Rice to participate in NAFSA conference

More than 30 Rice staff and students are scheduled to participate in the NAFSA: Association of International Educators 2012 Annual Conference and Expo in Houston May 27-June 1.

NAFSA (National Association of Foreign Student Affairs) bills itself as the world’s largest nonprofit professional association dedicated to international education. Its nearly 10,000 members promote international education and exchange by connecting students, scholars, educators and citizens across borders.

Adria Baker, associate vice provost for international education and executive director of Rice’s Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), is co-chair of the Local Arrangements Team Preregistration Committee for the conference. She said more than 8,300 people are expected to attend the event at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Many of the attendees are international educators from around the country, and about 40 percent of the participants will be from around the world.

“What is so remarkable is the breadth of participation and contributions to the field from Rice,” Baker said. “Not only will many Rice members attend, Rice administration, staff and students from across campus will present papers and poster sessions, speak on panel discussions, lead volunteer efforts, help with specialized campus visits, work with Texas institutions and give Rice exposure to international institutions.”

In addition to OISS and various academic departments, Rice participants will come from the offices of the President, Provost, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Public Affairs, International Programs and Registrar, the schools of Engineering and Continuing Studies, and the Baker Institute for Public Policy, among others. To see the full list of participating Rice departments and individuals, visit http://oiss.rice.edu/gateway.aspx?id=1274.

The conference will provide an opportunity to network and to gain information on international education topics such as immigration, services to internationals, study-abroad and related public policy issues, Baker said. “We have already started hosting international delegations on campus from universities around the world, and expect about 100 more international visitors during this special campus visit event,” she said.

For more information about the conference, visit http://www.nafsa.org/annualconference/default.aspx.