Develop a Faculty-Directed Program

On a faculty-directed program, UIC faculty members propose, develop, and lead a credit-bearing program for UIC students. There are several models these programs can take:

• Stand alone: on a stand-alone program, faculty members teach coursework abroad that is not attached to a course back on campus. These programs typically occur during the summer, although there is the potential to lead a stand-alone program during a semester.
• Embedded: embedded faculty-directed programs offer a short travel component embedded within a course offered on campus. These programs frequently occur as spring break programs embedded within a spring semester course.
• Hybrid: the Study Abroad Office works with a variety of partners to coordinate onsite logistics and academic needs for programs. On hybrid programs, faculty members may teach or otherwise support students abroad in addition to students having an opportunity to take coursework offered by a partnering organization.

As faculty-directed programs are credit-bearing, each program must have at least one eligible UIC faculty/staff member to serve as the faculty director in addition to having approval from a sponsoring academic unit.  Individuals with a UIC appointment and the appropriate credentials are generally allowed to serve as the faculty director of a program.  Additional program leaders may also co-lead the program from either an academic or student-support perspective and may be university faculty, staff, or in select cases, graduate students.

The role of a faculty director is manifold and requires an individual who

• is committed and engaged in the recruitment of students
• can devote time to coordinating and promoting the program throughout the year
• is ready to engage students outside of the traditional classroom environment
• is open to serving as a student affairs professional and as a liaison to the home campus when there are incidents or emergencies

While direct experience in the proposed host country is not required, it is generally preferred that faculty directors have experience traveling internationally.  It is strongly recommended that the faculty director proposing the program perform a site visit. The Study Abroad Office may be able to help coordinate and connect faculty members to funding resources for site visits.

Compensation

UIC faculty and staff members who lead a study abroad program will be given a Study Abroad Program Leader appointment. In addition to having their program-related expenses covered, program leaders may be eligible for additional compensation. Program leaders of a summer program may receive additional compensation if they have a 9-month contract and no competing summer commitments; please see these guidelines for details. Program leaders of an embedded program (ex: spring break) are not provided additional compensation beyond their regular UIC compensation.

The Study Abroad Office (SAO) manages the study abroad proposal process on behalf of the University of Illinois at Chicago within the Office of Global Engagement.  SAO recognizes the central role that faculty members play in creating meaningful co-curricular international experiences for students and in expanding access to study abroad.  Accordingly, the SAO is dedicated to supporting the development and oversight of the University’s faculty-directed study abroad programs to ensure that they adhere to University policy and professional best practices as set forth by the Forum on Education Abroad[1]. Faculty members interested in proposing a faculty-directed program should follow the steps outlined here to obtain approval for their program to be offered.

1. Eligible faculty or staff member contacts the Executive Director of the Study Abroad Office to schedule a meeting to discuss their program idea. In this meeting, all aspects of the proposal and coordination process are discussed, including:
   • Program leader responsibilities
   • Program viability/marketability
   • Logistical coordination
   • Financial viability
   • Vetted program partners
   • Risk management
   • Planning timeline
2. With support from an assigned SAO staff member, the Faculty Director completes the Program Proposal Form by established deadlines (generally 14 months out – see deadlines in next section).
3. Once the proposal is completed, the faculty director obtains approvals from the chair/department head and dean of the sponsoring academic unit. All program leaders affiliated with the program must obtain approval from their department head.
4. The proposal is reviewed by the UIC Study Abroad Program Review Committee and they make a recommendation:
   • Proposal approved
   • Proposal needs specific revisions or questions addressed
   • Proposal is declined
5. The Chair of the UIC Study Abroad Program Review Committee communicates the recommendation of the committee to the Faculty Director and the Study Abroad Office Executive Director.
6. Proposals requiring revisions are worked on by the assigned SAO staff member and the Faculty Director. Approved proposals are permitted to proceed to the program coordination stage, where SAO staff will assist with sourcing approved program partners, creating a program budget, developing the student application process, and adding the program to the SAO website.

[1] The Forum on Education Abroad is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization for the field of education abroad

All faculty members interested in proposing a program are first asked to schedule a meeting with the Executive Director of the Study Abroad Office to discuss the general program idea, the proposal process, and preliminary questions. After the meeting, faculty members will be asked to begin completing the following documents:

• UIC Faculty-Directed Program Proposal Cover Sheet
  This document captures basic information about the proposed program and requires approval from the leadership of the sponsoring academic unit.
• Program & Academic Description Form
  This document constitutes the main proposal document and is meant to be completed in partnership with an assigned Study Abroad Office coordinator.
• Renewal Form
  Once a program has been formally approved by the Study Abroad Program Review Committee, faculty need only submit this condensed renewal form each year they intend to offer the program. Programs that make substantial changes to the host location, changes in services, academic offerings, or overall structure of the program will require a new proposal packet and undergo the full review process.

• Recording of Info. Session about Proposing a new Faculty-Directed Program (March 2022)
• Tips and Considerations for Planning a Faculty-Directed Program
• Leading Short-Term Education Abroad Programs – The Forum on Education Abroad
• Info. Session PowerPoint Template