The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL) began in 1998 a Distinguished Partner Program to further the initiation and development of service-learning and international/intercultural education in institutions of higher education around the world, and to link institutions committed to the values and practice of service-learning in an international network. During the past nine years, twenty-four institutions and inter-institutional organizations from sixteen nations have become IPSL Distinguished Partners, and many others have signed the “Declaration of Principles” released at our conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2004. Some of these are institutions that host IPSL service-learning programs; others have participated actively in or have co-sponsored IPSL conferences and workshops; several have given annual International Certificates for Distinguished Service and Leadership to their students, faculty members and/or cooperating community agencies.

We are now reshaping this program by creating a category of IPSL members. We will invite our Distinguished Partners to join this new membership program so that we can expand our outreach to like-minded partner institutions across the United States and across the world. Our goal is to create a network of institutions devoted to the international expansion of service-learning, and to develop training programs and information sharing for the benefit of our members. We are also seeking a closer working relationship with those institutions interested in having their students participate in our undergraduate and graduate programs. Membership will not bring formal governance rights or responsibilities, but we plan to draw on, and augment, the expertise of our member institutions so that we can all become more effective in carrying out our missions.

As many of those reading this newsletter will know, Linda Chisholm, one of the founders of IPSL and most recently president of IPSL, retired at the end of 2005, after many years of devoted service. With new staff leadership as well as a more active Board of Trustees has come the need to strengthen IPSL’s programs and initiatives and solidify IPSL’s relationships with institutions and organizations that share our commitment to international service-learning. We look forward to working more closely with you for the good of all.

-- Nevin Brown

IPSL website

To increase cooperation with its sending institutions and with partners across the world, IPSL is launching a new membership program. Benefits include an annual consultation and training session, consulting services, site visits, and regular information about developments in the field of international service-learning. Institutions and individuals may become members of the IPSL on payment of an annual contribution of $500.

Members of IPSL are regarded as friends of IPSL and may be called on from time to time to assist IPSL with advice and counsel. They also receive the following benefits:

• On joining IPSL members may receive five IPSL publications without charge, and a discount on publications thereafter.
• IPSL will provide consulting services to institutional members at a reduced rate (see the announcement on AISLE, below).
• Each year, IPSL will organize a one-day Consultation at its headquarters in New York, when individual members or representatives of member institutions can receive advice and training on international service-learning, and at which IPSL will seek the advice of its members on all aspects of its programs. Each institutional member may nominate as many as three persons to attend free of charge. All incidental expenses (travel, accommodation, meals) will be borne by the participants.
• Members are encouraged to visit IPSL sites around the world and will be welcomed by on-site staff. Such visits must be arranged in advance and will be at members’ expense.
• Members will receive an electronic Members’ Newsletter on the work of IPSL at least four times a year.

Joining IPSL as a member does not confer any formal governance privileges or obligations on the institutions or individuals in question.

We invite you to sign up now. Please contact IPSL at nbrown@ipsl.org for further information on how to enroll. The date of the Consultation (see above) has been provisionally fixed for November 13, 2008.

More information on membership

Diversifying sources of income and focusing its programs were two of the main issues taken up by the IPSL Board of Trustees at its meeting in New York on November 16-17. Fourteen of the fifteen board members were present, including Kano Yamamoto from Japan, Victor Maridueña from Ecuador, and David Peacock from the UK. Working in three planning groups, the board reviewed programs, fundraising, and partnerships in wide-ranging discussions. Under the leadership of board chair Peggy Pusch, a strong consensus emerged for focusing on a limited range of overseas programs, for forging new partnerships with other organizations and institutions to advance IPSL’s advocacy role and to strengthen its administration, and for redoubling efforts to seek donations, grant support, and new revenue streams. Among decisions taken at the meeting were the establishment of a new membership system for IPSL. (See "Membership," above.) Reviewing problems and challenges facing IPSL in the future, President Nevin Brown cited the declining value of the dollar and the increasingly competitive market for study-abroad programs. At the same time, service-learning in general and international service-learning in particular are rising in popularity.

The MA in International Service includes a semester of study and service in Mexico or Jamaica, followed by a semester of study and service in London, and then a thesis. To prepare students better for this intense learning experience, last spring IPSL collaborated with Roehampton University to design a one-week credit-bearing orientation program. The program, offered for the first time this past August in Atlanta, focused on intercultural communication and how to learn from experience; it also addressed specific issues of each program site and included getting-acquainted exercises. Students visited relevant sites in Atlanta, such as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Museum and Park, the Carter Center, and the Foundation Center. Program directors from all three sites were in residence for the entire week, and the Center for International Programs Abroad at Emory University provided meeting rooms. The students formed an e-mail group and the Mexico and Jamaica cohorts have kept in touch during the fall while they are in different locations. “I thought the orientation was extremely vital,” wrote one student. “It was good to meet up with Jamaica and Mexico people before London! It made me feel a lot more comfortable and secure with my journey both emotionally and academically.” The orientation formed part of a larger module titled “Reflection on Service-Learning,” which students will complete in London.

