Proposal Writing
Once you have decide on a location and researched the region, it is time to compose a detailed proposal for your international department or school administrators. Ask your school if they have a template that they would like you to follow for the proposal writing process. If not, consider using parts of the template below:
Introduction: provide an introduction that paints a well-rounded picture. Talk about the students that you wish to take on the trip, provide information on the curriculum that they are currently learning and detail how this trip will complement and enhance their current learning. Be sure to also include some basic information about yourself and sell yourself as the ideal faculty candidate to accompany your students on this trip abroad.
Photo by S. Bramwell
Purpose: this is the section where you will carefully lay out the details of your trip and what you want to accomplish. Don’t worry if you don’t have all the details figured out but try to have some ideas of learning activities. For example, you might want to say you will partake in language lessons. This language experience will help students expand their language skills necessary for international workplaces. There is no need yet to confirm the language school unless you know already.
Be sure to include cultural experiences as well to help provide a full-some experience for your students. This can include visiting local markets, churches, historical sites and visiting with local organizations.
Photo by S. Bramwell
Photo by S. Bramwell
Photo by S. Bramwell
Academic deliverables: are the assessments and contributions that the students abroad will complete in light of being away from the regular classroom. This step is critical as it ensures that there is learning that is happening on the trip and that the learning is relevant to the students overall program.
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At this stage, you will not have your entire itinerary confirmed yet so it can be difficult to consider what your academic deliverables will be. Try to provide at least some preliminary ideas.
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I find it easiest to look at the courses the students will be taking while they are away. I look at each courses' learning outcomes as well as the assessments. If it is possible to use the travel abroad learning to complete or replace an assessment, that would be the easiest. If not, talk to the teachers who teach these courses (if it is not you) and discuss with them what type of assessment is appropriate and manageable while the students are away.
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Flexibility is key! I found that once my proposal was accepted and I started to work with the professor from our partner institution in country that some of the assessments changed and shifted based on their lesson plans. The professor in country brought fresh and welcomed insights and perspectives.
Academic deliverables will vary in weight depending on the courses but ultimately students should obtain some credit for their studies abroad.
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When considering academic deliverables, I also like to take the time to consider how the students can share their learning and experiences abroad in a positive manner with their peers upon their return. I refer to this as their academic give back when speaking to my students. Be cautious that the activities you choose do not result in travel abroad students showing off to their peers. I prefer options that have my travel abroad students deliver a service or product that their peers can enjoy. Some examples I’ve done include having abroad students capture 360 degree photos and videos and annotating them so that their peers can take virtual reality type tours of the same places and learn about their experiences during class. Another popular idea at my workplace is having travel abroad students return and put on a cultural night for their teachers and peers where they highlight cultural foods, music and art from their trip.
Partner institutions/ companies: often times, your school will have international partners that they are used to working with. It is best to use these whenever possible as they have partnership agreements in place already. If not and you have connected with partner institutions or companies, make sure to include this information. Discuss how these partners will enhance your trip and include any considerations such as costs associated with partnering or the requirement for a translator if you both speak different languages.
Photo by S. Bramwell
Proposed itinerary/ timing: the following sections are best written in chart format. Although you are still in the proposal phase, you should begin to consider timing. It is difficult for students to take more than a week off of school so firstly, consider the length of your trip. Next, look at the academic calendar and consider where your trip best fits. Can you manage it over a reading week or other break week so that students miss as little of regular classes as possible?
What do you foresee the daily itinerary to look like? Remember to include times for traveling, meals and rest. Many first time planners jam too much in, resulting in tired faculty and students with short fuses.
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Budget: This part can be difficult to complete but it shows good initiative to do the research and provide as much information as possible. It is also a good idea when reaching out to your international department to notify them of your intentions to submit a proposal to flat out ask if there is a budget. Knowing how much you have to work with will make it easier for you to strategize and balance your activities.
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