to the Academic Affairs division through the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. NCCIU sends policy leaders and educators abroad to look globally and strategically for new and creative ways to provide local solutions to challenges. Since its inception, NCCIU has conducted over 325 exchanges with 46 countries. Over 7,000 North Carolinians have been abroad, 4000 international visitors have come to North Carolina, and over 4000 students have participated in Internet classroom partnerships tied to curricula. In addition, through its Latino Initiative, NCCIU has provided cross-cultural training for 350 DMV driver license examiners on communicating with Hispanic/Latino customers. NCCIU has strong working partnerships both with educational and governmental organizations in North Carolina and with international universities, schools, communities and governments throughout the world.

The Office of the Vice President for Research works to facilitate cooperative research programs at the international level. The database available through the Research Office provides information on faculty doing research with international collaborators or with international implications. The Office of the Vice President for Research also encourages Fulbright and other programs that provide opportunities for faculty to do research abroad.

III. Strategies for Achieving the Goal of Internationalization

For the planning period 2002-2005, the Board of Governors identified the following strategies for achieving the goal of internationalization:

a) Support and expand student participation in international study and internships.

b) Expand the number of UNC-Exchange Program agreements that provide opportunities for UNC students to study abroad and for international students to study on UNC campuses.

c) Support the institutional agreements of the constituent institutions that provide for international study and exchanges of UNC students and international collaborative research by UNC faculty.

d) Use technology to expand opportunities to exchange knowledge and ideas, and to make academic programs available across national boundaries.

e) Use the resources of UNC to expand the knowledge of North Carolina's citizens about the changing demographics of the state and the nation.

f) Expand and tap the intellectual resources of UNC faculty, staff, and alumni to establish constructive means by which people throughout the world may communicate to solve political, social, scientific and economic problems.

g) Expand the presence of international scholars on our campuses.

h) Support research initiatives that expand UNC's ability to interact with international scholars on initiatives that are of state, national, and international interest and that benefit North Carolina and its citizens.

i) Expand the curriculum to recognize the importance of courses and programs that expand students' knowledge of the world, including foreign language instruction.

j) Find innovative ways to support the public schools to expand international understanding and to implement UNC's 2004 Minimum Course Requirements for two years of a second language.

These strategies are consistent with the existing structure and mission of the University of North Carolina and support increased efforts toward internationalization, while endorsing those activities already in place at the sixteen constituent institutions. The Office of the President will work with international program directors and others to implement these strategies.

In order to achieve the Board's goal, the Office of the President and UNC institutions will explore and implement as appropriate the following steps to strengthen international education:

• Examine the organizational needs of international education. If the University is to achieve its goal for internationalization, we must consider the resources available to support international programs and activities. What international programs are offered at our campuses and how many students participate in them? Do our institutions offer adequate support for international students and for our own students to study and work abroad? Are library resources adequate to support an internationalized curriculum? Are we making effective use of available technology to expand the resources available to students and faculty? Are opportunities available for faculty to develop competence in international education?
• Study peer institutions and look for best practices. UNC should undertake a systematic, data-driven study of the resources and strategies that peer institutions use to support globalization.
• Seek ways to overcome impediments to the enrollment of international students. High out-of-state tuition, limits on freshmen students from outside North Carolina and limited tuition remissions place UNC institutions at a disadvantage when recruiting international students. North Carolina high school graduates who are the children of undocumented immigrants are barred by federal and state policy from attending the University as in-state students. In contrast, other states actively seek the best international students and provide them with attractive offers to study at their universities.
• Work cooperatively within the University and with public schools and community colleges. In collaboration with the Department of Public Instruction and the North Carolina Community College System, UNC can provide international professional development programs for faculty at all levels. The University can explore the feasibility of including international and foreign language competence as a condition for graduation and teacher licensure. In addition, institutions will expand consortial relationships with other institutions within and outside the University to expand student options for international experiences.
• Continue community outreach programs. UNC institutions continue to offer international programming in their local communities and work with local economic development and other agencies to encourage recognition of the international dimensions of economic and social issues facing communities across North Carolina.
• Encourage recognition of the demographic changes and the presence of "new North Carolinians" in our State, both through the traditional curriculum and through outreach activities such as the NC Center for International Understanding's Latino Initiative.
• Develop partnerships with business, industry, non-profit organizations and government agencies. UNC will continue its partnerships with business, industry, non-profit organizations and federal, state and local governments to serve the needs of the external community and define appropriate undergraduate and graduate international experiences.

