New Partners, Strong Ethics: Striking a Balance Towards the Year 2000

The 6th OSEAS-Europe Regional Conference Planning Committee invites educational advisers and international educators to submit proposals for two categories of presentations - Preconference workshops or General Conference Sessions. The deadline for submitting the General and Workshop Session Proposal Information Sheet to USIA and the Chair of the Conference Sessions Subcommittee, Lydia Shevchik is March 18, 1998.

The OSEAS-Europe Conference is adviser generated: it is being organised by overseas advisers for overseas advisers. Advisers hoping to attend are therefore encouraged to present at a conference session or workshop, either alone or with colleagues, on any topic on which they have had experience. Advisers taking part in workshops or sessions as organizers/presenters will have a greater chance of receiving a grant.

General Conference Sessions and workshop proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Sessions Subcommittee and will be selected based on the design and content of the presentation and the significance of the topic to the audience.

The General Conference Sessions will cover a wide range of topics relevant to educational advising and reflecting the goals of the conference, which include:

- updating advisers' knowledge of the US education system, including admissions, standardized testing and developments in specific subject areas
- developing advisers' ability to work effectively with new partners in educational advising, including fund-raising, educational testing and other such initiatives
- upgrading advisers' skills in using new technologies such as Internet, e-mail and US educational advising software
- providing advisers with tools to function more effectively under budget limitations, and with a strong professional support network throughout the OSEAS-Europe region.

Conference sessions will be offered at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels to meet the different needs of advisers attending. General Conference Sessions are either 60 or 90 minutes in duration.

According to the Budapest Conference survey results, the following areas were targeted by educational advisers in The Greater European Region and The New Independent States as being the most important to include in the OSEAS-Europe Budapest '98 conference (in order of priority according to the total number of votes):

- The Latest about Where to search for Financial aid
- Internet Resources for Advisers (2 hands-on training levels)
- New Partnerships of Advising: Working with New Partners in the Private Sector
- Effective Educational Information Center (EIC) Time Management
- Fundraising Update
- The Outlook of US Government Support for Educational Advising
- A Review of New Advising Resources
- Regional Updates - Western Europe, East/Central Europe and NIS
- EIC Outreach: An Analysis of Various Methods
- What's new in ETS Testing?
- Resource Management in the EIC
- Attracting, Training and Benefiting from Volunteers at the EIC
- Ethics in Times of Change
- Establishing Fee Structures
- Helping Alumni of US Study Programs (adjustment activities, professional development)
- OSEAS Advocacy
- What is Being Done and What Can You Do?
- Designing and Presenting Pre-Departure Orientation Programs
- OSEAS NAFSA Update
- Student Visa Issues
- EIC Inter-Regional Partnerships: Stories of Successful Cooperation
- Customer Service Principles in Educational Advising
- Managing an Advising Center
- First-Timers' Introductory Session
- Organizing a successful college fair
- New Technologies and Resources for Advisers
- Beyond Advising: Expanded activities at EICs
- New Issues in Advising

Three pre-conference workshops will run the day before the Conference, and will cover:

- NAFSA Professional Development Program (PDP) Workshop: Overseas Educational Advising (OSEAS) (1 and 1/2 days)

This workshop is designed for internationally based newcomers to the field of overseas educational advising with responsibility for advising on study in the U.S. It will provide participants with a conceptual foundation, practical knowledge, and skills for carrying out their responsibilities.

- New Directions in Advising Center Management (half day)

Individuals interested in presenting on one of the above General and Workshop Session topics should submit the following information by March 18, 1998. Advisers are asked to collaborate with others in their presentation where possible and should feel free to contact their REACs for further information regarding the conference sessions and for suggestions of other advisers who may be good co-presenters, etc.

1. Name of Chair:

Organization:
Mailing Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:
___ Please check if also presenting

3. Session summary of 50 words or less

4. Session description - up to one double spaced typed page

5. Category of presentation - please check

___preconference workshop or ____general conference session

___beginner, ___mid-level, ___advanced, ___applicable to all levels

Name:
Organization:
Mailing Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:

So as to avoid scheduling conflicts, all presenters planning on participating in other sessions are kindly asked to note the additional session name and name of Chair.

The completed General and Workshop Session Proposal Information Sheet should be sent by email whenever possible to Lydia Shevchik, shevchik@easynet.co.uk with a copy to USIA liaison Catherine Alderton, calderto@usia.gov. Advisers from the NIS are also asked to send a copy to NIS REAC Henry Scott, hscott@glas.apc.org.

Contact information:

Lydia Shevchik
Flat 2, 59 Holland Park
London, W11 3SJ, England
Tel/Fax:(44 171) 221-4062
Email: shevchik@easynet.co.uk

Catherine L. Alderton
Advising and Student Service Branch (E/ASA)
U.S. Information Agency
Phone: 202-619-5434
Fax: 202-401-1433
E-Mail: calderto@usia.gov

For advisers from the New Independent States:

Henry C. Scott
Institute of International Education
36 Prospekt Mira, 4th Floor, Room 46
Moscow, Russia 129010
Ph: 7 (095) 280-30-62
Ph/fax: 7 (095) 280-35-16
E-mail: hscott@glas.apc.org