International Faculty Members Research Articles

Capacity building for the provision of rheumatological services in sub-Saharan Africa.

A project aimed to develop and deliver a clinical training course in Accra, Ghana, to increase patient access to physicians trained in the diagnosis, treatment and management of rheumatological conditions. We started with a scoping exercise followed by collaborative course curriculum development, co-delivered training course facilitated by both locally based rheumatologists and international faculty members. Evaluation data gathered from application forms, participant feedback forms and multiple-choice tests completed at the beginning and end of training and the test scores compared to evaluate a change in knowledge. A 4-day clinical training course developed and delivered to twenty medical professionals based across Ghana. Test scores suggest a 15.83% increase in clinical knowledge. The training model with the curriculum design and delivery teams drawing expertise from both locally based rheumatologists and internationally based faculty has guaranteed both world-class approach and content while ensuring contextual relevance. The inclusion of leadership and Training of Trainer (ToT) elements into the model of training has maximised reach and increased teaching capacity. The programme has been well-received by participating medical professionals and faculty and has been demonstrated to be effective within this multinational programme and the methodology may be applicable to similar needs in other countries. Key Points • The growing burden of musculoskeletal disease in West Africa means that strengthening capacity in the specialty of rheumatology is more important than ever. • A pilot workshop to strengthen capacity in rheumatology care in Ghana with the curriculum design and delivery teams drawing expertise from both the UK and West Africa has guaranteed both world-class approach and content while ensuring contextual relevance. • The programme has been well-received by participating medical professionals and faculty and may be applicable to similar needs in other countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

Perceptions and Experiences of International Faculty Members in Saudi Arabia

Perceptions and Experiences of International Faculty Members in Saudi Arabia

Towards an actor-centered typology of internationalization: a study of junior international faculty in Japanese universities

This paper offers new qualitative insights into ongoing internationalization processes in Japanese higher education. Drawing on ideas from migration studies and informed by analysis of junior international faculty members’ (JIFs) experiences in Japanese universities, we posit a novel, actor-centered typology of internationalization that delineates between integration, assimilation, and marginalization of mobile actors, and considers their implications in practice. Twenty-three interviews were conducted with JIFs from a variety of disciplines and institutions across Japan. Findings indicated a pattern of disillusionment with their role in internationalization, as many perceived themselves to be tokenized symbols of internationalization rather than valued actors within it. Participants identified various barriers which prevented them from participating in the academic “mainstream” and confined them to peripheral roles. We argue that their experiences are indicative of assimilative and marginalizing forms of internationalization, which pose persistent barriers to reform in Japanese universities despite decades of state-sponsored internationalization.

Abstract LB-164: Transdisciplinary research in energetics and cancer (TREC) early career investigator training program: First year results

Abstract Purpose: Obesity, poor diet and physical inactivity increase the burden of cancer by increasing risk of incident cancer, mortality, and long term adverse treatment effects. It is critical that scientists receive training in conducting rigorous and impactful energy balance and cancer research. To address this need, we developed an annual one-week, in residence NCI-R25-funded Transdisciplinary Research in Energetics and Cancer (TREC) Training Course for early career investigators in basic, clinical and population sciences. This analysis examined the impact of the TREC Training Program on course satisfaction, knowledge gained, publications and awards among TREC Year 1 program participants (i.e., TREC Fellows). Methods: The TREC program consists of two components: an intensive, in-person, one-week Course, followed by a one-year TREC mentorship program. TREC Faculty are comprised of a TD team of ~20 international expert faculty members. TREC Faculty and Fellows completed surveys before and immediately after the course. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was used to determine course-related changes in knowledge and skills. At the end of the one-year mentorship period, a survey was sent inquiring about TREC-related research productivity and collaborations. Number of publications and grant-funding between June 2017 and December 2018 was compiled and summarized for the 20 TREC Fellows participating in the inaugural TREC course. Results: Information about the program was shared with ~30 organizations, resulting in 77 applications for the inaugural course. Twenty TREC Fellows completed the program, including three basic, seven clinical, and 10 population scientists. Sixteen of the TREC fellows were junior faculty and four were postdoctoral fellows. The 5-day course included over 50 lectures, small-group breakouts and Faculty-Fellow sessions. Attendees rated the course as very high, with an average 96.7% of responses scoring in the top two categories of “good” or “very good”. Knowledge related to conducting energy balance and cancer research significantly improved in 37 out of 39 competencies (94.8%). Between the end of the TREC Year 1 program in June 2017 and December 2018, TREC Year 1 Fellows published 20 manuscripts, with 15 co-authored with other TREC Fellows and/or Faculty. Fifteen % of manuscripts were published in journals with an impact factor > 10. A total of 19 grant applications were funded to TREC Fellows (i.e., five NIH awards, three ACS awards, three foundation awards, and eight internal pilot awards). Seven TREC Fellows were appointed or promoted in academic positions. Conclusion: The overall impact of the TREC Program will be defined by the degree to which TREC Fellows produce innovative research approaches and discoveries that could improve the health of populations at risk for cancer as well as cancer survivors. Upon completion of the 5th year of the TREC Training Program in 2021, we will disseminate the TREC Training Program material for adoption by the broader research and clinical community. Citation Format: Melinda L. Irwin, Diana K. Lowry, Marian L. Neuhouser, Jennifer Ligibel, Kathryn Schmitz, Ruth E. Patterson, Graham Colditz, Fangyong Li, Linda Nebeling. Transdisciplinary research in energetics and cancer (TREC) early career investigator training program: First year results [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-164.

