Developing a New Program
On a traditional study abroad program, which is typically a semester-length or longer summer program, the Office of International Programs has established a direct relationship with a foreign institution or organization, a third-party study abroad provider, or an institution in the US that runs study abroad programs. The program has been appropriately vetted by faculty and administrators from Rollins through various means, including site visits, and there is a detailed agreement between Rollins and the provider of the study abroad program. When students participate on such a program, the program provider is essentially acting as the “home campus,” and has an infrastructure in place to effectively manage risk and provide appropriate student support. Moreover, the quality of the academics must be carefully reviewed and documentation gathered as necessary to ascertain the appropriate credentials of program faculty and instructors. Due to this, traditional programs are very carefully reviewed and often take a long time—one and a half to two years—to establish. They typically are developed with the intention of becoming ongoing programs since they take a substantial amount of work to set up. When a Rollins faculty member participates on a traditional study abroad program as the instructor of a course (or courses), or simply as additional student support, that faculty member’s role is quite different than that of a faculty leading a Field Study: he or she would be expected to teach (if applicable) and may participate in program activities and excursions, but would not take primary responsibility for the group of students, or make predeparture or on-site arrangements. For a traditional study abroad program, the Office of International Programs handles most program arrangements directly with the program provider, though the faculty member would be involved in curriculum decisions, and possibly in selecting program excursions and activities.
If you are interested in developing a semester or summer program, please work directly with the Director of International Programs. We are happy to discuss possibilities for program development.
A Word About Exchange Programs
An exchange program is a type of study abroad in which there is a reciprocal relationship between the home institution and an institution abroad. Students from each institution are able to study at the other institution, and an agreed-upon ratio of students is maintained. Typically the ratio is one-to-one, but when there is a significant disparity in price between the two institutions, the ratio may be two or even three-to-one. In theory, exchange programs should be budget-neutral: they should not cost either institution anything to run. Due to the current structure of Rollins programs, exchange programs would usually include tuition and standard room and board: an outgoing Rollins student would pay tuition, room and board at Rollins in order to cover those costs for an incoming student from the partner institution. Exchange programs can be difficult to run effectively as it can be challenging to maintain a balance due to shifting student interest and other concerns. It is imperative that any exchange programs be thoroughly researched and that a detailed agreement is developed by the Director of International Programs with input from the Director of International Student and Scholar Services.
Establishing a Relationship with a Foreign Institution
International Programs is fortunate to be able to benefit from the wonderful connections that Rollins faculty have with foreign institutions. If you will be traveling internationally and are interested in establishing a relationship with a foreign institution for the purposes of study abroad (or with study abroad as a potential goal), please discuss your intentions with the Director of International Programs.
If we determine that a partnership would be beneficial and aligned with the Rollins College Strategic Plan for Internationalization, then we will provide you with template documents (Memorandum of Understanding/Exchange or Study Abroad Agreement).
