O S E A S * E U R O P E

WHAT'S OSEAS?

This is adapted from the presentation of Evelyn Levinson (Director, Educational Information Service, US-Israel Educational Foundation  Fulbright, Tel Aviv, Israel), OSEAS Sub Regional Representative for Southern Europe 1994-96, OSEAS Europe Chair, May 1996-97 on "What is OSEAS?" given at the Second Annual NIS Conference held in Moscow from Oct. 26-28, 1994.

The goals of this presentation on "What is OSEAS?" are: to give you an idea of what OSEAS is; how it got started; what our role is as OSEAS advisers; how we all fit into a world-wide structure; what OSEAS can do for YOU; and what YOU can do for OSEAS!

But first, a bit on how I became involved...I was hired by the US-Israel Educational Foundation almost 16 years ago as a secretary-typist. One month into my job, the adviser had to have sudden surgery and was going to be out for 2 months. My director tu rned to me and said, "Evelyn, you're an American, you've got a BA from the States, you know ALL about the US educational system, so you're our new adviser until further notice!"

I looked around at the many strange reference books facing me, the phones ringing off the hook non-stop, and the never-ending line of students waiting to speak to the "expert" on US universities, and realized I had a problem.

It was not enough to be a US citizen with a BA in languages who liked to work with people; I needed to develop certain skills.

  • I needed to know and really understand the US educational system;
  • I needed to know and understand my host country's culture and educational system;
  • I needed to learn how to use the reference materials available in my office and to find out where to look or ask in case I DIDN'T have that information;
  • I had to become familiar with testing issues from an international student's point of view;
  • I had to quickly learn how to survive in a busy office; how to organize office hours and functions to keep up; how to manage my time carefully;
  • I had to learn to keep accurate statistics;
  • I had to understand the US and local system of accreditation;
  • I had to learn how to speak to a varied public, from students in my office to my director, to the Cultural and Public Affairs Officers at the US Embassy, to local Ministry and university officials;
  • I had to learn how to advise effectively, professionally, and objectively to help students reach their own conclusions as to what is best for them;
  • I had to learn to develop written communication skills (to write memos, faxes, letters, cables, and later reports and proposals);
  • I had to learn about budgets and how to plan and present them;
  • I learned and am still learning about new technologies and how they apply to advising;
  • I learned to share my experiences and knowledge with others but at the same time not be afraid to say "I don't know, but I'll try to find out";
  • I learned that advising doesn't just have to be a "job", but can become a real profession;
  • I learned that it takes time to develop these skills (almost 16 years and I'm STILL learning every day!);
  • Most important, I learned that I'm not alone in my questions, concerns and interests. By reaching out and contacting others in this field all over the world, I found a group of educational advising professionals who share the same goals and concerns a s I do.

    THAT is the role of OSEAS, a professional VOLUNTEER organization and support group of dedicated educational advisers like you and me worldwide who work with students, scholars and trainees interested in all types of educational and research opportunities mainly in the USA. As any professional group, we are required to have a certain level of knowledge and abilities and to maintain a certain code of ethics.

    I hope you will have a chance to review "The OSEAS Advising Code of Ethics" and "OSEAS Professional Responsibilities". These were developed with USIA's and NAFSA's support as a result of the combined efforts of advisers to define and establish standards f or our highly demanding profession.

    Now a bit about the history of OSEAS Europe:
    I was lucky to be part of OSEAS Europe's growth, starting in 1986 at the Brussels NAFSA workshop which led to this "code of ethics" which established advising as a profession with USIA's backing and training.

    In 1987, the first OSEAS conference took place in London, and the European Association of International Educators (EAIE) was born, as more and more advisers dealing with US and other educational exchanges realized they shared similar interests and goals.

    The 1989 conference in Dubrovnic introduced new technologies to advising. The OSEAS database was established as membership grew and better means of communication were needed among ourselves and with our US counterparts. Video advising, ETS issues, and pro posals were also presented as advisers began to become trainers for other advisers.

    In 1991 at the USIA sponsored conference in Montpellier/La Grande Motte, new friends were made as East/West matches were formed, and resource sharing across Europe became important. Higher visibility for OSEAS advisers and the quality of work they do for US higher education resulted from this conference.

    The USIA supported 1995 European conference in Athens dealt with the themes of advanced technologies in advising, defraying costs, doing more with less, mentoring and self-training, and brought advisers from all over Europe and the world together for a sp ectacular professional and personal growth experience.

    Additional in-country and regional workshops throughout Europe give advisers a chance to update their knowledge and share their experiences. It gives them a chance to grow professionally and to serve as trainers to fellow OSEAS advisers.

    Where does the NIS fit into Europe? How does Europe fit into the world structure of OSEAS? How does OSEAS fit into NAFSA?

    To keep things as simple as possible, the worldwide OSEAS advising network is divided into six main regions: Europe, Latin America, the Near East, South Asia, Africa and East Asia which receive support from USIA and NAFSA. Each region or sub-region has a representative, and there is one general overseas OSEAS coordinator and one counterpart US-based OSEAS coordinator. OSEAS is a network of advising professionals led by elected or appointed representatives, depending on the region. All work for OSEAS is do ne on a voluntary basis.

    OSEAS is a Professional Educational Group within the very large organization called NAFSA, made up of almost 7,000 members worldwide, most of whom are interested in educational exchanges with the United States. Many OSEAS advisers choose to become members of NAFSA in order to benefit from an even wider range of networking contacts and professional development and leadership opportunities.

    OSEAS today is a subject of central focus to the NAFSA community, as US university representatives realize that it is our OSEAS advising "family" which helps over 400,000 international students reach the United States and which helps generate over six Bil lion Dollars of income to the US economy annually.

    Without continued support for our OSEAS advising services and network, this impressive flow of exchange may slow down to a mere "trickle" , and NAFSA and other institutions are concerned for our welfare.

    Without each of us, however, there is no "OSEAS".

    WE are the strength of OSEAS, wherever we sit in our respective advising centers worldwide. OSEAS can give us a wonderful opportunity to further develop our knowledge, our skills and our talents to become not only better "students" within the field of int ernational education, but better "teachers" as we continue to grow and develop and as communications technologies bring us even closer together with our colleagues around the world. It is up to us to seize those opportunities and to live up to the standar ds of true OSEAS professionals!

    What can OSEAS do for YOU?

  • OSEAS gives us a chance to identify our mutual concerns and act as one OSEAS voice to work together with our stateside colleagues for change and improvement. It gives us more strength as a group of advising centers instead of individual offices when q uestions or problems arise.
  • OSEAS gives us a chance to grow professionally and expand our responsibilities through workshops and further training.
  • OSEAS gives us a chance to be a part of a growing profession that is gaining more and more respect with local and US educators.

    What can YOU do for OSEAS?

  • Share your ideas and questions with your European colleagues. Let others know what you are doing - COMMUNICATE.
  • Reach out and ask questions freely - NETWORK.
  • Use the OSEAS Topic on the NAFSA Inter-L as well as the Advising Quarterly to raise your and OSEAS' visibility within international education.
  • Participate in conferences and workshops.
  • Maintain the ideals and ethics of your profession as you represent US higher education in your home country.
  • Strive to grow professionally in these challenging but exciting new times.
  • Remember that this doesn't have to be just a "job" - it can be a highly rewarding career if you want it to be!

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