Cultural Sensitivity and Global Pharmacy Engagement in the United States

Objective. To provide a resource for schools and colleges of pharmacy in different regions of the world that are considering sending their students and faculty members to the United States for training. Methods. A literature review (2000-2018) was conducted that involved database and Internet searches using specific keywords and terms. Information was also solicited from authors in different regions of the United States who have hosted international students and faculty members. Recommendations for pharmacists and other health care practitioners on culturally sensitive engagement were formulated. Results. Global engagement between schools and colleges of pharmacy from different regions of the world and the United States is increasing. In addition to various cultural aspects, general information about the US health care system, pharmacy education programs, and pharmacy practice were found to be available to individuals who are charged with organizing and facilitating these exchanges. Common stereotypes and misconceptions about the United States were also identified. Conclusion. For international learners to have an enriching and fruitful engagement while in the United States, an understanding of American culture in general as well as the unique cultural aspects of different regions of the country as provided in this paper is critical.

The International Educational Activity of Russian Universities

The article presents the results of a study of the international educational activities of Russian universities. The goals of the study were to identify groups of universities that have similar international educational activity indicators in a number of areas (based on a cluster analysis of the data) and to analyze the characteristics of universities in each of the identified clusters (the number of enrolled international students, the size of the university, specialization, geographical location, level of selectivity of the university, number of international research and teaching faculty members, and research activities). The study results may be of interest to university administrators, since they can help them to obtain a general idea of the current state and main directions of international educational activities at Russian universities. The proposed classification of universities can provide a basis for analyzing the university’s own position on the international educational market and adjusting strategic plans for expanding and strengthening the university’s position in various segments of this market.

A case study of international instructors’ experiences of English-medium instruction policy in a Korean university

ABSTRACTIn the midst of increasing global economic competition, higher education (HE) institutions in many non-English-speaking societies have expanded the extent of internationalization through the recruitment of international faculty members to their campuses and the adoption of educational policies such as English-medium instruction (EMI). Despite growing diversity in HE, little is known concerning the international faculty members’ perceptions and practices in relation to EMI policies. This case study examined international instructors’ experiences of teaching subject courses in English in a Korean university. A mixed method approach was taken with respect to the challenges of EMI with a questionnaire administered to 18 international instructors and in-depth qualitative interviews carried out with 5 of these instructors. The analyses revealed that the participants were dissatisfied with the lack of interaction between Korean and international students. Notably, without sufficient knowledge of the local language, the participants explicitly affirmed the effects of the local, Korean language on improving interaction and participation. They also provided tasks which local and international students should perform collaboratively in a team. The findings are discussed in terms of how EMI should be implemented to overcome locally bound constraints in a non-English-speaking context and to embrace the emerging needs of international stakeholders.

International Faculty Perceptions of Departmental Climate and Workplace Satisfaction

For this study we used the 2011–2014 survey data collected by the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to examine the degree of international faculty members’ satisfaction with autonomy, interactions with colleagues, departmental climate, and recognition and the effect of these elements upon the overall workplace satisfaction of international faculty members relative to their U.S. citizen peers. This study helps identify factors that can enhance international faculty members’ satisfaction in order to aid institutions in their efforts not only to recruit the best talent but also to support and retain such talent.

