Transcript ISC Template - University of Central Florida

International Services Center:
Overview, Units, and Services
By
Rachid Bendriss
Assistant Director
Agenda
 The International Services Center Mission
 ISC’s Overview
 Operating Units
 Services
 Tips for Teaching in a Culturally Diverse
Environment
ISC’s Mission
The International Services Center strives to create a welcoming
environment for international students and to contribute to the
university’s goals of international prominence and diversification. The
ISC provides leadership, advocacy and support services for current
international students and scholars at the University of Central
Florida, as well as assistance in adjusting to a new academic
environment and culture. ISC has and will devote its efforts, plans
and processes to ensure legal compliance with the federal
regulations enhancing integrity of the program, so international
populations can maintain their status and are retained at the
university.
International Students and Scholars at UCF
 Our growing international community is composed of
more than 1,624 students and scholars - about 3.75%
of the entire student body - who come to UCF to
contribute to campus learning, community diversity,
research, and global partnerships.
 The most popular colleges for international students
include Engineering, Computer Science, Optics, and
Business.
International Students and Scholars
Enrollment
International Student Enrollment and Diversity
South America (234)
Oceania (3)
Africa (113)
Not Available or
Unknow n (7)
North America (77)
Middle East (119)
Asia (765)
Europe (229)
Central America (22)
Caribbean (105)
Operating Units
 International Admissions Team
Assist international applicants in processing and obtaining
necessary documents to obtain the F-1 visa
 Advisers
Ensure that current international students and scholars maintain
their legal status
Operating Units
 FNET (Foreign Nationals Employment and Taxation)
Assist international employees in processing paperwork and
provide taxation guidance to international students at UCF
 Recruitment
Focuses on recruitment of quality international students and
scholars, as well as the building of relationships with foreign
embassies and education advisers abroad
Operating Units
 Cultural Programming
Strives for the retention of current students and scholars by
promoting informative and social activities for the international
community
 Supporting Staff
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Scanning
Front Desk
Office Manager
IT Support
ISC Services
 Pre-admission advising
 International admission processing (Issuance of the I20/DS-2019)
 Immigration status changes to F-1 and J-1 status
 Reinstatement to F-1/J-1 status
 Transfer procedures
 Employment authorization
 Change of major or level
ISC Services
 Travel re-entry advice and authorization
 Program extensions
 Advising for students on practical training
 Assistance in applying for the waiver of the two-year
home residency requirement for exchange visitors
 Processing paperwork for international employees
 Assistance with social security application process
 Taxation guidance
Teaching in a Culturally Diverse Environment
Cross Cultural Communication Defined
 Involves the endeavor that people, from differing cultural
backgrounds, experience when trying to communicate in an
unfamiliar environment
Teaching in a Culturally Diverse Environment
Stages of Cross Cultural Adjustment
 Honeymoon Stage: Excitement
 Hostility Stage: Frustration
 Humor Stage: Relaxation
 Home Stage: Adaptation
Teaching in a Culturally Diverse Environment
Stages of Cross Cultural Adjustment
Emotions
Honeymoon Stage
Home Stage
Humor Stage
Hostility Stage
Month 1
Month 4
Time
Comparison Between Cultural Norms &
Values
Aspect of Culture
Mainstream American Culture
Other Cultures
Sense of self and space
Informal (Handshake)
Formal (Hugs, bows, handshakes)
Communication and language
Explicit, direct communication, emphasis on content
Implicit, indirect communication, emphasis on context
Dress and appearance
"Dress for Success" ideal, wide range of accepted dress
Dress seen as a sign of position, wealth, prestige
Food and eating habits
Eating is a necessity (fast food)
Dining is a social experience. Religious rules apply
Time and time consciousness
Linear and exact time consciousness (time = money)
Elastic and relative time consciousness (life enjoyment)
Relationships, family & friends
Focus on nuclear family, value youth, age seen as
liability
Focus on extended family, age give status and respect
Values and norms
Individual orientation, independence, direct confrontation
Group orientation, conformity, preference for harmony
Beliefs and attitudes
Egalitarian, individuals control their destiny, gender
equity
Hierarchical, individuals accept their destiny, different
roles
Mental process and learning styles
Linear, logical, sequential, problem-solving focus
Lateral, holistic, simultaneous, accepting of life
difficulties
Work habits and practices
Emphasis on task. Reward based on individual
achievements. Work has intrinsic value
Emphasis on relationships. Rewards based on seniority.
Work is a necessity of life
Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural
Communication
 Assumption of similarity rather than difference
 Wearing similar clothes or speaking the same language does
not mean that beliefs and values are also the same among
individuals ( i.e. Americans vs. Australians)
 Language
 Language goes beyond understanding vocabulary, syntax and
idioms
 Comprehension of the intentions and implications behind the
verbal utterances demonstrate an advanced level of language
comprehension
Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural
Communication
 Nonverbal misinterpretations
 Several non-verbal signs and symbols like gestures and body
movements are easy to identify
 Other cues like how time and space are handled are far more
difficult to note and discern
 The presence of preconceptions and stereotypes
 “We don’t see things the way they are, we see them as we
are”
Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural
Communication
 The tendency to evaluate
 Wrong judgments result in a breach of trust and poor
communication
 High anxiety
 Anxiety underlines and compounds all the other stumbling
blocks. Tension is common in cross-cultural experiences
because they are full of uncertainties. Therefore, high levels of
alertness and cleverness must guide every action
Improving Intercultural Communication
 To be communicative is to be open, responsive and non
judgmental.
 Avoid cultural stereotyping, which is the application of a
generalization to every person in a cultural group
Closed Mind
Cultural Influence Blocked
 Promote cultural generalization. Tendency of a majority of people
in a cultural group to hold certain values and beliefs without
blocking external influences
Permeable
Mind
Openness to Cultural
Influence
Tips on Developing Cross-Cultural
Communication Skills
 Know yourself
 Identify biases, attitudes, and opinions
 Identify the image you want to portray
 Use a shared code
 Avoid slang or jargon
 Use simple vocabulary
 Be Patient
 Take time to listen to others and allow time for pauses
and silences
Tips on Developing Cross-Cultural
Communication Skills
 Improve communication skills
 Demonstrate interest in listening and participating in dialogues
 Pay attention to non-verbal cues
 Concentrate on explicit messages, but be sensitive to implicit
points in a conversation
 Encourage feedback and be prepared to give feedback
 Ask questions
 Give feedback with kindness, but to the point
 Develop empathy
Contact Information
International Services Center
Barbara Ying Center-CMMS Building
Phone: 407/823-2337 Fax: 404/823-2526
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.intl.ucf.edu
Thank you