Overseas educational advisers to tour Indiana's campuses

IU hopes to help its overseas student enrollment this week when three international advisers, funded by the U.S. Department of State, visit the campus to learn more about the academics and services the University has to offer.\nThe Thailand, Jordan and Kazakhstan-based advisers are part of a 12-member group that will be touring various Indiana colleges to learn about the schools' admission policies, support programs and overall insights and impressions of the institutions. In turn, they will extend their knowledge to interested students overseas who wish to attend IU or other Indiana colleges. \n"(The advisers) all have different functions," Assistant Director of International Recruitment Candice Progler said. "But their job is to advise others of different higher education systems and the different opportunities they might have depending on the particular institute and funding." \nOn Tuesday and Wednesday the individuals will meet with several departmental staff and faculty members, the Office of International Programs and the Office of International Admissions. In addition they will be given a tour of the campus and have a meeting with current international students enrolled at IU to gauge their thoughts and experiences. \nProgler said that there will be an added emphasis on touring the Kelley School of Business and the School of Informatics, as there is a heightened interest in those schools from many international students. \nCurrently, Progler said approximately 9 percent of the University's overall population is from overseas students. The University hopes that its continued work with the advisers and other policy aims will further strengthen these numbers. \n"Most (international students) come for the academic strengths that we offer in so many areas," Progler said. "We are very welcoming to international students as we have several student associations for them find a support network and our Office of International Services offers support on issues of (their) transition."\nProgler added that the city of Bloomington adds to the appeal. \n"Our community at large has a very international culture," she said. "We attract students to a Midwestern community that has a small town feel but a worldly personality."\nThe transition from a foreign country to IU many times is a very difficult process, starting at learning and adapting to a new language and culture. Progler said IU offers an intensive English language program while it offers help with typical transition issues such as setting up a bank account or making purchases to furnish an apartment. One way this is accomplished is through an orientation program similar to the one incoming freshmen go through, but it's much more comprehensive and in-depth.\nProgler said that the University is putting so much effort on this issue because it not only benefits the students who travel overseas to attend IU, but it also reaps benefits for the University. \n"Certainly these students bring different perspectives to the classroom environment that we all can learn from," Progler said. "Also there are a lot (of international students) at the graduate level who are holding associate instructor and research positions who contribute in many different ways beyond their thoughts in the classroom."\nIn addition to the individual meetings with different departments, programs and offices on campus will participate in a campus-wide meeting Wednesday morning so the advisers can see the campus as a whole.\n"This is a wonderful opportunity for us to share everything we offer and develop a relationship with them," Progler said. "We have a lot of academic units taking the time to make the advisers' visit be worthwhile"