IV. Relationship of the Board's Goal to Campus Strategic Planning

At the campus level, the University encourages constituent institutions to incorporate internationalization into their missions and strategic plans, to evaluate their effectiveness at achieving this goal, and to consider ways to strengthen or expand existing international education programs.

The following questions can guide campuses in evaluating the extent to which their own goals and strategies support the goal of internationalization:

• Do institutional missions include a commitment to international activity? Do campuses have a comprehensive institutional strategy for internationalization? How can the strategy be translated into action?
• Is internationalization adopted as a legitimate institutional goal? How is it reflected in funding priorities?
• What international professional development opportunities are available for faculty? Does the campus encourage opportunities such as faculty exchanges and Fulbright Fellowships by internal policies that make it economically feasible for faculty to participate in international teaching and research?
• Is there evidence that the reward system recognizes and rewards internationalization efforts in teaching, research and service? Is weight given to international experience, skill, and foreign language competence as criteria in hiring new faculty or in promotion and tenure decisions? Criteria for promotion and tenure for all faculty might include a component of international activity (e.g., international services or study abroad) with demonstrated performance and excellence (especially critical in consideration for promotion to professor). Campuses might create "international faculty" status, analogous to "graduate faculty" status, to encourage faculty to develop expertise in the global dimensions of their disciplines and encourage interdisciplinary study.
• What activities and services are in place to welcome and support international students and faculty?
• What is the extent of international study opportunities for students? Are international internships available?
• Does the curriculum include a significant component of intercultural competence for all students? By what methods can students demonstrate this competence? Institutions might require understanding of at least one other culture by every student, accomplished through required courses other intensive study of diversity and internationalization, study abroad, interaction with foreign students on campus, international internships, telecommunications links with institutions in other countries, and other means.
• In what ways does the curriculum encourage understanding of global systems, such as multinational political activity, the dynamics of the international economy, or the interactions among environmental and economic systems and public health? Has the institution developed problem-focused programs of study that are oriented around problems in the real world and that explicitly encourage faculty and students to explore issues from a variety of disciplinary and cultural perspectives?
• Does the institution require that all graduates demonstrate competence in at least one language other than English? The ability to communicate and interact productively with people from other cultures can be demonstrated in a number of ways, not only by the number of courses taken or seat time.
• How can the institution broaden the availability of options for language competence? In many of our institutions, students have a choice to study Spanish, French, perhaps German, but rarely other, non-European languages, including such critical languages as Arabic, Chinese, and Japanese.
• What instructional materials have been prepared or acquired to support internationalization of the curriculum?
• How has the campus initiated discussion of the demographic changes in North Carolina that contribute to specific needs for international understanding?
• How does the institution use its network of international alumni or U. S. alumni living and working abroad to expand international opportunities for students and faculty and to recruit qualified international students?
• What meaningful linkages with business and industry would promote globalizing the curriculum? How are faculty and students connected with business and industry's needs for international economic development and research?

Internationalization requires strategic thinking and strategic action. However, as the Board of Governors has recognized, it is imperative that we "internationalize UNC" in order to enrich the experience of our students and enhance the global economic competitiveness of North Carolina. The University of North Carolina will organize itself to make international understanding available to all students, create opportunities for faculty to develop international components within their research, teaching and service, and make its considerable resources available to assist our communities, North Carolina, the United States and other countries in addressing global issues.