Create an International Program

students on faculty-led program

Creating a successful faculty-led program is a great way to internationalize the curriculum. The tools and resources below outline important factors that need to be considered in the design and facilitation of a successful program.  As well,  the Faculty-Led Programs Checklist and Timeline illustrates the recommended timeframe for the development of a new program. 

If you are considering developing a new international program abroad, a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program, or exploring changes to an existing program, we invite you to contact our International Learning team to discuss plans and supports.

Stages

  1. Planning

    • Setting up your faculty-led trip is an important step in ensuring the success of your program

  2. Implementing

    • Now you’ve done the groundwork, let’s look at what you will need to do to make your faculty-led trip a reality

  3. Preparing to Depart

    • Before you leave, there are still a few important things you need to consider and complete

  4. On Location

    • Expect the unexpected while you’re away! Here are a few things to be aware of to ensure the safety of you and your group

  5. Returning

    • Let’s make the transition back to Western smooth and look at how we can improve things for the future

Each stage will be categorized under the following topics:

Program Development

When creating your program, there are a number of things you will need to consider. From a course outline, approval from your Departments curriculum committee to the logistics for your trip, it is important to ensure your program is fit for participation.

Finance and Funding

This will include creating your budget, establishing a payment procedure and identifying payment deadlines, both for vendors and students. By clarifying your budget and identifying how payments will be received and processed, you can assist in smooth transitions from payment to payment.

Recruitment and Promotions

Promoting your program is an important aspect of the recruitment process. There are a range of channels where you might choose to promote your program, including online media, print media and participation in face-to-face events.

Application and Selection

Once students express interest in your program, you will want to determine how you select those you believe are suitable. Establishing how many places you have and what eligibility criteria you will use will assist you in creating an application and selecting the best candidates.

Pre-Departure

Before departing, it is imperative that students are aware of important information should an incident or accident happen abroad. Furthermore, being aware of available resources will help prevent incidents and accidents from happening in the first place.

Safety Planning and Mitigation

With safety being a priority for Western, it is often difficult to predict potential risks that occur abroad; however, faculty leaders can mitigate these risks by following Western’s Safety Abroad Policy and keeping in contact with International SOS (ISOS) services.

Course Logistics

Enrolling in the faculty-led study abroad course may be a manual process that students can complete, or it might be something the Department of Faculty choose to do. Ensuring the student completes the adequate pre-requisites and can be enrolled in the course according to their academic program are other considerations.

Program Evaluation

After the program takes place, it is important to evaluate the success of the trip. If there are areas identified for improvement, take actions to ensure they are addressed for the next round.

Post Experience

Assisting with students transitioning back to Western through reflective workshops and activities ensure the learning obtained from their international experiences is continued.