International Collaboration to Enhance Advanced Technological Education:
Glascow Program: Through a special funding opportunity within NSF Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC), University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB), and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) are providing an international collaboration that will enhance a students global understanding and educational success through a structured experience that includes three components: a preparatory learning community at BHCC that builds a knowledge foundation, a 4-week industry or research internship in Scotland that connects students to the local education, business and cultural environment and a peer-mentoring seminar at UMB upon return where students will share experiences, provide presentations to local students and employers and continue in their studies with a new global perspective. This opportunity will further promote these linkages and expand the learning opportunities for community college students from BHCC who are on a transfer track to UMB.
In today’s world, undergraduates in STEM majors benefit from having research and technical experiences in corporate as well as university laboratories. This is because a great deal of science and research discovery occurs in corporate centers and not just in universities. Also, there will be more and more science and research collaborations across oceans and national boundaries so undergraduates who participate in international internships and assignments in corporate centers will attain skills that are not readily available on their home campuses.
Offering community college students research projects in international industrial laboratories enhance their ability to ultimately go into international as well as national career paths which will dominate in the future. We also anticipate benefits to Global Corporations with International Research/Technical Centers. Global corporations with research conducted within and outside of the US can benefit greatly from participation in the placement of community college students abroad. US undergraduates who work in corporate affiliated research or technology centers in foreign countries will become comfortable with living outside of the United States and with working with their national researchers and scientists and therefore be more motivated and capable of contributing to an international workforce.
Please see the announcement here
The students have established a Facebook page. Looks like they are enjoying their work and play!
Recent press lease from Glasgow Caledonian University: August 2011 http://www.gcu.ac.uk/newsevents/news/bydate/2011/1/name,35013,en.html
For more information contact Deborah Boisvert at 617.287.7295 or deborah.boisvert@umb.edu