Coping Strategies of International Chinese Undergraduates in Response to Academic Challenges in U.S. Colleges

Background/Context One in three international students in the U.S. comes from China, propelled by a steep increase in undergraduate enrollment in U.S. colleges. This phenomenon has been accompanied by negative media discourse that portrays them as needy, passive, and unable to cope with their new educational demands. Purpose/Objective Using a hybrid sociocultural framework that privileges student agency and locates students within their sociocultural milieu, this study investigated strategies Chinese international undergraduates used to cope with challenges they faced in U.S. colleges. Population/Participants Eighteen participants—nine freshmen and nine sophomores— from three liberal arts colleges situated in an urban context took part in the study. Research Design This qualitative study followed participants through one academic year. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, engaged in three semi-structured interviews at the beginning, middle, and end of their academic year, and wrote four journal prompts. Findings/Results Results reveal that student strategies cluster around themes of agency and self-reliance, as well as outreach and support. Students spent more time studying, used a range of learning techniques, developed self-help and psychological strategies, tapped into institutional and technological support, and reached out to teachers and peers for help. Conclusions/Recommendations Students’ coping strategies reveal fluid responses to intersecting and changing sociocultural expectations, nimbleness in their adaptations, and transience in the challenges faced. Other than contesting stereotypes around Chinese students, findings spell implications for differentiated and responsive college policies serving international students, faculty members, and local peers. It also points to the need to incorporate more longitudinal studies with clear conceptual frameworks so that novel and nuanced understanding of international students can emerge.

Reverse flow in academic mobility from core to periphery: motivations of international faculty working in Kazakhstan

Through expanding flows of labor and knowledge on a global scale, academics are increasingly mobile as higher education institutions compete for talent that transcends borders. However, talent often flows from the periphery to the core as scholars seek out employment in recognized institutions of higher learning in developed economies. This study examines faculty mobility in a reverse direction: from the core to Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia. What factors persuade faculty members to relocate to Kazakhstan for full-time employment? What types of individuals pursue this relocation? Through interviews with international faculty members based in Kazakhstan, the study identifies push factors that trigger departure from one’s previous country of residence: job market, unsatisfactory work conditions, age, and marital status. Alternatively, Kazakhstan attracts scholars via pull factors that include salary, sense of adventure, and the opportunity to build new institutions and programs as well as conduct research. Unlike previous studies that highlight boundaryless mobility and individual agency, this study reveals constraints that mediate international faculty mobility. Furthermore, salary plays a limited role as a pull factor particularly among early career academics who are seeking research opportunities and meaningful contributions in building new academic programs and institutions.

The internationalization of higher education in the UAE and the implications for undergraduate students’ institutional choice for postgraduate studies

Abstract Higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expanded significantly over the previous two decades, largely shaped by the dynamics of internationalization. The higher education sector in the UAE includes federal/regional governments, and domestic and foreign private institutions. This study, conducted in 2016, aims to explore the implications of the internationalization of higher education for students’ institutional choice at postgraduate level. I collected quantitative data from 160 students and qualitative data from 40 students, all of whom were undertaking undergraduate programmes in the UAE. The results of the study indicate undergraduate students had mixed reasons for choosing an institution for their postgraduate studies; however, these reasons were more specific in relation to foreign universities and universities offering foreign curricula, including the presence of international faculty members, the opportunity to study foreign curricula, to gain international/joint degrees and the belief that these institutions offered greater global opportunities. This study highlights the potential challenges for federal and non-federal public institutions in attracting postgraduate students, particularly international students. In addition, the study indicates that the emergence of foreign and private higher education institutions in the UAE enhances the quality of higher education by raising competition between institutions.

International Faculty Contribution to Local Research Capacity Building: A View from Publication Data

This descriptive single case study uses a combination of bibliometric, social network analysis, and content analysis methods to explore how international faculty members employed at a flagship university in Kazakhstan contribute to local research capacity building. The database for the study includes 361 scholarly articles retrieved from the Thompson Reuters Web of Science database, in which at least one author is affiliated with the analyzed flagship university. The analysis of the data shows that foreign faculty members contribute to research capacity building by expanding the contextualized knowledge base, by conducting research relevant to policy priorities, by broadening the area of research dissemination, and by integrating the university into the global research networks. The role of foreign faculty in the development of local researchers’ skills and knowledge remains unclear. While our study shows a low level of collaboration between locals and foreigners, this can be attributed to the age of the university under examination and needs to be considered further.

