| Fall '07/Winter '08: Rensselaer Extends Its REACH
An ambitious new program builds on the success of its cross-cultural predecessor
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Lester Gerhardt and several colleagues monitored the problem for years; in 1995, they set about to resolve it. The result was the Global Engineering Education Exchange (Global E3), the brainchild of an interdisciplinary team that included Gerhardt, deans at other universities, Gertrud Humily, then at the French Ministry of Defense and Peggy Blumenthal, Executive Vice President of the Institute of International Education (IIE). Today, the remarkable success of Global E3 has paved the way for the new Rensselaer Engineering Education Across Cultural Horizons (REACH), a program that Gerhardt will develop and lead.
Outstanding Students Go Abroad
The structure of Global E3 was simple. True to the program's title, engineering students (including those in computer science) could apply to spend one or two semesters abroad. Either option could include an internship as well. American students would immerse themselves in a foreign culture, and international students could study at partner campuses in the United States.
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"The program was designed to be student-focused, voluntary, small, and flexible," said Gerhardt, who has been serving as Rensselaer's vice provost and dean of graduate education, in addition to his positions as associate dean of engineering, professor of electrical, computer, and systems engineering, and professor of computer science. "An overall agreement for the program was established, negating the need for individual memoranda of understanding." The program administration was centralized at the IIE.
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This simple formula struck a chord. Starting with a handful of schools, Global E3 now includes almost 100 universities in 15 countries worldwide—36 in the United States, with others mostly in Europe or Asia. About 200-250 students take advantage of the program in any given year. Most students come to the United States from Asia, while American students largely seek study in European countries. One important group has been particularly attracted to Global E3: over 40 percent of participants are women, a remarkable fact since women typically make up about 20 percent of engineering students, nationwide.
Taking the Quantum Leap
The enthusiasm of the participants—and the rising importance of cross-border, culturally sensitive teams in global companies—demonstrated the need for a giant step forward. Together Gerhardt, Dean of Engineering Alan Cramb, President Shirley Ann Jackson, and Rensselaer's Board of Trustees took that step: to require all engineering undergraduates to incorporate an international experience in their educational program. The initiative, Rensselaer Engineering Education Across Cultural Horizons, soon became known by its acronym, REACH, and Gerhardt was named director of international programs to lead the project.
Under REACH, 25 percent of Rensselaer's junior class in engineering will study abroad at specific partner universities in 2009; in return, an equal number of undergraduates from the partner universities as a whole will come to Rensselaer. Every two years, the Rensselaer percentage will rise another 25 percent, and the partner universities' share will increase accordingly, until all engineering juniors spend a year abroad. Ultimately, the program is designed to grow well beyond engineering to encompass a wide range of disciplines and departments.
Such a quantum leap in program size, of course, demands a more formal structure and strong logistical management. "With such large numbers of students, we must be careful to arrange for a balance of disciplines in the students we send abroad, with a matching of that balance in the students we accept from our international academic partners," Gerhardt explained.
REACH sets rigorous parameters for partner universities. "They must be top-ranked in their field—at least of the same caliber as Rensselaer," Gerhardt recounted. "They must offer a breadth of engineering disciplines and teach in English. It's also important that they have a large existing base of international students, so that visiting students can get as broad a cross-cultural experience as possible. And of course, these universities must be in a culture that is both stimulating and safe for students."
Ideally Positioned for Success It comes as no surprise that Rensselaer, the first technology university in the English-speaking world, is also the first American university to launch a mandatory program like REACH. The in-depth experience with Global E3 universities, and the extensive network that Gerhardt has developed with them, provide Rensselaer with the knowledge and relationships to make the program successful. Although REACH will initially focus on a semester-abroad experience, it is expected to include other options, such as Semester at Sea, Engineers Without Borders, and the Peace Corps. "Respect, trust, and confidence in others are the keys to both Global E3 and REACH," Gerhardt said. "They form the best foundation for building bridges to reach across the world's oceans."
