INTERNATIONAL
PROGRAM
CENTERS
(IPCS)

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Manama, Bahrain

Changchun, China

Wuxi, China

Subang Jaya, Malaysia

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Montreux, Switzerland

 

 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

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1. From the Dean
2. What's in a syllabus?
3. Spotlight on...
4. Strategic Themes, Quick Reminders…..

 

 

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Northwood's Mission: Developing the future leaders of a global, free enterprise society.

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Did you know?  
The fall 2008 headcount at our IPCs is 898!

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From the Dean

From my office window, I've been watching the trees outside turning golden yellow, red and orange.  The leaves are falling fast, and there's crispness to the air outside.  I've always loved this time of year.

November brings to Michigan cooler weather, leaves that are turning color and the reminder that  winter is coming!  It's part of a natural cycle of seasonal change. But one of the many advantages of working in International Programs is that while some of our colleagues are experiencing the same weather, others are basking in sunshine, warm ocean breezes or enjoying a sub-tropical or tropical climate.  Each site is different, just as the seasons change here in my part of the world.

And in the same way we celebrate our diversity in International Programs.  The settings in Bahrain, China, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Switzerland are all very different.   The processes and procedures look somewhat different as well.  Personalities are different.  And those differences, while sometimes challenging, also add to the creative atmosphere of working in International Programs.

But at the same time, we're not so different.  Each of us, whether a faculty member or administrator, is deeply committed to student learning and achievement.  Each of us wants to do the best we can for our students and colleagues.  Each of us realizes that education is still the fundamental foundation for improving our lives and the lives of our students.

So, even as the seasons change here in Michigan, I'm reminded that what really matters in education – student learning and achievement – never changes.  That's something that we should remember each and every day.

Thank you for your commitment to student learning and achievement!

Best regards,

Lance B. Lewis, Ph.D.
Dean of International Programs

What's in a syllabus?

A constant in all of the courses taught at our International Program Centers is a course syllabus (sometimes called a course outline).  A course syllabus can set the tone for the entire course and prevent administrative headaches and grading challenges.  Yet, it's often a piece of a course that gets overlooked or thrown together (all of us who have ever taught have put a syllabus together at the last moment in our busy lives).

So, what are the elements of a good syllabus?   We listed some of these:

• Instructor contact information – students should know the "where, when and how" of contacting the course instructor – phone number, fax number, email address, office location and hours of availability,
• 12 NU outcomes (www.northwood.edu/aboutus/) and course goals and objectives (www.northwood.edu/global/coursedescriptions/) – the syllabus should list these items, as this creates a clear understanding of what the course is about,
• Listing of required books and course materials –if you list something as required you should use it in the class. List as much information as possible:  author, edition, ISBN, publisher,
• Clear statement of grading scale, course grading, and due dates:
• Specify graded exams/projects/activities and due dates
• Give students a clear understanding of what the course grade consists of, the weight of each graded element, and how the grade will be calculated 
• Clear statement of course policies that states your policies on :
• Behavioral expectations (turning off cell phones, etc)
• How late exams/projects/activities will be handled
• Absences (and if absences will impact the final grade)
• Policy on making up course work
• An outline of course topics and readings – some instructors try to specify this down to individual lectures, others may list it by week or by theme or content area – but something that provides a map of where the course will be going over time,
• Resources that pertain to the class – websites, other books or other resources that may not be required, but which could be helpful to students.  List any links or titles.

Time spent on preparing a detailed syllabus is always time well spent!  A good syllabus is one that creates clear understandable expectations, policies and procedures for students, and avoids unnecessary confusion on the part of student and instructor.

Spotlight On.....INTI College, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

The IPC at INTI College, Subang Jaya is a partnership between Northwood University and INTI College in Malaysia.   Unlike other IPCs, the INTI College program is a full "4+0" where students take all 4 years of NU coursework in Malaysia.  Students can also transfer to the U.S. to finish the BBA degree.
INTI operates on a trimester system, with intakes in January, April/May, and September.   The INTI-NU 4+0 program has been in operation since 2006, and offers the following BBA degrees:

• Advertising &Marketing
• International Business
• Marketing

INTI College Subang Jaya is an urban campus located in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The campus consists of two main buildings which house classrooms, labs, library facilities, offices and student housing.  Students live on campus or commute from off-campus.  The campus is surrounded by shops and restaurants and is located very close to the main highway system in Kuala Lumpur.

INTI College Subang Jaya has this year moved into a new multiple story building with state of the art facilities, and will be building another building next to it to house the campus.  These new facilities will provide ICSJ with a superior environment for students, faculty and staff.

As with all IPCs, coursework is taught by local faculty, western faculty, and NU faculty who travel to Malaysia.  Each year, a number of students travel to the U.S. to complete their BBA degrees.  This fall, over 100 students were enrolled in the BBA program.

ICSJ is led by Principal Joyce Yuen and Director of the Center for American Education Khor Kheng Leik.  The 4+0 program is led by Maztini Ahmad Mahir. INTI faculty members include academic professionals from Malaysia and other countries.

We'll continue to feature our IPCs over the course of Volume I of this newsletter.

Update….on Strategic Themes

We continue to work on our strategic themes for this year, which include progress toward the following:

• Strengthening links between IPCs and NU in the U.S.
  • This is the second in a series of IPC newsletters
  • Website has been redesigned and is continuously being updated
  • Selected IPC faculty  are being asked to assist curricular redesign for semester transition
  • American students will be traveling to selected IPCs in pilot programs to promote collaboration with overseas students

• Better academic support for IPCS
  • Mamiko Reeves, Director of International Education, joined our staff in September
  • We continue to work toward our goal of having Blackboard available by January 1, 2009
  • On-line grading (students can view grades on-line as well) will be available via Blackboard
  • Access to Learning Enhancement and Assistance to Faculty (LEAF) resources will be available via Blackboard

• More consistent assessment and use of assessment data
  • Audits have been completed at ANC in Sri Lanka and INTI College in Malaysia; audits will be done in 2009 in Switzerland and China locations
  • A program assessment instrument common across the IPCs for use in 2009
  • Common assessment instrument will be tied more consistently to university outcomes
  • Fall 2008 teaching evaluations data will be completed and used for program improvement
  • Will use compiled data for program improvement

• Contact with alumni
  • NU’s 50th anniversary celebrations will be scheduled at each IPC
  • Networking among alumni for internships and career advancement  will be available using "Linked-In" site (see  www.northwood.edu/alumni/ for more details)

Quick Reminders:

• student applications – we cannot create a student’s record without a complete application.  Applications should be sent to Pat Armstrong PRIOR to the beginning of the first term in which students are enrolled. 
• course evaluations –all courses must be evaluated each term.  Some IPCs use their own form; we can also furnish an evaluation form.  Evaluation data should be sent to Michigan for compilation and review.
• Blackboard© – if you have not done so yet, please send to Lance Lewis names of all faculty and staff you wish to have added for access to NU’s Blackboard.

Please contribute!

We welcome ideas and articles and photos from faculty and staff at all of our IPC sites.   Please send your submissions to:

Linda Dick
International Programs Coordinator
dickl@northwood.edu