Faculty and Staff Information

North Carolina A&T has a strong commitment to preparing our students to become leaders of the next generation. We realize that a crucial ingredient in the success of our leaders is a meaningful and relevant international experience. Thus, we encourage every N.C. A&T student to participate in a meaningful international experience that will enhance their academic and career goals. There are relevant international opportunities for students in every academic major. We encourage faculty and staff to learn more about N.C. A&T international opportunities and our policies and procedures for participation.

We invite all faculty and staff to get involved in building our capacity to graduate students from N.C. A&T with outstanding international experience.

Some of the suggested ways to get involved are:

  • Professional Development
  • Internationalizing the Curriculum
  • Faculty-led Student Programs
  • Serving on Committees
  • Promoting International Activities on campus

International Travel Registration Policy

It is important to ensure that study abroad and other international activities/programs using the name of North Carolina A&T State University and involving its students and/or faculty are properly identified and registered with the Office of International Programs. Faculty, staff and administrators traveling on university business should complete the International Travel Registry Form and send all supporting documentation to Mrs. Allegra Laing, Study Abroad Coordinator at ajlaing@ncat.edu or Ms. Sharon Criner at scriner@ncat.edu. Student travelers must follow a different set of protocols which can be found in the section Understanding Study Abroad.

Policy on International Activities at North Carolina A&T State University

Purpose: To ensure that study abroad and other international activities/programs using the name of North Carolina A&T State University and involving its students and/or faculty are properly identified and registered with the Office of International Programs (OIP).

Policy: Any faculty member, administrator, staff or student who plans to conduct an activity/program involving students and/or faculty with travel abroad must contact, in writing, the Office of International Programs following established protocols that can be found on the website or by contacting the OIP. The office can provide expert advice on procedures that should be used to improve the success of the activity/program.

OIP will ensure that the appropriate legal documents are properly executed to protect N.C. A&T and all participants. If academic credit is awarded, proper signatures will be required from the appropriate chair and dean. The data collected by OIP will be used:

  • to contact travelers in case of an emergency or critical development
  • to prepare reports on the global activity of students, faculty, administrators and staff
  • to publicize the global activities at N.C. A&T
  • to confirm that participants in overseas programs are properly insured

Understanding Study Abroad at N.C. A&T

There are several ways students at North Carolina A&T can obtain an experience abroad. In an effort to make sure we are all speaking the same language, the following terms and definitions reflect the various ways students may gain international experience on our campus. Please review the protocols associated with Study Abroad Programs, Academic Enrichment Abroad Programs (programs less than two weeks in duration, including conferences abroad), and Other Opportunities Abroad.

Study Abroad refers to a credit-bearing course or series of courses taken overseas, for which the student will receive a transcript from the overseas university. In the case of a faculty-led program the student will register for a N.C. A&T course and receive a grade from the faculty leader. Study Abroad may take place under the following conditions:

  1. Exchange: Provides students an affordable way to participate in study abroad. These programs utilize an established relationship between N.C. A&T and specific universities abroad. We exchange students with each other allowing each student to pay the tuition and fees at their home university and not at the host university. All non-exchange programs are referred to as direct study abroad programs.
  2. Direct: Student studies at an overseas partner university and pays the tuition and fees of that university.
  3. Third Party Provider: Programs are provided by an organization offering study abroad and support services (e.g. Global Learning Semesters [GLS]; Council on International Educational Exchange [CIEE]; School for International Training [SIT]; American Institute for Foreign Studies [AIFS]).
  4. Faculty-Led: Programs that are accompanied by a faculty member, usually during the summer.

Duration

  • Semester: Fall or Spring, includes direct study abroad and exchange programs.
  • Academic Year: Fall and Spring semesters spent abroad, includes direct study abroad and exchange programs.
  • Summer: Usually two weeks or more.

Academic Enrichment Programs: These are short trips abroad (less than 2 weeks), usually faculty-led, for which academic credit may or may not be received. These include study tours abroad embedded in academic courses for credit and spring break travel overseas that does not include academic credit.

Faculty-Led Programs

N.C. A&T faculty are encouraged to explore opportunities to design, teach, and/or participate in international programs for our students.

MOUs between North Carolina A&T State University and Overseas Institutions

A primary goal of the Office of International Programs (OIP) is to initiate and coordinate initiatives that lead to memoranda of understanding (MOUs) and other exchanges between N.C. A&T and overseas institutions. This is done to prevent duplication of efforts, and to promote cooperation among various entities within the university with similar interests. OIP serves as the depository for these agreements. Anyone who drafts agreements on behalf of the University will be responsible for coordinating information with OIP.

The following process should be followed by anyone wishing to have signed an official agreement on behalf of the university:

1. Contact the OIP to first determine if an agreement is already in place;

2. Request a template for creating agreements from OIP;

3. After an agreement is drafted, it is reviewed by the Director of International Programs;

4. The Director of OIP then forwards the agreement to the Office of the Provost for review;

5. When approved by the Office of the Provost, the document is forwarded to Legal Affairs for review;

6. After being reviewed by Legal Affairs, the agreement is forwarded to the Office of the Chancellor for signing;

7. The signed agreement is then returned to the Office of International Programs for distribution and implementation.

Professional Development

Please check this site often for professional development opportunities for faculty and staff.

The Fulbright Scholar Programs offer U.S. faculty, administrators, professionals, and independent scholars the opportunity to conduct research; lecture; collaborate with counterparts in other countries on curriculum and faculty development; assist in institutional planning; faculty and student exchange; and Summer seminars or institutes for students and faculty. The awards cover a wide variety of disciplines and sub-disciplines. The competition opens March 1. For additional information on the varieties of grant opportunities please visit their web site at www.cies.org.

The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) offers educators the opportunity to participate in International Faculty Development Seminars (IFDS). The seminars are hosted by prestigious academic institutions abroad and focus on internationalizing the curricula. The CIEE has offered over 150 seminars in about 40 countries worldwide. To learn more about this program please visit their web site at www.ciee.org/IFDS.aspx.

International research is a good way for you to make connections in other countries while enhancing your professional qualifications. Your peers in other countries are often a great way to network, find resources, and partner on research.