UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

ACADEMIC PLANNING COUNCIL

Bulletin #71

September 14, 2005

I. Introduction and Welcome

II. Academic Planning Context and Agenda

III. UC’s Role in an International Context

I. Introduction and Welcome

New members to the Academic Planning Council include: Ken Janda (Division Chair, UCI), William Ladusaw (Dean, Undergraduate Education, UCSC), John Oakley (Vice Chair, Academic Council), Denise Segura (Chair, UCEP), George Sensabaugh (Chair, UCORP), Eugene Washington (Executive Vice Chancellor, UCSF), Jane Lawrence (UC Merced observer).

II. Academic Planning Context and Agenda

For its first meeting of the 2005-06 academic year the APC discussed planning activities taking place in other groups. Provost Greenwood described the scope and activities of the Long-Range Guidance Team (LRGT), a group established by President Dynes to advise him, along with input of others in the University and external communities, on the long term direction of UC. The LRGT has met twice, developing a common set of information about California demographics and economy and the University’s and state’s role in an international context. The LRGT will conduct scenario planning from which key features of the future direction of UC may be developed. Documents describing these themes will be shared on interactive websites and in campus meetings to solicit feedback from the wider University and external communities.

Examples of topics for the LRGT consideration include questions such as, what should be UC’s international strategy or philosophy? Should we be working with foreign governments more proactively? In business affairs, are we taking full advantage of our size? Do we need a system for harnessing our strength to respond to large funding initiatives that come out of private foundations and the government? Where should we be directing our energies to expand and improve graduate education?

In response to this overview, APC members noted the increasingly high cost of graduate students, with high fees and nonresident tuition in particular presenting problems for recruiting the best out-of-state and foreign students, and emphasized the need to convince the State of the importance of providing sufficient funding to recruit these students. (Note: the 2006-07 Regents’ Budget will direct the estimated $10 million in savings from improved business practices, such as sole-source purchasing, to graduate student support. There is also a proposal under consideration to eliminate nonresident tuition for students who have advanced to candidacy). Whether these nonresident students stay in California or return to other states and countries, they bring real benefits to California; however, without data, it is difficult to document these benefits. To that end, APC members and other readers of this Bulletin are encouraged to submit anecdotes or findings from surveys about how international graduate students in particular have benefited UC and/or California as a result of their education at UC. (Reply to this list or forward to Carol.Copperud@ucop.edu).

Provost Greenwood also mentioned the recent formation of two planning groups, the Task Force on Planning for Professional and Doctoral Education (PDPE), and the University of California Systemwide Committee on Competitive Graduate Student Financial Support (GSAC). In conjunction with the broad interests of the Long-Range Guidance Team and the PDPE charge to identify existing and emerging fields in which UC will be expected to play a leading role in preparing the workforce through graduate education, Provost Greenwood and Executive Vice Provost Hume will be visiting campuses in the fall to discuss (in part) doctoral and professional education at UC in order to obtain broader University input into the critical questions and issues that the Task Forces are addressing. APC members were encouraged to attend these meetings, which will also include planning topics proposed by campuses.

Considering its own agenda for the coming year, APC members suggested a number of possible academic planning topics: how to incorporate civic engagement activities into course offerings (see previous APC discussion at http://www.ucop.edu/planning/apcfiles/apc68.html); development of a meaningful educational plan for those graduate students who will not end up teaching at research universities; the possible development of a philosophy about undergraduate education; and, consideration of structural issues, such as how being a system can and should add value to individual campus academic programs.

III. UC’s Role in an International Context

Gretchen Kalonji, Director of International Strategy Development, described for the APC a number of recent initiatives that she is developing. She outlined her role as having two parts: first, to provide a facilitative function for the system to operate more effectively in all its international activities; second, to create new models for international engagement. She noted both strengths and weaknesses she has observed since coming to UC in early 2005, derived from interactions with campus leadership, Senate committees, campus visits and review of websites. She notes as strengths that UC already has extensive international research collaborations that UC benefits from considerable diversity, both within UC and within California, and has a strong structure in study abroad opportunities, such as the Education Abroad Program and campus-based programs. However, she also noted that there is no strategic focus in internationally-based research, there are limited opportunities for students (both undergraduates and graduates) to engage in research activities overseas, and UC's engagement with sectors other than academic (such as business and local government in partner regions) is weak.  This makes it difficult for UC in its international engagements to as good a job as it does locally in California in the second "D", of the R, D an D (Research, Development and Delivery) metaphor.

Professor Kalonji described three initiatives in development. The first is in China, where UC already has approximately 130 research projects, primarily in agriculture, health sciences, and engineering, but limited opportunities for students. Working with China’s Ministry of Education, the ten UC campuses will affiliate with ten Chinese universities to explore new models of integrated research and education in topical areas of mutual interest (e.g., transportation, air and water quality, cultural heritage and arts) and of priority relevance to the health and vitality of both China and California.   This new alliance has come to be called the 10+10.  The China Scholarship Council (CSC) is re-establishing a program to support doctoral students studying abroad.  UC will serve as a pilot site in the US for new models of collaborative international doctoral education in collaboration with the CSC.  Interdisciplinary clusters of students will be supported in binational research teams, focusing on themes prioritized by the 10+10 Alliance.  Reciprocal exchanges of students between UC campuses and Chinese partner institutions will be greatly enhanced.   The Chinese National Commission of UNESCO will also be involved, providing opportunities for UC faculty and students to undertake projects at UNESCO world-heritage sites of various natural and cultural assets.  

A second initiative under development is with UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico). UC campuses currently have many collaborations with Mexican universities, particularly through UC-MEXUS (40 percent of them with UNAM). This initiative will establish new models for integrating collaborative team-based research activities into the curricula of undergraduates and doctoral students. Programs will be jointly offered, with students from both countries working together starting in the sophomore year. (Degrees will be granted by the students’ home institutions). It has not been determined which campuses will serve as pilot sites for this new program, but UC Riverside and UC San Diego are likely.  The expectation is that this joint program would be open to students from all campuses eventually.  Both the Mexican and California Academies of Sciences have agreed to partner in the development of a corollary seminar series that would bring researchers and students from both countries together.  Casa de California, located in Mexico City, would provide a useful venue for many of the collaborative activities that are envisioned.

The third initiative described by Professor Kalonji builds on Prime Minister Tony Blair’s interest in expanding higher education opportunities in Africa, and UC’s already extensive research involvement in Africa. UC has had preliminary conversations with Oxford to explore ways that the two institutions might work with existing African universities to expand their education and research and scientific capacity, while also furthering the participation of faculty and students from Oxford and UC. This initiative, expected to take 10-20 years to develop fully, would initially build on current programs in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

APC members were enthusiastic about the programs described by Professor Kalonji. There was a question about how UC might look in 5-10 years structurally. For example, would these programs be modeled on MRUs? Would we have international schools in, for example, public health? Professor Kalonji noted it seems best to build on existing multi-campus, interdisciplinary structures that are working well, in particular on the Cal-ISIs, not to create new ones that faculty might be slow to accept. Nevertheless, she observed that there are programs that are too ambitious for individual faculty or campuses to pursue, or that require a critical mass of people from several campuses and that can only be achieved through systemwide efforts.