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 Dr. Angel Perez
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The Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Program offers participants a unique perspective on education systems, a professional network that spans the globe—and it's better than any vacation, according to Dr. William Mullen, Vice President of Enrollment Management, Augsburg College, and Fulbright IEA program alum.
Mullen attended the Japan program in 2013, with an eye to expanding the partnership, exchange and study abroad opportunities for his then-institution the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.
"The combination of meeting people at colleges and universities, along with visiting important cultural sites means you’re getting a deep appreciation for the country and having fun at the same time," Mullen said.
“[The experience] could have a profound impact on your work and your institution,” added Dr. Angel Perez, Vice President, Enrollment & Student Success, Trinity College, and fellow Fulbright alum.
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 Dr. William Mullen (in yellow)
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For example, the opportunity can:
- Broaden multicultural opprotunities for you and your institution. It's a “phenomenal intercultural experience,” said Perez, who also discovered his dissertation topic while serving in France as a representative of American Higher Education.
“After visiting very different institutions all over France, I knew I wanted to write about institutional mission in education and how schools operationalize their mission,” he said.
Mullen went with the institutional goal of exploring opportunities for partnerships, exchange and study abroad with art and design schools in Japan. Anime, manga, and graphic novels were very popular with students at the time, and the experience helped broaden student access to study these art forms.
- Highlight challenges facing higher education in different countries—and spark creative solutions.
“I traveled all over the country visiting universities, higher education institutions and organizations that feed into our work. We met with colleagues from France to problem solve, share ideas across sectors and share information about best practices in higher education. I was able to sit right next to the minister of education in France and listen to him give a talk about the challenges that lie ahead for his country. Afterwards, I was able to speak with him and share my experience as a graduate of the New York City public school system,” Perez said. “We talked about how what is happening in the public schools in large cities in the U.S. are facing the same changes in budgets, diversity, etc., and France could adopt some of its practices.”
Similar issues were at stake in Japan, Mullen said. He and colleagues discussed issues such as the shift in demographics that was causing lower numbers of students graduating from secondary school and the internationalization in higher education.
"My experiences in Japan provided me with a completely different perspective on these issues,” Mullen said. “The opportunity to see how another education system approaches these issues was and continues to be very valuable in my work in enrollment management."
- Expand your professional network.
"I am still in touch with many of my U.S. colleagues from the seminar,” Mullen said. “The experience forges a close bond that creates a professional network from a wide variety of institutions that continues to serve me well."
Perez agreed. “When I returned to the states, I gave a talk at my institution about the experience, and connected my France colleagues with others at my institution who wanted to partner in research, projects, or study abroad,” he said. “What it's done for my career is incredible. I didn't realize that Fulbright alumni are connected all over the world.”
“When you become a Fulbright alumnus, you join a network of peers passionate about your discipline whom you can tap for resources at any moment,” Perez said. “The Fulbright experience was so powerful for me, I now serve as a peer-reviewer for the Fulbright selection committee.”
Details & how to apply
The Fulbright IEA program invites AACRAO applicants to apply intensive two-week seminars in six countries: France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, and Russia.
Seminars include campus visits with a cross-section of universities and colleges; briefings with faculty and administrators, government officials, and leading educational experts; and tours of historical and cultural sites. Participants return to their home institutions with an enhanced ability to build partnerships, encourage study abroad participation, and support international students.
The Council for International Exchange of Scholars administers the Fulbright Scholar Program on behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
They are currently accepting applications for October 2016 seminars in France and Germany.
- U.S.-France International Education Administrators Program: This two-week seminar is open to senior-level university administrators (such as deans, directors, vice presidents, provosts, and presidents) with substantial responsibility for enhancing the international dimension of their institutions. Applicants must be affiliated with a college, university, community college, or non-profit international education exchange organization and have a minimum of five years of full-time work experience in the field of international education.
- U.S.-Germany International Education Administrators Program: This two-week seminar is open to administrators involved in one of the following areas: international exchanges (student or faculty exchanges, foreign student admissions and advising, study abroad programs, and international education exchange services), career services, alumni affairs, and development and fundraising. Applicants must be full-time administrators affiliated with a U.S. university, college, community college, or nonprofit international education exchange organization.
Grants include economy round-trip airfare, travel within the host country, lodging, and a lump sum supplement for incidentals.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens. Find complete eligibility criteria, application guidelines, and review criteria on the Council's website. The application deadline for both seminars is February 1, 2016, and complete award descriptions are available at the hyperlinks above.