A range of new virtual international global education offerings, including internships, are on the summer menu through the Office of International Education and Programs.

Partnering with the college’s long-time collaborators in CAPA will offer “a great opportunity for our students to take courses online and complete a virtual internship globally without having to leave home,” said Lizette Alvarado, associate director of the Office of International Education and Programs. 

“Students will be able to interact and engage with faculty and other students across CAPA's Global Centers in Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Dublin, Florence, London, Shanghai and Sydney,” she added. 

“While we know it’s not the full experience of traveling abroad, which isn’t an option with the current conditions, CAPA is an amazing partner that delivers academic experiences where students can intimately and creatively learn about fascinating places and cultures,” said Joshua McKeown, associate provost for international education and programs for SUNY Oswego.

“Even then, students also can still gain this credit, knowledge and experience for lower costs and with easier logistics,” McKeown said. “And they still get to connect with fascinating faculty members and wonderful students around the globe.”

International internships

For the internship option, students can gain international work experience and global awareness through employment with CAPA partners in the same locations as the global cities courses. CAPA will work with students to find individualized internships that match their interests, qualifications and goals.

“Students can earn credits and learn specific skills as well as how business functions in different cultures,” McKeown noted. “We’re starting to see the currency of working remotely, which might become an increasingly popular option, especially for companies that span multiple countries.” 

These offerings are a result of Oswego and CAPA assembling vast partnerships and connections, and reflect proactive thinking among his team that predates the global pandemic, McKeown said.

“Our ability to offer virtual classes and internships where students make concrete connections and earn experiences on four different continents reflects a lot of ideas our staff collected over the years, and I’ve encouraged them to keep coming up with new concepts that we can explore, whatever the next year brings,” McKeown said.

Participating students also become part of the CAPA Community, which is an online student hub. “Here you’ll be able to connect with other students from around the U.S. who are studying and interning with CAPA this summer,” said Rachel Long, an Oswego alumna who is now the community administrator for CAPA. “You can also explore helpful articles and videos about the cities you're studying, what it's like to intern remotely and more.”

Deadline to apply for the summer CAPA courses and internships is June 1, with sessions running July 6 to Aug. 14.

Future flexibility

For future planning purposes, McKeown said his team and partners are looking for options with the most flexibility. If able to proceed, a slate of international offerings for the fall would start later the semester (October) and all span less than 90 days, so that students wouldn’t need visas to go. 

For faculty-led quarter courses featuring topical academic tie-ins, with potential January 2021 travel, envisioned destinations include Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Israel and Churchill, Manitoba.

“Whatever we do, and wherever students can go, we always think that eliminating barriers is a key consideration,” McKeown said. “And we have partners around the world who are ready to offer educational experiences however our students are able to take them.”

For more information on SUNY Oswego’s study-abroad programs and virtual offerings, visit the education abroad website.

COIL connections

In addition, SUNY’s COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Center’s Global Commons is providing additional summer opportunities for students. 

Under the Global Commons programs, students can earn six credits in six weeks (from July 6 to Aug. 15) while virtually partnering with an international community based or non-governmental organization (CBO or NGO). 

Students can add an intercultural, high-impact experience to their resumes while gaining skills in storytelling, intercultural communications, and collaborative project development by telling the story of one of these global CBOs or NGOs.

The Global Commons connects students from across the 64-campus SUNY system to take action on one of six selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while cultivating international perspectives on poverty, gender equality, climate action, sustainable cities and communities, reducing inequalities, or good health and well-being.

For more information on these offerings, visit the SUNY COIL Global Commons website.