EDC Business Meeting
12:00-12:45pm
Discussion Topic:
 EDC/NAFSA Publication for newly appointed educational attaches
 12:45-1:30pm Lunch:
 1:30-4:45pm Spring Workshop:
Professional Aspect of Reentry for
International Students: Employment Focus
Professional Aspect of Reentry for International Students
1:30-1:45
1:45-2:00
2:00-2:25
2:25-2:45
2:45-3:00
Embassy Welcome
Framing the Reentry Issue (Senem Bakar, EDC Chair)
Overview of the Student Experiences (Dr. Fanta Aw, AU)
What Employers Value (Martin Tillman, Global Career Compass)
Discussion
3:00-3:15
Coffee Break & Networking
3:15-4:30
PANEL: Best Practices
Moderated by Dr. Deirdre Evans-Pritchard
Embassy
(Aysha Murad, Embassy of Bahrain)
Institution
(David Fletcher, AU Career Services)
AMIDEAST
(Deirdre Evans-Pritchard)
Alumni Networking
(Department of State)
4:30-4:45 Q & A
EMBASSY WELCOME
 H.E. Ambassador Houda Ezra Nonoo
Senem Bakar
EDC Chair
The Internationally Mobile Student
 May be defined based on: permanent residency, citizenship or
prior education.
1.
“… are those who study in a foreign country of which they are
not a permanent resident” by UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
2.
“..are non‐immigrant international students in the U.S. on
temporary visas at the postsecondary level” by the Open Doors,
IIE.

Sources: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)Institute for
Statistics, Open Doors, IIE
Global Student Mobility
International Students Worldwide
Source: Atlas of Student Mobility
Top Host Destinations Worldwide
For Global Mobility
(2009-2010)
2009
2010
Destination
Int'l Students
Int'l Students % Change
U.S.
690,923
723,277
4.7
UK
415,585
455,600
9.6
France
266,448
283,621
6.4
China
238,184
265,090
11.3
Australia
253,717
258,827
2.0
Germany
244,776
252,032
2.9
Canada
161,679
174,760
8.1
Japan
132,720
141,774
6.8
Source: Atlas of Student Mobility
What to Cope With may include:
 Job market with excess supply of workforce
 Gender Preferences in employment
 Homes in Crisis
 Reentry to the Workplace
 High Expectations
 Difficulty to communicate what was learned (lack of
context)
AREAS OF CONCERN for REENTRY: AU Example
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Employment
Cultural Transition
General Concern and
Uncertainty
Social Reintegration
Gender Differences
and Expectations
74%
43%
43%
26%
24%
Fanta Aw
Assistant Vice President, American University
The Voice of Returnees
 “I’ve come because of Opportunities. I want to help my
country and humanity”
 “I could see my future very clearly in the United States.
I could have Stayed and lived a nice life and retired,
but It did not seem to be enough. “
PULL-PUSH FACTORS
 IMMIGRATION POLICIES IN HOST COUNTRY
 NATION STATE POLICIES- HUMAN CAPITAL

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DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS- HOME AND HOST
PRESENCE OF MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS (MNCs)
GOVERNMENT OR INDUSTRY INCENTIVES
FAMILY VALUES
GENDER ROLES
QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES
BRAIN CIRCULATION
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND RE-ENTRY EXPERIENCE
EXTERNAL
FORCES
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENT
INTERNAL
FORCES
• Filial
obligations/expectations
• Perceived/Real value of
Overseas degree &
education
• Demand for Skills
• Social/Professional
Networks
• Business attitude
• Work expectations
• Economic Conditions
• Transition
• Professional
integration
• Persistence
• Other
•
•
•
•
•
•
Family values- Caring for
the aging
Identity-mono/bi/multi
Social
acceptance/rejection
Psychosocial adjustments
Relevance of professional
experience
Cost-Benefit of decision
Research- Findings

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Availability of Economic Opportunities
Family Ties
Access to markets (local and global)
Contributions to Home Country Econ Dev
Lower Business Cost
Government Incentives
Quality of Life
Speed of Professional Growth and Recognition
 Source: Kauffman Foundation- Wadhwa, Saxenia and al.
Martin Tillman
President, Global Career Compass
My Blog:
http://globalcareercompass.wordpress.com
“…With talent as the critical issue facing both local and
global organizations, those of us in higher education
are forced to look beyond our campuses, because
the employability of our graduates is at stake, as
well as the capacity of these organizations to grow and
create those jobs we hear about.”
Gilles Bousquet, Dean, Division of International Studies
& Vice Provost for Globalization, University of
Wisconsin-Madison, The Growing Demand for Talent,
Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 20, 2011
Impact of Globalization
Globalization of the workplace- coupled with
the rise of a more mobile international
workforce- has resulted in a new
transnational academic narrative supporting
the re-alignment of international
programs to achieve gains in
competencies that add value to student
career decision-making and postgraduate job searches.
WHAT MATTERS TO EMPLOYERS
“…In today’s global economy, where complexity and
change are the norm, attracting and retaining culturally
competent talent will continue to be a challenge for
companies globally. International experience has
become a critical asset for all global organizations
and will continue to create a competitive advantage
– both for individuals and for the companies that hire
them”
Laurette Bennhold-Samaan, Managing Director, Aperian
Global, an intercultural consulting, training, and web
tools company (personal correspondence, June 14, 2011)
New Rationale for International
Experience
 Global marketplace demands increased adaptability,
cross-cultural sensitivity, political awareness
,intellectual flexibility
 Employers take more active interest in outcomes of
education abroad experiences to build sophisticated
and informed workforce
 Employers interested in whether applicant
demonstrates that as a result of international
experience, they developed skills and sensitivity
making them stand out as strongest candidate
Research Supports Value of IE to
Employers
 American employers look for graduates with broad
range of skills and in-depth [technical] knowledge
 Employers believe it’s essential graduates have
ability to apply learning in real-world settings
(Hart Research Associates, 2010)
 2011 QS Survey- largest ever conducted on global
scale…
The Globally Competent Student
 Comprehends international dimensions of their major




