Larry D. Lauer

A story in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education reported that some educators have come to believe that it is not necessary to use a passport to have a global experience.

The argument in the story is that with the multicultural diversity of the US population it’s not necessary to cross national borders to give students intercultural skills. Today some 40% of Americans are members of racial or ethnic minority groups, and one in 10 is foreign-born.

This thesis, however, misses two important realties:

(1) While it is true that producing globally minded students on campus is both possible and essential, nothing takes the place of also actually being there.

I co-taught a class on international communication for many years with a scholar from India. And yes, I have many friends from India right here in North Texas. I have attended Indian cultural events in Fort Worth. And I have seen many films about India. But none of this comes even close to what I experienced when I found myself wandering the streets of Mumbai and talking with Indians in India! Experiencing a foreign culture on campus is important. But actually traveling and spending time there is essential if you want to become a global citizen and leader.

(2) The second reality has to do with the implications of higher education becoming a global industry. Student migratory patterns are changing. More undergraduates will be choosing to attend foreign universities. Faculty career opportunities are becoming more global. Fund raising is becoming much more international.

These forces will change the competitive situation of most institutions, no matter how small or how local. These questions will have to be addressed: When will our best undergraduate student prospects also be considering an Asia-based education in English at the same cost? When will our donors also begin choosing international visibility and naming opportunities related to their growing global interests?  Will our students have access to the same quality foreign experiences as our competitor’s students?

The bottom line is this:  Preparing for a successful global future will require both on-campus cross-cultural experiences and genuine living-learning abroad opportunities.