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In partnership with a number of other colleges and universities from the east coast, the university’s Office of Global Affairs will be hosting an AIEA forum on Jan. 28 and 29. The Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) is a “membership organization formed in November 1982, composed of institutional leaders engaged in advancing the international dimensions of higher education,” according to their website.

The organization seeks to enlighten educators and students with new techniques toward improving dialogue with colleagues, incorporating international affairs to a greater degree on campus, and creating workshops on topics pertaining to members of the organization.

The forum will be designed as a series of small-group conversations, focused on “sustained global commitments,” and educational programs offered overseas, including “partnerships, exchanges, study abroad, and internationalization hubs, campuses, programs or offices,” according to the Brandeis website.

Along with Brandeis, a number of colleges and universities will be attending the conference, including such as Boston College, Princeton, Vanderbilt University and Wellesley College.

On Friday, Jan. 28, following registration and a welcoming event, an opening session entitled “Understanding Sustained Global Commitments” will begin the events.

Among other topics discussed, AIEA will outline elements of sustained global commitments and focus on how small-scale institutions can bring about change and continue long-term efforts. The conference will be presented as a reporting session, where each school will present their strategy, their approach toward their commitments and how they will do so compared to large scale university strategies. Other sessions throughout the day will pertain to the liberal arts institutions’ special roles in sustained global commitments, collaboration with overseas institutions, and technological tools which may be used to more easily create and keep such valuable connections.

At the close of Friday’s events will be a dinner, which will engage members of the faculty into the sustained global commitments programs, based on personal experience and knowledge of such programs.

Saturday, there will be a number of available groups to choose from for discussions over breakfast, including “Working with international student populations related to sustained global commitments,” “International operations challenges facing smaller [schools] without a single regional focus,” and “Outreach to new student markets.” The latter will focus on “non-degree, first-year students or high school students, students abroad looking for an American degree, adult learners, executive education, short-term programs and other pertinent topics.”

A forum will also be offered, entitled “Challenges of Senior International Officers and Internationalization Planning, from Vision to Bottom Line.” Some of the topics of discussion will be balancing current revenue strains with long-term targets, incorporating and balancing social justice goals, and creating realistic time tables for success.

The final meeting of the forum will be “Creating and Maintaining a Strategy,” which will focus on the continuation and future implications of sustained global commitments. After lunch and continued informal discussions with members of AIEA the forum will come to a close.

Costs of entry will be $125 per participant, and will include two-day registration, three meals, all materials and resources required for the events, and local transportation to and from the forum hotel.