While the effect of a new Syracuse University study abroad policy is unclear, the university is taking steps to raise the number of students studying outside the country.

Last year, SU announced that beginning this fall, it would no longer grant credit to students who take a leave of absence to participate in a study abroad program that is not through the university or its affiliated schools. The number of students studying abroad in those programs is not known because the policy is still new, SU Abroad officials said. SU students are able to obtain credit through SU Abroad centers and affiliated programs.

If students want to go to a specific location that the university does not offer, they can petition, but it must be done nine to 12 months prior to their enrollment date for the program.

That nine to 12 months gives SU time to work with the student and their college to see what classes can be taken that will go toward their degree, said Margaret Himley, associate provost for international education and engagement.

When a program is reviewed, the university looks at the academic rigor of the program and finds out if it matches with SU. They also look into the safety of the location, that the students will have support and that they are taking courses that can fulfill the requirements needed to graduate, Himley said.

Prague, Copenhagen and Barcelona are frequently requested by students to be added as study abroad locations so the university will begin offering them this semester through the World Partners Program, Himley said. She added that SU is also currently looking into Brazil.

To increase the number of students going abroad, SU is partnering with Generation Study Abroad to pledge to increase the already above-average number by 10 percent.

Generation Study Abroad, a five-year program by the Institute of International Education, works to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade, according to their website.

Universities and partners in the private and public sectors publicly commit to this nation-wide initiative, where each take on the responsibility of promoting study abroad programs, said Raquel Battle, senior program coordinator of IIE Initiatives.

“Globalization is changing the way the world works, and employers are increasingly looking for workers who have cross-cultural competence and cutting-edge technical skills,” Battle said. “Studying abroad gets students to learn about different cultures, gives them different experiences and is essential for succeeding students.”

Currently, less than 10 percent of students in the U.S. study abroad, according to research done by Generation Study Abroad. However, currently about 48 percent of all SU students study abroad, according to an SU News release.

“Syracuse has a well-known study abroad program, and as a leader in the field, we thought it was important to be a part of this initiative,” said Jennifer Horvath, manager of marketing and communications for SU Abroad.

SU joined the program in May, pledging to increase the university’s study abroad enrollment by 10 percent as well as develop course work that will allow STEM students, who usually do not participate in study abroad opportunities, the ability to do so.

“For a very long time, students in Newhouse, management and Arts and Sciences were able to study abroad because it was easier (with the class selection), but we are working with engineering, Falk College and the iSchool to develop programming for them to study abroad,” Horvath said.

Horvath added that they are working with the colleges to get classes approved and developing programs that add value to students’ careers at SU.

SU’s study abroad program allows students to choose from eight oversees centers located in Beijing, Florence, Hong Kong, Istanbul, London, Strasbourg, Madrid and Santiago, Chile. Students also have the option to study in 60 additional countries through SU’s World Partners Program.

Through creating classes and adding new locations, the university hopes to achieve its Generation Study Abroad goal.

“It is really important for students to realize, even if they thought they couldn’t (study abroad) because of classes or financial reasons, we want more students to go abroad and we will work with them however we can to help them go,” Horvath said.

Published on August 31, 2015 at 10:13 pm

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