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Changing Horizons in Geography Education - HERODOT Network ...

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The Role of International Staff and Student Collaboration<strong>in</strong> the Enhancement of the Geographic CurriculumAnne Wheeler 1 , John Smith 1 , Albert Rydant 2 , Serguey Lar<strong>in</strong> 31School of Applied Sciences, University of Wolverhampton,Wolverhampton, WV1 1SB, UK2Department of <strong>Geography</strong>, Keene State College, Keene,New Hampshire, 03435-2001, USA3Faculty of Ecology and <strong>Geography</strong>, Tyumen State University,10 Semakov Street, Tyumen 625003, Russian Federatione-mail: anne.wheeler@wlv.ac.ukAbstractInternationalisation of the <strong>Geography</strong> curriculum at the University of Wolverhampton hasbeen a key feature of the programme over the last 15 years. The activities <strong>in</strong> the undergraduateand postgraduate programmes have <strong>in</strong>cluded work placement opportunities, fieldworkthrough the EU funded Tempus and Neptune programmes and <strong>in</strong> the USA, Russia, Spa<strong>in</strong> andEastern Europe, a variety of staff and student exchange programmes, and jo<strong>in</strong>t curriculumdevelopment projects. There have been a number of advantages to this type of <strong>in</strong>ternationalcollaboration. These <strong>in</strong>clude comparative studies of assessment methods and jo<strong>in</strong>tcurriculum development; pool<strong>in</strong>g of academic expertise and economies of scale; facilitat<strong>in</strong>gorganisation for foreign partners; enrichment of the staff and student experience throughcontrast<strong>in</strong>g cultural experiences and the broaden<strong>in</strong>g of European/global awareness.Key words: <strong>in</strong>ternationalisation, work experience, fieldwork, <strong>in</strong>ternational collaboration,broaden<strong>in</strong>g awarenessIntroductionMany universities throughout the world are <strong>in</strong>vestigat<strong>in</strong>g ways to enhance and <strong>in</strong>tegratean <strong>in</strong>ternational dimension <strong>in</strong>to their curricula (Haigh, 2002), and the sign<strong>in</strong>gof the Bologna Declaration has promoted this commitment with<strong>in</strong> the member statesof the European Union (EU). However, <strong>in</strong>ternationalisation can encompass severalmean<strong>in</strong>gs such as the dissem<strong>in</strong>ation of best practice, the collaborative developmentof curriculum materials, the facilitation of <strong>in</strong>ter-cultural awareness, or the promotionof <strong>in</strong>ternational standards <strong>in</strong> learn<strong>in</strong>g and teach<strong>in</strong>g (Shepherd et al., 2000).The University of Wolverhampton has been no exception <strong>in</strong> recognis<strong>in</strong>g theimportance of <strong>in</strong>ternationalisation of the curriculum and it has been a fundamentalconsideration <strong>in</strong> facilitat<strong>in</strong>g widen<strong>in</strong>g participation for a diverse student populationat the University for many years. The University strives to achieve, as Haigh (2002)stated, an “ideal <strong>in</strong>ternational curriculum that provides equably for the learn<strong>in</strong>gambitions of all students, irrespective of their national, ethnic, cultural, social classor gender identities.”287

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