Money, Power, Equity and Higher Education

In current issue of the Journal of Medical Education, Afshar in the Editorial “The Role of Private Sector in Higher Education; From Quantity and Quality to Access and Social Justice” proposed the importance of justice and quality. (1) It seems that there are some differences between two types of private sector in higher education. One type of private financial support in higher education comes purely from private sector without any contribution of public sector. The second type of private finance in the higher education especially the type which has grown recently in Iranian higher education is a type of combination between public higher education and private sector the so called international branch of the university till recent years, and nowadays called selfgoverning campus of the university. (2) In this type of private contribution to public higher education those who have no or little money must pass very hard national examination to be accepted in the university, and those who can pay the tuition fee could enter to the best schools of that university without the exam (in the first year of the project) or by loose standards or lower cut off scores. Actually, this is an instance of the double standards. One of the elements of being equitable and avoiding discrimination is to prevent undue achievement by the owners of the power such as owners of political, religious, economic, or military power, and to avoid any distinction according to race, colour, sex, language, and etc. (3) In this type of private money absorption in the higher education, while the others have no extra way to enter to the university that would lead to achievement of scientific power, the owners of the economic powers’ daughters and sons could have a special chance to achieve scientific power by the power of their parents, and there is a different criterion to enter the university based on non-scientific differences. In such situation growing student movements against commercialism of knowledge and education which is contrary to their culture and also against fair distribution of educational opportunities is probable. (4-6) In this condition the pressure of stigma on the student with lower scores in the entrance and the other examinations is not ethically acceptable either. The other problem of this type of private financial support in higher education is the matter of distinguishing the clear border between public sector incomes regarding the private one. Some similar studies in combining public and private healthcare services showed that it is the private sector that finally has income from the public one contrary to the presuppositions. (7) From another view supporters of self-governing branch (previously called international branch, while it doesn’t have real international students, faculty members or staffs) could state some benefits for private contribution to public sector higher education such as taking financial resources from private to the public, preventing capital leakage of rich people in the country to abroad. More over, It is said that “it is better to spend your money to attain knowledge and degree comparing with those who spend their talents and academic knowledge and degree to attain money in an unethical way”; namely if rich persons tend to spend their money to improve their family members knowledge and to help the scientific sector of the public, it would be appreciated as a good practice and act. on the other hand, could see some talent students or graduates who committed immoral practices such as a case in which a doctor explicitly states to the laboratory or other Para clinics colleague: “how much do I get if I send you patients?” (8) Conclusion: Entering best fields of best universities by the lower cut off scores comparing other similar applicant merely because of parents’ economic status could consider as an exemplary of unequal opportunity for equal ones. Helping public science sector of the society via paid tuitions may diminishes the ugliness of injustice, however public sector incomes clearance is essential to make public benefit claims real and documented. In the other hand stigmatization of the student with lower scores after their entrance to the university also seems to be unethical.

Exploring Intercultural Pedagogy

International faculty mobility raises important questions about the relationship between culture and teaching in higher education. As international faculty members adjust to new cultural expectations, they may alter their teaching styles. This study uses survey data to examine the teaching styles of international faculty members in South Korea. The study considers whether international faculty assimilate into Confucian heritage classroom culture by testing the hypothesis that formal authority and expert teaching styles will correlate positively with the number of semesters an international faculty member has taught in South Korea. However, the results reject this hypothesis. The findings elucidate teaching styles used by international faculty members in Korea and provide a platform for further investigation into intercultural pedagogy in higher education.

To stay or not to stay: retention of Asian international faculty in STEM fields

The present study identifies characteristics of individuals and work settings that influence Asian international faculty members’ intentions to continue their employment in US research universities. Given the demand for researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields (STEM), the higher rate of turnover among untenured faculty, and the replacement costs associated with turnover in STEM, the sample is limited to assistant professors employed in these areas. Multinomial regression analyses are conducted to identify variables that “pull” and “push” uncertain faculty toward intentions stay and leave their current institutions. The results suggest that faculty who are more satisfied with time available for research and those who express stronger organizational commitment are more likely to say they will stay. Those dissatisfied with the fairness of work evaluations and believe tenure decisions are not merit-based, are more likely to say they will leave.

