Eastern Kentucky University recently became one of only 12 North American institutions to participate in an exchange program that allows students to study abroad.

The Magellan Exchange allows students to pay their usual tuition and fees at their home institution, but have an educational and cultural experience in a foreign country for a semester or full year.

Additional costs for extra travel and other transportation or food might be necessary.

“Students from EKU go to the mostly European member colleges and universities, and students from those institutions come to EKU,” said Bonnie Plummer, director of Study Abroad at EKU, who added there is a cap of about five students per semester for the program.

“While at the foreign institution, the students take regular classes that are offered in English,” she said. “Not being able to speak that language does not preclude the student from participating.”

EKU became involved with the program, Plummer said, because of the interest of the College of Business and Technology.

All full-time undergraduate students who are in good standing are eligible for the program.

However, the European member schools emphasize business, technology and applied sciences, so students from those fields at EKU would be most interested in participating, Plummer said.

“We’re in a global economy and business students do need to have a broader perspective of global business issues,” said Bob Rogow, dean of EKU’s College of Business and Technology. “The Magellan Exchange will provide students an opportunity to study abroad at a variety of institutions that include European countries, as well as in Mexico. From the perspective of students who are interested in international business and domestic business, but with a global perspective, this will give them an opportunity that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

The participating institutions include: Voralberg University of Applied Sciences, Austria; Rovaniemi University of Applied Sciences, Finland; Satakunta-Kankaanpaa, Finland; Satakunta-Pori, Finland; Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany; Zuyd University-Heerlen; Netherlands; Zuyd University-Maastricht, Netherlands; Zuyd University-Sittard, Netherlands; Arkansas State University, United States; Delta State University, United States; Missouri State University, United States; Morehead State University, United States; Northwest Missouri State University, United States; Southwest Missouri State University, United States; Tennessee Technological University, United States; University of Missouri-Rolla, United States; University of North Alabama, United States; Washburn University, United States; HEC Management School, University of Liege, Belgium; Provinciale Hogeschool Limburg, Belgium; Rennes International Business School, France; University of Monterrey, Mexico; and Valencia Polytechnic University, Spain.

“As with all study-abroad programs, EKU students benefit by having the opportunity to study while in a foreign country where they are exposed to a different culture and language,” Plummer said. “These are opportunities for immense personal and academic growth for the participating student. Such opportunities enhance a student’s marketability, especially in fields such as international business.

“For the university, the benefits are in having students from the European schools on campus to offer diversity,” she said. “Students considering attending EKU are often interested in what our study-abroad options are, so being a member of Magellan Exchange also makes us more marketable to potential students.”

Students who are interested in the program can talk with Plummer or their advisers in the College of Business and Technology to learn how to apply.

They also can go to the Magellan Web site — www.magellanonline.org — for details on the process.

Applications for the fall term are due by March 15.

“We do anticipate another visit by some of our European colleagues at Eastern Kentucky University in the next month or two to look at programming, not only in business, but also in communications,” Rogow said. “I think that, as we continue to move forward with the Magellan Exchange, there will be opportunities in other areas for students to study abroad.”

This entry was posted on Friday, January 19th, 2007 at 3:38 pm and is filed under Education, Study Abroad. Tags: College, Education, Student, Study, Study Abroad. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.