cooperative education
Edited by GEOFFREY DAVIES ALAN L. MCCLELLANO
International Cooperative Work Experience: The ABC Model R. L. L a d e n Swinburne Institute of Technology. Hawthorn 3122, Australia R. S. Reeve University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. V8W 2Y2, Canada R. A. Schulz University of Suney. Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5XH, U.K. Chemists have always been pioneers and, like most people, have enjoyed traveling. However, not many have had the opportunity as undergraduates to comhine this travel with employment in industrial research-oriented projects. Over 30 students have been provided with such experience through a tripartite exchange program between Swinhurue Institute of Technology (Australia), University of Surrey (Britain), and the University of Victoria (Canada). This program, referred to for simplicity as the ABC Model, where the letters represent the countries involved, is described in this paper with the details of its implementation, an evaluation of its success, and plans for expansion. In the ABC Model the students have all been enrolled in cooperative education programs, and the paid work has been provided by employers in the countries to which the students have traveled. These employment experiences have ranged from mining research in outback Australia and wilderness Canada, through synthetic organic chemistry in central London and Melbourne, to agricultural research in Kings Lynn, U.K., and marine studies in Victoria, Canada. The petrochemid, plastics, brewing, phramaceutical, paper, and photographic industries have participated, with ICI, Dow, and Beecham making significant contributions as employers. In Europe, foreign language training has for a longtime ~rovideda vehicle for international exchange a t all levels. Since EEC regulations provide opportunity for employment. it is not surprising that students have been able to undertake periods of industrialflanguage training in countries such as France or Germany without much difficulty ( I ) . The Chemistry Department at the University of Surrey has over 10years experience with European placements, mainly through its former combined degree courses in chemistry with French or German, and the success of this activity prompted further development. Three students were involved in an exploratory phase with placements in Australia and New Zealand, and i t soon became clear that any long-term arrangements would involve complicated, time-consuming administrative procedures which could not be accommodated easily by existing facilities and resources. This is a well-known problem associated with international cooperative programs and one that has hren investigated in some detail by the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Exn~rienceIIAESTEI =.--., . 12). . . One avenue to exvlore was the use of the principle of reciprocity of placements between compatible institutions through close coUaboration between the academic s t a f f i d employe& associated with each coop program. In this wav. exchanee students would have the benefit of being ink&ed intoan established industrial training network,&h ~~
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all its safeguards, for a relatively small increase in staff time or operating cost. This format also goes some way to overcoming deficiencies with some exchange programs connected with the quality of work experience offered. The ABC Model
The ABC Model is based on interinstitutional links formed essentially at the departmental level. The initial links between the chemistry departments at Swinhume, Surrey, and Victoria were formed durine discussions at the UNESCO International Symposium on University,Industry lnternctions in Toronto in 1978 and the World Cunference~,on Cuoperat~vcKducation held in London and Boston in 1979and 1981, respectively. It was soon realized that the model's strength - would d e ~ e n d upon the personal commitment of the people involved. For this reason, nominated coordinators were chosen who were already members of the institutions' academic staff responsible for coop placements in each chemistry department. They were in the best positions to deal with the selection of the exchange students and to maintain the necessary close liaison with employees, government departments, and other agencies such as IAESTE which are essential to the smooth running of the program. The cooperation and backing of their institutions as well as the departments was also a vital factor (3). .. The most difficult area for the coordinators to address was the matchine of the work ~ e r i o d with s the calendar oatterns of the three institutions.This was necessary so that international olacements would not disturb the normal collaboration with employers by being out of phase with starting dates and duration. The Australian and British institutions sent their students out on 12-month work terms after they had completed 18 months and two years of academic study, respectively. At the Canadian institution, the students alternated between academic terms and work terms every four months. Complicating this situation were the different atartingdatrs of terms at the various institutions. With a minor adjustment to its schedule, the Canadian institution was able to arrange for its outgoing students to have two consecutive work terms, starting in January. This permitted them to match the overseas work terms with time to spare. At mutually convenient times, the coordinators confer on the basis of the exchange for that particular year. Items to be covered include: ~~
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number of students to be exchanged; placement patterns to be adopted; selection of students and employers; Volume 62
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work permits; and travel arrangements. It is agreed that incoming students are to he assisted wherever pssiblc with the p n w w of acclimatization and induction inu) the work dace. Thereafter. the exchangee is treated as a local student with the host institution assuming in loco parentis responsibility for welfare and supervision. This means that the standards demanded are as rigorous as those for the local students, and evaluation of the students' performance is shared by both the sending and hosting departments. This is the ABC Model in outline. As the program has evolved over the past four years, a number of points have emereed: development of communication links; selection of stud& and employers; work permits; and welfare. ~~~~
