1. University of Wisconsin-Extension
Reaching Across the Border: International Work in Wisconsin Cooperative Extension
Arlen Albrecht
Mary Crave
Martin Havlovic
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Marty – slides 1-7

2. Objectives Review examples Describe benefits Discuss implications
Review examples of outreach scholarship at the international level
Describe the benefits of international outreach to faculty
Discuss implications of international outreach for educators and their institutions
Question audience : who has experience working in international setting?

3. Accomplishments Who: 40 persons/5 years With: Peace Corps USAID
ACDI/VOCA
Farmer to Farmer
What:
Training
Teaching
Evaluating
Developing
Designing
1.       ACCOMPLISHMENTS
A.     40 UWEX faculty/staff have worked overseas in the past 5 years
B.     Peace Corps
a.   Training Peace Corps volunteers and host Moroccan nationals in youth development and entrepreneurship
b. Evaluating Peace Corps agriculture programs for Moroccan Ministry of Agriculture.
c.   Developing rural/community development materials for Peace Corps volunteers in Morocco.
C. USAID
a.  Leadership development Training of Trainers for Uganda youth
b.  Training of Trainers for women in Dairy Cooperative in Cameroon
c.  Training USAID employees who work in disaster assistance in facilitation skills
d.  Teaching leadership development to Nicaraguan community leaders (they came to Wisconsin)
 D.    ACDI/VOCA
a.  Teaching strategic and business planning to Kazakhstan university faculty.
b.  Developing farmer and rural cooperatives for Kazakhstan farmer.
E.     FARMER TO FARMER PROGRAM
a.  Training of extension workers in Nicaraguan dairy industry
b.  Teaching of strategic planning, entrepreneurship, health, child development, nutrition to Nicaraguan women.
c.  Introducing square foot gardening to rural Nicaraguans.
d. Designing community development project with Nicaraguan national agriculture university.

4. Wisconsin-Nicaragua Wisconsin-Nicaraguan Partnership
UW-Ext faculty on WNP Board
System wide focus on Nicaragua
II.                   WISCONSIN - NICARAGUAN RELATIONSHP
1.      Wisconsin - Nicaraguan Partnership (WNP) was established under President Kennedy's Partners of the Americas program in 1961.
2.      UWEX Cooperative Extension faculty sit on WNP Board of Directors
3.      UWEX Cooperative Extension international program efforts are focused on Nicaragua

5. Individual Efforts
Mostly Agriculture and Natural Resources or Community Development staff
2-3 weeks at time
University time and vacation
Most have previous international experience
II.                   UWEX COOPERATIVE ENTENSION INTERNATIONAL WORK
1.      Most travelers are either Agriculture faculty/staff or Community, Natural Resources & Economic Development faculty/staff.
2.      Most international work is from 2 to 4 weeks in time.
3.      Most international work is done on work time and few counties require vacation or leave time to be taken.
4.      Women account for about 40% of international work in UWEX Cooperative Extension.
5.      Most international work is done by faculty/staff who have had previous international experiences such as Peace Corps, IFYE, etc.
  Therefore: came to UWEX w/ some of the skills, attitude, appreciation of challenges and rewards of international outreach. Challenge is articulating and connecting that to UW-Extension work.
Arlen will address what some of the benefits are to faculty.

6. Benefits Invigorating Broadens world-view
New knowledge of processes, policies, content, techniques
Arlen – slides 8-12
This information was not compiled through formal research, rather it is based on reflection of the colleagues who have done international work.

7. Benefits Improved Skills Teaching Creativity Decision-making
Communication
Resourcefulness
Self awareness

8. Benefits Develop new or build on scholarship, research opportunities
Learn new language
·        Can provide new or support ongoing research interests – or may be in different direction (e.g. Marty specializes in PRA, Mary wrote journal article on Uganda project outcomes)

9. Benefits Sensitivity to cultural differences
Teach content not in current position
Can teach content or skills that is an interest but no longer part of current role or mission (e.g. Arlen w/ gardening, Mary w/women in development)
With the new “Internationalizing Extension” focus, there is a challenge to more closely connect international work with diversity and multicultural programming at home.

10. Implications Time – before, during, after Stress and re-entry fatigue
Local programs may suffer
Exposure to risks
·        Time – before, during and after trip
·        Stress and fatigue, re-entry time
·        Local programs may suffer, accomplishment of local goals delayed
·        University and staff exposed to risks – security, accidents, individual performance

11. Implications Revitalizes faculty Revitalizes program
Develops or expands partnerships
University serves international objectives
·        Revitalizes faculty – especially in mid and later career
Can be fun to be so respected as a guest, at same time humbling on challenges of situations, don’t know much at all or have many answers
·        Revitalizes programs or provides new program focus
Both of these benefit the university – not just the individual
·        Expands or develops partnerships with USDA, USAID, POA, Peace Corps, other universities for on-going work
·        University serves broader national and international objectives – provides leadership to global issues

12. Implications Brings recognition to University Source of revenue
Provides professional development
·        Brings recognition to UW – internationally, nationally and locally (e.g. Youth Leadership program in Uganda received big USDA award; Nicaragua/POA – Wis. partners have broader understanding of UWEX
·        Source of revenue for university or program area (if educator brings in grant for time or buy-out)
·        Provides professional development applied in local work – that university does not need to provide.

13. Implications Leadership needed Need for training Not for everyone
personality
resources
support
Leadership now provided by John Preissing, Northern District Director, working with a network of people who have done international work. He is a former Peace Corps volunteer and has done Extension work in Nicaragua.
Support but not leadership from UWEX administration – we provide leadership; Arlen and Marty on Wis/Nicargua Partners board, developed contacts at USDA, Peace Corps, Coop. Ext./ESP International Comm. Mary Crave has contacts with CSREES. Takes time.
Not connected to UW-Madison International programs, we’re not integrated faculty.
“Core internationalists” may be “type-cast”; “non-core” persons feel excluded or that they lack competence. Need to expand pool and number involved. Persons interested need to take initiative – not expect to be paid, or to have opportunities fall into lap. Core internationalists need to train, mentor, and refer colleagues.
Not for everyone – administrators and potential internationalists need to understand fit (Should not be used as a “reward” if the person is not qualified or won’t succeed, nor place to “ship-off” poor performers until retirement. Siberia)
personality, time/timing, family support, work/office/colleague support, advisory committee support

14. Implications Educators need to show benefits and be accountable
Administrators need to understand value and provide support and leadership
·        Administrators will support educators if they understand value to individual and organization.
Educator needs to be accountable for this work and articulate benefits to administrators, county Ext. Comm., dept. chair.

15. Conclusions Many international education opportunities
Potential benefits for Extension educators, clients and partners
Conclusion
Many international scholarship opportunities for county, area and state educators. Need to develop networks, identify skills or knowledge that can be taught, competencies needed to succeed.
Many benefits to educators that make them a better extension educator that strengthens entire organization. Educators need to articulate that.
Benefits to learners and partners.
Implications for educators and administrators that need to be articulated and understood to make it a win-win-win situation for the educator, learners, and administrators.

16. Conclusions
Internationalizing Extension is important step toward broadening the focus of international Extension work
Demonstrating value at home is a challenge
Look to benefits in diversity/multicultural work