field of study
Effectively communicates in another language and/or
cross-culturally
Has diverse and knowledgeable worldview
Demonstrates cross-cultural sensitivity & adaptability
Continues global learning throughout life [and in
career choices]
 NASULGC International Task Force Report, 2004
What Employers Look For?
 Domain knowledge (subject expertise)
 Cognitive, social, and personal skills
 Prior work experience
 Cross-cultural experience
Rand Corporation/National Association of
Colleges and Employers, 1994
(First-ever survey-all subsequent surveys
validate findings)
2011 QS Global Survey of
Employers
 Report based on over 10,000 respondents from
116 countries on five continents- largest opinion
survey of its type undertaken to date:
http://content.qs.com/qs/qs-global-employer-survey2011.pdf
KEY FINDING: 60% of employer
respondents state they value
international study when
recruiting talent
International Education in U.S. &
Employability: What’s the Linkage?
Global Hiring & U.S.-Educated Foreign Nationals:
Can Colleges and U.S. Businesses Fulfill Implicit
Promises from Participation in U.S. Higher
Education?
COLLEGIATE EMPLOYMENT RESEARCH INSTITUTE RESEARCH NOTE 4 –
2011, Michigan State University
http://www.ceri.msu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Global-Hiring-U.S.Educated-Foreign-Nationals1.pdf
Survey Parameters
 Survey of 137 organizations or 28% of all responding

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participants indicated that they had operations outside U.S
Average size: 22,761 employees
Sectors dominating: Manufacturing (30%) and
Professional and Scientific Services (20%)
Other sectors (between 3% and 8%): Finance & Insurance,
Government, Retail, Education, information Services and
Nonprofits
All 50 states and District of Columbia represented with
these as key leaders: Illinois, New York, Ohio, Texas,
California, Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina, Michigan,
Minnesota, and New Jersey
What value do U.S.- educated foreign
nationals bring to your organization?
 Understanding U.S. business customs
 Understanding U.S. culture (social norms, customs)
 Increase adaptability to work within diverse environments
 Increasing diversity of thought among decision-makers
 Gaining insights into international business practices
 Developing global mindset for future global leadership positions
 Introducing U.S. workers to foreign culture
 Influencing business activities in home country upon return
References
 Collegiate Employment Research Institute, Michigan state
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University, NOTE 4 – 2011, Global Hiring & U.S.-Educated Foreign
Nationals: Can Colleges and U.S. Businesses Fulfill Implicit
Promises from Participation in U.S. Higher Education? Phil
Gardner, Ian Render
Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. (January 20, 2010),
“Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views on College Learning in the
Wake of the Economic Downturn”
Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc. (December 28, 2006),
“How Should Colleges Prepare Students to Succeed in Today’s
Global Economy?”
QS Global Employer Survey Report 2011: How Employers Value an
International Study Experience, Maloney, Sowter, Potts
http://www.nafsa.org/partners.sec/global_partnership_program/globa
l_workforce_development
My Blog: http://globalcareercompass.wordpress.com
DISCUSSION
COFFEE BREAK & NETWORKING
3:00-3:15pm
PANEL on Best Practices
Moderated by Dr. Deirdre Evans-Pritchard
 Embassy (Aysha Murad, Embassy of Bahrain)
 Institution (David Fletcher, AU Career Services)
 AMIDEAST (Deirdre Evans-Pritchard)
 Alumni Networking(Lisa Barton, Office of Alumni Affairs, DoS )

Q&A
Lisa Barton
Alumni Outreach Coordinator
Office of Alumni Affairs, Department of State
Alumni of U.S. Exchanges: A Resource for Advancing
Foreign Policy Priorities
• Forge long-term relationships;
• Maximize the return on investment;
• Bolster credible voices;
• Empower agents of change;
• Provide a deeper understanding of
local environments.
EDC Contact Information
Email
edc@american.edu
Web Sites
www. NAFSA.ORG/MIG-EDC
www. Edconeducation.wordpress.com