Speech: Enes Osmancevic

Ideas for Panel Discussion on International Education

Globalization in economy and education increases the necessity for learning to cooperate. International education in many countries and the United States is a response to this necessity. Though the main goals for international educations may be similar, the mechanisms, infrastructure, components, and tasks can vary from country to country, from continent to continent. Very often the approach to international education is depends of the economical status of the country and available resources and as well as governmental priorities. The example can be the existence of Department of State with its Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs that provides coordination of exchange programs and resources on a governmental level, as well gives a general framework of requirements for other institutions to participate in International Education.

There is consensus among a scholars and practitioners on the importance of International education. Though there is no agreed definition for international education, it’s structure and goals. In order to discuss the question Do American and European understand “International Education” in the same way? We need to start with definition, or with working definition for the session.

Let us discuss and definite what is International Education from American point of view and from European point of view? (Working on definition in several groups: 5-10 min.)
Now we can discuss commonalities and differences.

Appropriate definition we found in the book written by Gerald L. Gutek “American Education in a Global Society: Internationalizing Teacher Education”.

“It is education that examines:

The definition recognizes that we are both citizens of nation-states and participants in a global society.

The author identified and analyzed the tensions that exist between education for the nation-state and education for a global society, but believes in the possibilities for resolving these tensions. For the author’s opinion, who is American (but probably recent European descend) the governance and organization of American Public schools does not contribute to the development of an International perspective.

From our perspective as international scholars in the USA, we can add that international education in the U.S.A. lacks a two-way flow of knowledge, both disseminating American ways and learning from other cultures to bring the best achievements in education and other spheres of life. (E.g., language learning in this country: FLE/ESL; secondary and Adult Basic Education is not influenced by international education, though encompasses people from different countries and nations)

(E.g. The role of journalism: In the High schools Americans do not learn about World History of Journalism, even European Journalism which is old around 400 years. Education in mass media: In Europe, there are more TV public channels include educational programs and good coverage of international events, which is part of nonformal international education.)

Questionnaire distributed among European scholar in the U.S.A. has showed the following differences in approaches:

In Europe:

The main idea of IE is learning from each other without a dominance of one culture/country with a two-way communication and knowledge flow.