So, your university now requires faculty-led programs to use a provider. Do your faculty view this as good news a relief from managing logistics and the juggling that goes with it, giving them more time to concentrate on the teaching? Or do they resist believing they can organize programs as well as travel professionals and do it for a lower cost? (The issue of cost is worth a post of its own!)
It s very common for faculty used to organizing their own programs to question the need for providers.
Here are questions I ask when faculty or education abroad offices are looking to work with a provider for the first time:
- What are your goals in wanting to use a provider for your faculty-led program?
- Are you aware of what the provider provides? What they do and what they don t do?
- Do you know the particular strengths of the provider you re talking with? (If you ask, they will be glad to tell you!)
- If you re looking to a provider for programs that have failed to run in the past, how do you think a provider can make a difference?
- And very importantly do your faculty want to work with a provider? If not, how will you address that?
As I mentioned last week, providers can be partners with education abroad offices and faculty in planning and running faculty-led programs. Do you have questions you ask of providers before you begin collaborating with them?