2019 European Conference for Student Affairs and Services

Since the late 80s, when student exchange programs started to scale, internationalization shifted from niche initiatives to comprehensive strategies. In the European Higher Education Area, for example, the target is to have 20% of graduates have a mobility experience by the end of their studies by the year 2020. Globally, with its flow of knowledge, people, technology and more, globalization highlights how institutions need to rethink their internationalization initiatives and strategies to ensure access is more inclusive, quality and support are preserved, and innovation is encouraged at all levels. How can student affairs professionals navigate the internationalization wave?

The conference planning committee invites you to submit conference program proposals that will:

• Define evidence-based practices regarding “internationalization-at-home” initiatives that prepare all students to live and work across differences and in an interconnected world.

• Identify best practices for supporting international and inbound students to successfully navigate the local community.

• Establish a network of colleagues with whom to create short-term mobility opportunities or exchanges for students.

• Explore the advantages of intercultural experiences for students, institutions, and beyond.

Institutions of higher education around the world are experiencing a wave of incoming students who present with diagnosed health and well-being concerns. trend. With culture and language differences, studying in a different country can present unique challenges for these students.

The conference planning committee invites you to submit conference program proposals that will:

• Define holistic student well-being and its relationship with student success in higher education.
• Define current mental health conditions (e.g. depression, substance abuse, etc.) which represent challenges to student success and well-being.
• Identify collaborative models between service practitioners (qualified mental health professionals) on campus and within communities.
• Enhance mezzo- and macro-level strategies to enhance student resilience.
• Discuss replicated return on investment from resources dedicated to mental health services, programs, policies, and environmental designs.

• Discuss cultural design of health promotion within all job functions and roles at an institution of higher education.

Employability studies around the world demonstrate that graduates are not leaving the university environment with the many of the skills valued by employers. Teamwork, leadership skills, resilience, and dealing with conflict are some of the most sought after skills by most employers. Student affairs educators must work collaboratively across the institution to improve outcomes resulting from both inside and outside of the classroom learning.

The conference planning committee invites you to submit conference program proposals that will:

• Articulate and utilize the concepts of career readiness to improve student employability following graduation.
• Learn evidence-based, career services practices to assist students to leverage international experiences for finding internships and professional positions.
• Understand the various ways institutions document learning, both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Identify successful career search approaches for international and limited job markets and navigating the bureaucracy involved with an international career search.
• Demonstrate how effective programs can tighten the graduate skills gap in order to improve international mobility and employability.

How can student affairs work with intentionality to expand the out-of-classroom experience for all students? What are some promising practices in building a residential curriculum to ensure meaningful learning that goes beyond attendance? How to build a culture of assessment in residential life? These questions are meant to guide the discussions of news trends and challenges in student learning and engagement in residential settings.

The conference planning committee invites you to submit conference program proposals that will:

• Identify initiatives that increase and deepen students’ participation and engagement in educational programs on campus or residential halls
• Understand that documenting learning in residential settings or informal learning programs improves overall student success
• Describe how involving student leaders on campus or residential halls expands student learning (for e.g., tutors, orientation mentor, resident assistant, academic mentor etc.)
• Explore strategies to build intentional learning environments and/or living-learning communities