Comrnunlcation Efficient chnnnels of communication arc essential for quick response tosuch situations as the failure of an expected student to appear, the late arrival of a work permit, interference by an over-zealous parent, or the sudden closing down of a project. The Telex machine has proved invaluable as a means of communication on most matters, with the instantaneous (but more costly) telephone being reserved for the most urgent. Over the years the number of Telex messages and long distance calls per placement has dropped. Initially many were sent and received; however, with the growth of the program, onlv, two or three of each are needed per placement. The timing of communiques is also essential.~Eachinstitution has its own deadlin6:s to mert for resume prepamtion, submission of work site visit repurtli, and evaluations uf work term repun?. Knuwinr. - each uthcrs' requirements permits these to be sent by mail, given sufficient lead time. Selection of Students and Employers A very strong feature of this program is that those students chosen for exchange do not find their own employment. This resnonsihility is assumed by the receiving institution with in&t from the sending coordinator. Employers are selected on the basis of companies likely to be sympathetic with the aims of international coop work experience. These include the multinational corporations, companies with branch plants in the receiving cotkries and those seeking exposure to foreign markets and institutions through "ambassadorial" returning students. Others, too, recognize the value of international training for local students who, upon graduation, will return to the local labor market with their unique experiences. Under normal conditions, students are not available for interviews with the overseas employer. This places an extra burden on the coordinator to guarantee the quality and compatibility of the incoming student to the receiving employer. As a result, emphasis has been placed in the ABC Model on the choice of only the highest quality students based on both personal and academic criteria. Supporting evidence exchanged hetween coordinators includes the student's resume and university transcripts, together with other particulars such as employment preferences and availability dates. In the early stages of implementation of this program, further valuable assistance to the placement task was gained through coordinator fami~iarizatibnvisits. This enahled the three of them toohtain detailed infurmationahout each other's programs, employer types, and local environments. The authors particularly appreciated the three World Conferences on Co-operative Education in this respect. ~~~~~~~~
Work Permits The procurement of work visas for incoming foreign students has been the most critical part of the program and the most time-consuming part of each placement. IAESTE has recognized it as "the single most crucial element in the entire 132
Journal of Chemical Education
area" (2).The urgent need for simplified and rapid procedures for the issuing of work permits to students on recognized exchange programs is obvious, and there are signs that this problem is being met. The U.S. government set an example hy delegating the responsibility of allocating J-1 visas for foreizn students to Northeastern Universitv ( 4 ) .The Canadiangovernment, through its employment A d immigration department, has recently recognized the VictoriaISurreyl Swinhurne international coop exchange scheme as satisfying work visa regulations. The principal of reciprocity is the key element; for each foreign student received, the program must ensure employment ahroad for a local student. Over the years, nine different placement exchange programs have heen tried. There has even been a sequence where an Australian student of German parentage spent six months in Britain and then another six months in Germany. Concurrent reciprocity of exchanges is a desirable aim, but this has not always been possible within a calendar year. Nonetheless, a balanced exchange of placements has been maintained over the long-run, thereby satisfying the immigration regulations. ~
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Welfare Particinatine" students must he weU informed on a l l aspects of funding, travel, insurance, action in emergencies, and ( 5 )also recommends investigation nassnort . . validitv.. Snrinkle of differences in practice "in areas such assafety laws, workers' comnensation, liahilitv laws, taxation [both income tax and social insurance) and contractual relations (such as rental of living accommodations)." Students placed in Britain for example. disrovered they had to work six months in a given fiscal year before being able to deduct full personal exemptions. &
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Discussion The ABC Model described herein has been operating now for six years, placing 35 students with atotal of 15employers, providing the authors with an opportunity for evaluation. Students have benefitted from work experiences unique to the hosting country and from the maturing effect of international t m v e l . ~ o some r students there has been an enhancement of their employment prospects, and for others, specific immovements have been noticed in their final exam results. Certainly one result of the student selection process has been to provide a tangible incentive for them to obtain higher grades. The insitutions have benefitted from the exchange proflam in ways additional to the normal bcnefits of hcing involved in a coop pmgram. The international involvement has broadened the horizons of the faculty and staff involved and strengthened the links to other countries at a number of levels. T h r wordinators have been able to gain access to new placements as a result of contacts made by their overseas colleagues. In one case, a local branch of a multi-national company was persuaded to become involved because of a very successful placement a t an overseas branch plant. The Canadian institution has found the international component to attract and retain high-caliber students because of their eligibility criteria: students must complete three years of their academic training and four four-month work terms prior to an overseas placement. Employers have benefitted from their involvement in the international exchange program for a variety of reasons. The incoming students may have longer or shorter work terms than the local ones, a useful flexihility to employer recruitment needs. In some cases, local students may gain access to trainmg in an overseas branch plant and return with that expertise a t no cost to the local employer. Overall, employers enjoyed the presence of these highly motivated, bright students with their stranee accents and interesting backgrounds and have cont i n u 2 to support the program. Most r&ognize the importance of an international education in an ever-shrinking world in which countries are becoming increasingly interdependent.
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Indeed, the increased number of multi-national companies with components being manufactured in several different countries was an important development referred to by Ryder (6)during his opening address at the Third World Conference in Melbourne. Literature Cited (11 Ross, J. R H.. "Chemical Education in Europe." The Chernieal Society, London, 1976.
(2) Sprinkle, R.M., (Editors), "Administration af lntpmationsl C o a p e r s t i ~Education Exchenges," Rep* ofa Wingspread Conaultafion,IAESTEILIS,Calumbia. MU,June 1978. (3) "NAFSA Principles for International Educational Exchange." National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, Washington, DC, 1981. (41 Rector. M. L.,Hartley, M. %Reed, J. V., Seherp. D.;'DevelopbgInternstianal Exchange Programs." Ploe. Second World Conference on cooperative Education, Northemtern University, 1981. p. 120. (51 Sprink1e.R. M.. J. CoopEduc.. l7,99 (1981). (61 Ryder, K. G..3rd World Conference on Cooperative Education, Melbourne. 1981.
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