International education at the community college level: Evaluation of levels of commitment and curriculum integration

As global interdependency becomes increasingly more apparent in our shrinking world, changing economic conditions draw people of many different cultures closer together. It is crucial that we develop knowledge and understanding of international cultures and countries to initiate and encourage reciprocal commercial and cultural exchange between local community colleges and the global community. Community colleges have an exceptional opportunity to provide effective leadership in order to implement and integrate international education (IE) concepts in their mission statement, goals and curriculum. The ultimate goal should be to institutionalize IE throughout the curriculum, faculty, staff, and student body of all community colleges. The success of enlarging global dimensions of community college students depends largely on the expressed commitment of strategic institutional leadership as wen as community support for such an undertaking. It is essential that a strong commitment by the board of trustees, the president, key academic leaders, and the faculty exists to implement international education concepts in the curriculum of the institution. The institution's mission and goals statement should reflect that view, and the board of trustees should promote that mission statement with a supportive policy statement. A director of international education is absolutely necessary to initiate, implement and maintain IE programs as well as funds for the development of the programs and for travel-related IE activities. A public information system will keep the institution and the community cognizant of the program's activities, and community advisory and support groups should be utilized for community input. This study is based upon an established demonstration project at the community college level through the Community Colleges for International Development (CCID). Levels of commitment of strategic leadership at CCID institutions were determined as well as levels of integration of IE concepts in curriculum at CCID member and affiliate institutions. An evaluation of the relationship between the two variables was undertaken to determine if strategies have been successfully implemented to achieve the stated goals of Community Colleges for International Development. An evaluation between the level of involvement of COD member and affiliates in IE programs and activities was also undertaken to determine whether there is a difference between the commitment and involvement of members and affiliates in implementing IE concepts in curriculum at their respective CCID institutions.