Faculty Report

 

 

Name: Carlos R. Herrera

 

Faculty/Rank: Assistant Professor

 

Department: History

 

College: SDSU-IVC

 

Office phone: 768-760-5644

 

Other phone: 760-357-2929 (Home)

 

E mail address: cherrer@mail.sdsu.edu

 

Proposal title: Student Exchange Program between San Diego State University, Imperial Valley Campus (SDSU-IVC), and the Universidad Católica de Córdoba (UCC), Córdoba, Argentina.

 

Country/ies visited: Argentina

 

Institution visited: Instituto de Ciencias de la Administración (ICDA), UCC.

 

Dates of travel: June 20-30, 2001.

 

Number of student participants:0

 

Previous IP proposals submitted and grants awarded

(list titles, countries and dates):

 

Have all required reports been submitted?

 

Other funding for this activity available/applied for:

 

 

Proposal Abstract (75 word maximum): The purpose of this trip was to negotiate a student exchange program between San Diego State University, Imperial Valley Campus, and the Universidad Católica de Córdoba.  The goal was to discuss the logistics of exchange for students interested in a graduate degree (Master’s level) in the field of Business Administration with an emphasis on International Business.

 

Travel report:

 

I.                   Opening/overview of intentions/activity: The intention for traveling to Cordoba, Argentina, was to follow up on a cooperative agreement initiated in 1999 between SDSU-IVC and UCC.  The primary goal was to discuss with UCC directors the possibility of establishing an exchange program for degree-seeking students in various fields offered by SDSU-IVC.  Of these fields, the most pertinent to SDSU-IVC were the Master’s in Business Administration, International Business, and Master’s in Education.  In Córdoba, two meetings were held with Martin Sola, Director of Institutional Relations and Marketing at UCC, to discuss the logistics of such an exchange.  In addition to the fields of interest, the discussions also focused on issues of tuition, housing, and campus life, all of which would effect students participating in the exchange program.  As per article V of the 1999 Cooperative Agreement, a tentative Sub-Agreement for the creation of the student exchange program was agreed to and signed by Mr. Sola.

 

            II.        In preparation for the trip abroad

-         collaborated with ……….In Calexico, I collaborated with Miriam Ungson, director of the Office of International Programs at SDSU-IVC.  In Córdoba, I collaborated with Martin Sola, Director of Institutional Relations and Marketing at UCC.

 

-         e mail contacts

 

Martin Sola: sola@icda.uccor.edu.ar

 

-         researched university statistics and compared to SDSU(e.g. number of students enrolled

 

-         confirmed that prospective university is “recognized” by the    Ministry of Education

 

III.             Upon arrival/specific activity

-         What/who are the contacts made at the prospective partner university?

Martin Sola: Director of Institutional Relations and Marketing, Instituto de Ciencias de la Administración (ICDA), UCC.

Jorge Blake, Instructor at ICDA, and assistant to Mr. Sola in UCC’s International Programs.

 

-         What particular major/minor is of interest? It was decided that SDSU-IVC UCC would enter into a sub-agreement, as allowed by article V of the 1999 Cooperative Agreement, that would create a full academic year exchange program for students interested in acquiring a Master’s in Bushiness Administration, International Relations.  In addition, it was agreed that discussion of sub-agreements for fields such as the Master’s in Education should be delayed for a future date.

 

IV.              Conclusion, recommendation, and next step?

-         Why is this particular institution valuable for SDSU? From an academic perspective, UCC is valuable for SDSU-IVC students because ICDA offers an intensive graduate program in business administration, including a wide field of interest such as management and international trade.  In addition, UCC’s location in the city of Córdoba, Argentina, offers students the opportunity to live in a moderately large city that would expose them to an urban culture which is different yet not unlike their own.

 

-         Sustainability of project (is there a high likelihood that students in the department will be interested in studying the proposed subject area at the prospective partner university and vice versa)? SDSU-IVC students have expressed much interest for studying abroad, and many prove willing to do so as long as funds are available.  Locating such funds would thus be essential for students wishing to participate in the exchange program.

 

-         How will this exchange program (or expansion) increase participation by students in international activities, or enhance international learning environments for students?  Living and studying in Argentina will allow SDSU-IVC students to gain a better perspective on how international business, government, and exchange of social-cultural ideas are conducted between nations.  During the course of their stay in Córdoba, students will have the opportunity to travel to other countries in South America, and thus gain understanding of the cultural diversity expressed in American societies.   Finally, students will interact with colleagues from Argentina, as well as exchange students from Europe, Asia, and other nations.

 

-         What students will benefit? All SDSU-IVC students would benefit from the proposed one-year program because of the cultural exchange process built into it.  Students that would benefit the most academically are those that major in all areas of business administration and fields of study that emphasize international relations.

 

-         What will be their activities (e.g. course work, international internships, field research, etc.)? The normal time frame for completion of UCC’s Master’s in Business Administration is two and one-half years.  According to the tentative Student Exchange Sub-agreement, SDSU-IVC students would complete this same program in one academic year. Requirements for the degree include course work and a thesis research project.

 

-         What will be your role in promoting and supporting these activities? My participation in the exchange program would involve talking with prospective SDSU-IVC students about UCC, ICDA, as well as the history of the city and people of Córdoba, and Argentina in general.

 

V.        Additional Information: See attached report.