Going global-a methodology for shaping students for the global workplace

Many programs are seeking ways to become 'global'. The Aviation Technology (AT) department at Purdue University began this process by discussing what traits make someone 'global'? How is a program shaped to produce students for whom a global perspective is second nature? Should we be trying to make students global? In response, a committee of faculty and industrial members were gathered in June 2000 to begin answering those questions. The group began by discussing what globalization meant to the industrial members. From these discussions, a Vision Goal emerged and four subset areas of further study were identified: business relationships, technical, education-business and cultural, and regulatory. Next, a process for obtaining information from a number of locales pertinent to these subsets was laid out. Third, involve the AT Industrial Advisory Committee in a parallel process to provide input and feedback on suggested curriculum changes. Fourth, develop methods meeting the identified needs and working them into the academic curriculum.