More information on the M.A. in International Service Program

With 25 students each so far this academic year, the programs in Kolkata, India, and in Guayaquil, Ecuador, lead IPSL’s programs in enrollment. The program in Guadalajara, Mexico, with 20 students, is not far behind. With an additional 15 students in Quito, Ecuador is clearly the most appealing destination for IPSL students, and learning the Spanish language is a major attraction. Service opportunities in Guayaquil include teaching English, health care through medical and dental clinics, health education, tutoring and recreation for children and teens, and community and economic development. In Kolkata, students work in Mother Teresa's Homes providing direct human care to the poor, the ill, infants, malnourished children; they serve in literacy schools for street children and in rehabilitation centers for children; and they assist with legal aid.

IPSL program information

The newest IPSL program, in Siena, Italy, operated through our partner institution Siena Italian Studies, is now entering its second year, with eight students enrolled so far this year. Siena, a small medieval city in the center of Tuscany, is "the cradle of the Italian language" and the heartland of the Italian of Dante. Service-learning in Siena offers an ideal opportunity to learn Italian (or strengthen existing skills) through a full immersion in Italian life, and to work in service agencies teaching English, assisting in ambulance service, providing immigrant and refugee assistance, or working in community development. The program offers a full semester program with intensive Italian study, a homestay with an Italian family, 15-20 hours of volunteer service per week, and courses in sociology and anthropology.

More information on the IPSL Italy Program

• Are you interested in starting an international service-learning program on your campus?
• Wondering how to add an international dimension to your existing service-learning work?
• Looking for ways of taking your current international program to a higher level?

With 25 years of experience in creating and sustaining international service-learning programs, IPSL has the knowledge and skills to help you. Recently we have launched AISLE (Associates in International Service-Learning Education) to provide consulting and technical assistance services to institutions eager to develop the infrastructure needed for effective international service-learning programs, to build a curriculum, and to enhance training in intercultural communication. AISLE’s team of consultants includes leaders in the field: Robert Bringle (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis), Nevin Brown (President, IPSL), Florence McCarthy (Vice President for Asian Affairs, IPSL), Martha Merrill (Dean of Academic Affairs, IPSL), David Peacock (Roehampton University, UK), Margaret Pusch (Intercultural Communication Institute and SIETAR USA), Richard Rodman (School for International Training), and Humphrey Tonkin (University of Hartford). For more details, go to the IPSL website or e-mail consulting@ipsl.org.

More information on AISLE Consulting

In March 2006, IPSL co-hosted with Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI), a Distinguished Partner institution, a very successful two-day conference and workshop for faculty and administrative teams from across the United States on developing campus-based strategies for international service-learning. A second one-day event took place at Elon University in February 2007 under the sponsorship of North Carolina Campus Compact for teams from the South Atlantic states of the U.S. In November, IPSL co-sponsored with the School for International Training and Vermont Campus Compact a workshop in Brattleboro, Vermont, on “Fostering Global Citizenship in Higher Education.” IPSL will hold a second conference and workshop with IUPUI in early 2008 (see below) and is tentatively planning a similar event for teams from the western states of the U.S. later in 2008. IPSL is interested in exploring other training workshop ideas for faculty and administrators, particularly in partnership with collaborating institutions. Please contact us to discuss the possibility of developing a training workshop with your institution.

More on IPSL conferences and workshops

The 3rd Annual Conference on International Service-Learning: “Advancing Research and Practice” will take place at the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis from February 29 to March 2, 2008. The conference will bring together practitioners, researchers, and scholars to critically examine international service-learning as an intentionally designed curriculum for engaging American students in educationally meaningful international service experiences focused on developing civic skills, knowledge, and dispositions. Plenary and breakout sessions will focus on the following topical areas:

• Conceptual and theoretical frameworks for developing and understanding international service learning
• Research on outcomes for students, host countries, faculty, and institutions
• Principles of best practices and program guidelines for international service-learning
• Strengthening the academic component of international service-learning
• Institutional assessment strategies for international service-learning
• Partnership development to support international service-learning.

More information on the conference and registration materials

With programs and activities in Asia and Africa, Tokyo-based International Christian University (an IPSL Distinguished Parnter) is rapidly expanding its involvement in service-learning. Students are working in numbers of domestic NGO/NPOs, public organizations, and local communities. Since 2004, ICU has invited service-learning exchange students from partner universities in Asian countries. As one of the major activities, students work at the Kobokan Community Center and at the Asian Rural Institute. On campus, they can participate in service-learning-related courses and participate in cultural exchange activities with ICU students as well as local residents.

ICU Service Learning Center

With a 2005 government grant from the Ministry of Education, International Christian University is currently engaged in conducting three International Service-Learning Model Programs with partner institutions, one program per year from 2006 to 2008. The first program was implemented in Damaguete, Negros Island, the Philippines, in 2006, and the second in Madurai, India, in 2007. The third program will be implemented in Lilongwe City, Malawi, from June 28 to August 5, 2008, under the joint auspices of the NGO Total Land Care, Washington State University, and International Christian University. The third program differs from the previous two in that it is a special model program that strongly requires the participating students to commit themselves to enough preparation and to extensive service at various sites in order to make a significant contribution to the community.

