reaching across the border: international work in wisconsin cooperative extension

Reaching Across the Border: International Work

inWisconsin Cooperative

ExtensionArlen Albrecht

Mary CraveMartin Havlovic

University of Wisconsin-Extension

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Objectives

• Review examples

• Describe benefits

• Discuss implications

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Accomplishments

Who:40 persons/5 years

With:• Peace Corps• USAID• ACDI/VOCA• Farmer to Farmer

What:

• Training• Teaching• Evaluating• Developing• Designing

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Wisconsin-Nicaragua

• Wisconsin-Nicaraguan Partnership• UW-Ext faculty on WNP Board• System wide focus on Nicaragua

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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

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Benefits

• Invigorating• Broadens world-view• New knowledge

of processes, policies, content, techniques

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Benefits

Improved Skills• Teaching• Creativity• Decision-making• Communication• Resourcefulness• Self awareness

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Benefits

• Develop new or build on scholarship, research opportunities

• Learn new language

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Benefits

• Sensitivity to cultural differences

• Teach content not in current position

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Implications

• Time – before, during, after

• Stress and re-entry fatigue

• Local programs may suffer

• Exposure to risks

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Implications

• Revitalizes faculty• Revitalizes

program• Develops or

expands partnerships

• University serves international objectives

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Implications

• Brings recognition to University

• Source of revenue

• Provides professional development

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Implications

• Leadership needed• Need for training• Not for everyone

personality resources support

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Implications

Educators need to show benefits and be accountable

Administrators need to understand value and provide support and leadership

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Conclusions

• Many international education opportunities

• Potential benefits for Extension educators, clients and partners

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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