Education Abroad Program Grows Despite Wars, Terrorism

UC student demand for the Education Abroad Program (EAP) continues to increase, despite dramatic events such as the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

In 2002-03, more than 3,600 students studied abroad under the EAP banner, a 27 percent increase over the previous year. An estimated 4,250 students are expected to study abroad this academic year. Last year 562 went abroad from UCSB, about a 24 percent increase. This year, campus director Michael O'Connell, professor of English, expects around 700 to join EAP.

International events have stimulated student interest in the rest of the world, and they are eager to develop skills that will help them succeed in an increasingly globalized environment, said Scott Cooper, EAP associate director for academic integration. He is an ecology professor at UCSB.

Once students travel abroad, Cooper said, they gain more advantages the longer they stay. These advantages include knowledge of the culture, language, and educational systems of a host country; new perspectives on academic subjects; different approaches to intellectual issues or applied problems; and increased sensitivity to foreign views of international issues.

The dearth of such insights and communication skills among Americans has prompted the Association of International Educators to recommend that federal fellowships triple the number of American students who study abroad. The group argued such action is urgently needed to overcome Americans' continuing insularity.

EAP emphasizes semester- and year-long programs. "Because it takes time for students to get through their initial reactions to being in a new country, long-term stays are necessary to maximize the benefits to our students," said Cooper.

As UC's only systemwide international academic program, EAP leads the nation in the number of students sent on long-term study abroad (minimum of two semesters). Since the early 1960s, more than 40,000 UC students have gone abroad.

Parents are naturally wary of potential health and safety issues, especially in the current world climate. To ensure students are safe, EAP has developed an international network that includes overseas staff, with on-site UC Study Center directors (many of whom are UC faculty); host university officials; and staff at other study abroad programs.

EAP also consults with the U.S. embassies and consulates at every site and with international monitoring entities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. "Our highest priority is the health and safety of EAP students," said professor John Marcum, EAP universitywide director and UC associate provost for international academic activities.

Following Sept. 11, a survey of 170 EAP students overseas found that the program's international partner universities provided extensive emotional and physical support.

A fundamental goal of EAP is to expand the academic reach of each UC campus to the international arena. With its strong academic focus, EAP's courses are integrated into UC campus curricula and its students fulfill requirements and complete their degrees on time.

"In essence, EAP allows the world to become the classroom for UC students, providing them with hands-on and novel experiences that will allow them to meet their academic and career goals," said Cooper.