Future perspectives in melanoma research. Meeting report from the "Melanoma Bridge. Napoli, December 2nd-4th 2012".

Recent insights into the genetic and somatic aberrations have initiated a new era of rapidly evolving targeted and immune-based treatments for melanoma. After decades of unsuccessful attempts to finding a more effective cure in the treatment of melanoma now we have several drugs active in melanoma. The possibility to use these drugs in combination to improve responses to overcome the resistance, to potentiate the action of immune system with the new immunomodulating antibodies, and identification of biomarkers that can predict the response to a particular therapy represent new concepts and approaches in the clinical management of melanoma. The third “Melanoma Research: “A bridge from Naples to the World” meeting, shortened as “Bridge Melanoma Meeting” took place in Naples, December 2 to 4th, 2012. The four topics of discussion at this meeting were: advances in molecular profiling and novel biomarkers, combination therapies, novel concepts toward integrating biomarkers and therapies into contemporary clinical management of patients with melanoma across the entire spectrum of disease stage, and the knowledge gained from the biology of tumor microenvironment across different tumors as a bridge to impact on prognosis and response to therapy in melanoma. This international congress gathered more than 30 international faculty members who in an interactive atmosphere which stimulated discussion and exchange of their experience regarding the most recent advances in research and clinical management of melanoma patients.

International Faculty in American Universities: Experiences of Academic Life, Productivity, and Career Mobility

AbstractThe increasing presence of international faculty members is validated using multiple data sources, and their professional experience is examined in terms of the perception of academic life, productivity, and career mobility.

FUTURE PERSPECTIVES IN MELANOMA RESEARCH. Meeting report from the “Melanoma Research: a bridge from Naples to the World. Napoli, December 5th–6 th2011”

After more than 30 years, landmark progress has been made in the treatment of cancer, and melanoma in particular, with the success of new molecules such as ipilimumab, vemurafenib and active specific immunization.After the first congress in December 2010, the second edition of “Melanoma Research: a bridge from Naples to the World” meeting, organized by Paolo A. Ascierto (INT, Naples, Italy), Francesco M. Marincola (NIH, Bethesda, USA), and Nicola Mozzillo (INT, Naples, Italy) took place in Naples, on 5–6 December 2011. We have identified four new topics of discussion: Innovative Approaches in Prevention, Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment, New Pathways and Targets in Melanoma: An Update about Immunotherapy, and Combination Strategies.This international congress gathered more than 30 international faculty members and was focused on recent advances in melanoma molecular biology, immunology and therapy, and created an interactive atmosphere which stimulated discussion of new approaches and strategies in the field of melanoma.

From the Bench to the Bedside: A Report from the 2nd Lung Cancer Network, 2012

The 2nd International Lung Cancer Network ‘From the Bench to the Bedside’ approached the global epidemic from the view of molecular pathways, with the presentation of a pathway followed by its clinical implications, in all settings (early disease, metastatic, maintenance and second-line, among others). In this educational course, we were able to provide treating physicians with practical information regarding the clinical significance of the histological and molecular profile of the tumor and how its integration in the therapeutic algorithm changes clinical practice. International faculty members presented the latest clinical data regarding the implementation of targeted therapies to lung cancer and have set the foundation for future research and strategies towards the personalized treatment of lung cancer patients.

Research productivity of foreign- and US-born faculty: differences by time on task

Similar to trends in postsecondary education across the world, today’s US universities are an increasing mix of native and foreign-born scholars. US institutions are experiencing a growing number of international faculty members, but there is limited literature examining foreign-born faculty who work in US institutions and how outputs from foreign-born faculty compare to US-born natives. Using data from the 2004 National Survey of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:04), this study examines difference in faculty members’ research productivity at doctoral-granting institutions by foreign/US-born status controlling for select individual and institutional characteristics. Findings show that foreign-born faculty members spend more time on research and less time on undergraduate instruction than US-born peers, and this may contribute to their higher levels of production. Implications are discussed that consider how to ensure diverse faculty communities that lead to strong research and knowledge production.