More information on ICU Service-Learning

In addition to IPSL’s program at Loreto College in Kolkata, India, several other in-country institutions operate service-learning programs. Lady Doak College, Madurai, is well known as a pioneer in the field. The college welcomes overseas students. Modest accommodation is available on campus in the Guest House or in student halls. Students, depending on their interest, need and discipline, could choose academic courses for a semester or two semesters. The credits earned in these courses could be transferred to the parent institution. Special modules/courses could also be offered on request.

Service-Learning internship (for credits) for international students is a very attractive proposition. India provides one of the best places in the world to learn about building a just and humane society. With its 1.1 billion people, the challenges of poverty, pollution, equality for women and minorities, and universal education and health care, India presents an ideal environment for learning how to address major social problems and use one's life to help solve the overwhelming problems of our world. Madurai, an ancient and historically significant city surrounded by hundreds of hamlets, is an ideal setting for a first-hand understanding of South Indian culture and rural life. Programs for groups of students are tailor-made to suit their interest and duration of the visit.

More information

May 26 to 31, 2008, has been set as the date for the Sixth International Triennial Conference of Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion. “Excellence, Character, Service” will be its theme – with particular attention to service-learning and its linkage of academic quality and service to the community. The conference, according to its organizers, has been “set in the Asia-Pacific region to explore current and future directions across the world in higher education for institutions shaped by Anglican faith and practice that now function to serve multi-cultural, globally interactive societies.” Among plenary speakers will be Margaret (Peggy) Pusch, Chair of IPSL, Archbishop of Cape Town Njongonkulu Ndungane, and Philip Yueng-sang Leung, Head of Chung Chi College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, host of the conference. Professor Leung’s college has been a leader in the development of service-learning in Asia. Program highlights include site visits to service agencies and a trip to Guangzhou with a visit to Sun Yat-sen University.

More information

Robert G. Bringle, Julie A. Hatcher, and Steven G. Jones are editors of a new volume, International Service Learning: Conceptual Frameworks and Research now in preparation at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. The volume, to be published by Stylus Publishing, aims to situate international service-learning and research on the field in the context of US higher education and to bring together some of the leaders in the field. Contributors will include William Plater, Hilary Kahn, Nevin Brown, Kathryn Steinberg, Humphrey Tonkin, Janet Eyler, Richard Kiely, Andy Furco, Patti Clayton, Andrea Chapdelaine, Ana Ruiz, Judith Warchal, Carole Wells, Barbara Holland, Susan Sutton, and others. In an effort to produce a coherent and fully informed work, the authors met in early November to discuss the volume and will meet again in March. Publication is expected at the end of 2008.

IPSL Dean Martha Merrill recently returned from Cluj, Romania, where she was a speaker at the 18th annual conference of the Alliance of Universities for Democracy (November 4-7, 2007). She will be joined by Board Member Richard Rodman at the 4th Annual Conference of the Forum on Education Abroad in Boston (April 2-4, 2008), where they will present their paper “Mapping the Boundaries in International Education.” She also conducted intercultural communication training for Episcopal Volunteers going abroad at the Mt. Manresa Retreat Center, Staten Island, NY, on June 4 and June 11, 2007. IPSL representation at the June 2007 annual conference of NAFSA was extensive: Martha Merrill, IPSL Chair Peggy Pusch, consultant Peter Kerrigan, and IPSL staff member Romelle Horton presented a panel on “What Does Being a ‘Global Citizen’ Mean?” Martha Merrill and Richard Rodman led a panel on “What is GATS and Why Should an International Educator Care?” and Peggy Pusch and Martha Merrill conducted a full-day Professional Practice Workshop on “The International Educator as Interculturalist.” IPSL board member Humphrey Tonkin gave the keynote address at the SIT/IPSL workshop in Brattleboro in November (see above).

More on IPSL advocacy

We note the following new publications. Jenny Iles coordinates the IPSL program in London; Martha Merrill is Dean of Academic Programs at IPSL in New York; Peggy Pusch chairs the IPSL Board. Barnhill’s overview appeared on the occasion of the IPSL workshop at Elon University in February.

Iles, Jennifer. 2007. “Serving, Learning, and Reflective Practice at Roehampton University, London” in Lorraine McIlrath and Iain Mac Labhrainn, eds. Higher Education and Civic Engagement: International Perspectives. Hampshire, England, and Burlington, VT: Ashgate

Merrill, Martha C., and Margaret D. Pusch. 2007. “Apples, Oranges, and Kumys: Models for Research on Students Doing Intercultural Service-Learning” in Shelley Billig and Sherril Gelmon, eds., From Passion to Objectivity: International and Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives on Service-Learning Research. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishers, pp. 21-40.

Barnhill, John H., and others. 2007. Promising Practices of International Service and Service Learning. Elon NC: North Carolina Campus Compact.