Fulbright Finland Capacity Building Workshop on Establishing Partnership Agreements with U.S. Universities to Increase Student Mobility

Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Paasitorni, Helsinki

The workshop aims to help Finnish higher education institutions in their efforts to establish and maintain well-functioning partnership agreements with U.S. universities, and to increase student and staff mobility between Finland and the U.S. A long-term specialist in the field of international education, Assistant Provost Heidi Gregori-Gahan from the University of Southern Indiana will be accompanied by a Regional Educational Advising Coordinator Peter Baker from the U.S. Department of State. The specialists will give tips for Finnish institutions on the theme, and will share the U.S. institutional perspective on international partnership building. The program also highlights successful Finnish examples of U.S. university mobility cooperation as well as how Fulbright Finland can be utilized to expand exchange opportunities in the U.S. In addition, U.S. students in Finland will share their insights on marketing Finland for U.S. students.

The event is full-day, free of charge and includes lunch and refreshments. A reception hosted by the Finnish Ministry for Education and Culture will conclude the workshop program.

The workshop took place right before the multidisciplinary Fulbright Forum on Education, Innovation, Science and Art (on March 15-16 at University of Helsinki and Aalto University), where nearly 30 U.S. Fulbrighters from different regions and educational institutions present their research. The participants will have the opportunity to attend the Capacity Building Workshop and then use the Forum as a way to network and build connections with U.S. Fulbrighters and their educational institutions.

Fulbright Finland News article (spring 2018): How to Establish Successful Student Mobility with U.S. Universities

Workshop Takeaways:
Key Factos and Best Practices for Partnership Building
Compilation of key factors and best practices shared by the workshop speakers and participants

Workshop Photos (Facebook album)

Program

Venue: Karl Lindahl Hall

08:30 Registration and breakfast

9:00 Welcome and Introduction to the Capacity Building Workshop
Terhi Mölsä, Chief Executive Officer, Fulbright Finland Foundation

9:10 Fulbright Finland Internationalization Services for Higher Education Institutions 
Mirka McIntire, Manager, Teacher Exchange and Education Programs, Fulbright Finland Foundation

Institutional Advising

• Seminars and roundtable discussions on current themes
• Study Tours
• Fulbright Speaker Program

9:40 Fulbright Finland Grant Programs Supporting Institutional Linkage Building
Emmi Jelekäinen, Program Coordinator, Fulbright Finland Foundation
Karoliina Kokko, Senior Program Manager, Fulbright Finland Foundation

• Overview
• Special features
• How can my university increase student and staff mobility through Fulbright programs?

10:00 Break

10:15 Successful Case Studies for Utilizing Fulbright for Partnership Building
Hanna Vehmas, University Lecturer, University of Jyväskylä (presentation slides)
Marina Wikman, Senior Lecturer, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences (presentation slides)

11:00  Lunch
Restaurant at Paasitorni

12:00 U.S. Perspective on Establishing Lasting Exchange Partnerships and Well-Functioning Cooperation with U.S. Universities
Heidi Gregori-Gahan, Assistant Provost for International Programs, University of Southern Indiana (presentation slides)
Peter Baker, Regional Educational Advising Coordinator, EducationUSA

• Overview of U.S. Higher Education and Global Mobility
• EducationUSA Resources for identifying potential institutional partnerships
• Overview of mobility between Finland and U.S.
• Best practices in developing strategic and sustainable partnerships

12:30 Panel Discussion: Various Forms of Student and Staff Mobility

Facilitator: Heidi Gregori-Gahan, Assistant Provost for International Programs, University of Southern Indiana

Panelists:

• Hanna Vehmas, University Lecturer, University of Jyväskylä
• Gary Olsen, Associate Professor, School of Business, Carroll University
• Peter Baker, Regional Educational Advising Coordinator, EducationUSA
• Tiffany Viggiano, Fulbright-EDUFI Fellow 2017-2018, University of California, Riverside (presentation slides)

13:45 How to Get Your Money’s Worth from NAFSA Conference Participation? 
Heidi Gregori-Gahan, Assistant Provost for International Programs, University of Southern Indiana

• Overview of the conference experience
• Developing a conference strategy
• Resources for first timers
• Resources for international participants

14:00 Coffee Break

14:20 Discussion in Small Groups on Finnish Approaches to Establishing Partnerships with U.S. Universities

Facilitator: Heidi Gregori-Gahan, Assistant Provost for International Programs, University of Southern Indiana

15:30 U.S. Student View: Practical Tips on Recruiting Students from the U.S.

Facilitator: Dr. Leasa Weimer, Knowledge Development Adviser, EAIE European Association for International Education, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Fulbright-EDUFI Fellow 2011-2012

Panelists:

• Danny Smyl, Postdoctoral Researcher, Aalto University, Fulbright-EDUFI Fellow 2016-2017
• Tiffany Viggiano, Fulbright-EDUFI Fellow 2017-2018, University of California, Riverside
• Andrew House, Fulbright-EDUFI Fellow 2017-2018, University of Helsinki
• Thinh Truong, Fulbright-Lappeenranta University of Technology Graduate Award 2017-2018
   

16:00 Closing words
Mirka McIntire, Manager, Teacher Exchange and Education Programs, Fulbright Finland Foundation

16:10 End of Workshop

16:10-18:00 Networking Reception hosted by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture