2024 Case Study Competition

Fictional Institution & Team Roles

Paradise University (PU) is a regional public university with 10,000 students. Despite not having global education included in PU’s mission statement, you remain committed to fostering a campus culture that promotes global awareness and connectivity. You are the Director of the Office of International Affairs (OIA) at PU. There are several departments within OIA responsible for PU’s international programs, including: education abroad (EA), international student enrollment (IEM), international student and scholar services (ISSS), curriculum internationalization and faculty development (TLS), internationalization at home/campus events, and international partnerships (IEL). Your objective is to cultivate a campus culture where faculty and students embrace global perspectives and develop intercultural competence. (all 5 NAFSA knowledge communities). [Participants will act as the OIA team for the competition.]

Your commitment to continued development of PU’s global programming is generally well-received by campus leadership, and there is an appreciation for the positive impact that global engagement has on students, faculty, and the campus at large. While OIA is resourced adequately for its current level of operations, there is no expectation of new state funding or additional campus investments in OIA in the near future. Your growth strategies, therefore, are focused on marginal increases, leveraging relationships with campus partners, learning from the examples of various institutional administrators at other universities, and so on.

PU’s provost is initiating an institution-wide Blue Ribbon Committee & Taskforce to focus on campus climate and culture and strengthen students’ sense of belonging. As the OIA Director, you represent your department on the committee. The committee will kick off with an informational retreat to decide institutional priorities and next steps.

10-minute Group Presentation to the Provost

For the Provost's retreat, you need to prepare a 10-minute group presentation highlighting OIA’s current effective actions and proposing new initiatives to enhance inclusion and foster belonging on campus. The provost has confidentially shared that there is limited additional funding for new initiatives. Teams will present strategic ideas in a 10-minute presentation, highlighting current OIA programs and initiatives that impact campus climate and student belonging at PU and offering 3-5 recommendations for how OIA can further contribute to institutional strategies for improving campus climate and strengthening student belonging on campus. Consider the following:

• Perspectives that span the multiple domains of international education—education abroad, leadership, recruitment and enrollment, international student and scholar services, research, and teaching and learning
• Key performance indicators (KPIs) and assessment methods to effectively measure outcomes
• Any programmatic or institutional partnerships (e.g., with other campus units, off-campus, international, other universities, etc.)
• Any accreditation concerns
• Potential sources of funding for existing offerings or new suggested initiatives

Teams should consider what information will best serve to make the case and gain support from the Provost.

Read the full scenario.