TO:                  IU Faculty – All Campuses

FROM:            Patrick O’Meara, Vice President for International Affairs

DATE:             September 1, 2009

RE:                   Approvals for Indiana University Overseas Study Activities

Indiana University is known worldwide for the education abroad opportunities it provides for its students.  The 2008 International Strategic Plan reaffirms the high priority of study abroad at IU.  President Michael McRobbie has requested that I outline the approval process which is designed to maintain the integrity of IU’s study abroad programs. Quality control policies are essential in order to standardize our academic programs abroad, regularize the process of granting credit for overseas study and ensure the highest standards of safety and security.  Before initiating any study abroad activity, IU faculty and administrators must comply with the following procedure.

All activities involving IU students studying or traveling abroad must be approved by the Office of Overseas Study.  In all cases the faculty member organizing an activity involving IU students abroad must submit a proposal to the university-wide Overseas Study Advisory Council (OSAC).  Activities requiring approval include programs open to all students as well as single courses designed by individual schools or campuses, overseas courses offered on a non-credit or independent study basis and organized trips by clubs or teams.

The Council’s approval procedure provides consistency in the process of granting credit and ensures that overseas activities adhere to IU’s high academic standards.  It also helps to safeguard the health and safety of all IU participants.  The process also serves to introduce best practices to all program organizers, including how to minimize risk.

The Overseas Study Advisory Council, chaired by the Associate Vice President for Overseas Study, Kathleen Sideli, must approve all proposals before any recruiting, advertising or scheduling for the proposed program begins.  Please refer to the Overseas Study web site to review the Guidelines: www.indiana.edu/~overseas/policies/proposal.shtml.  Proposals are reviewed as they are received. Applicants are advised to do advance planning in order to allow sufficient time to complete all necessary arrangements both at IU and abroad.

Inquiries and proposals should be directed to the Office of Overseas Study, Franklin Hall 303, IUB, 812-855-9304, overseas@indiana.edu.