Staff and Faculty-Led Program Development

The Office of International Programs ‐ Education Abroad (OIP‐EA) is here to assist faculty and staff with program development and promotion, site visit support, student applications and advising, orientations, health and safety planning, course registration/transfer credit articulation, and financial/contractual management.

The following outlines the steps for developing a faculty or staff‐led education abroad program and gathers information needed by OIP‐EA to assist with development of a high-quality academic education abroad program that complies with CSU’s risk management and fiscal policies for leading student groups abroad.

The core values of the Education Abroad unit are the foundation upon which we develop and implement all of our programs and operations. The requested information in this proposal is based on the OIP‐EA core values and the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad from the Forum on Education Abroad. The Forum is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the field of education abroad.

Steps for Proposing a New Staff or Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program

  1. Review the Program Leader Qualification and Submission Timeline below
  2. Gain support for your Education Abroad program concept from your Academic Department or Unit through discussion with your Department Chair and relevant members 
  3. Meet with the Associate Director of Education Abroad to discuss the program proposal process (email [email protected] to schedule a meeting) and EA Liaison Program Manager as needed
  4. Work with the Associate Director of Education Abroad to create a request for proposals

Program Leader Qualifications

Information below pertains to CSU Staff and Faculty-led programs, which do not include First Year Seminar Abroad Programs. For details about leader qualification for those programs, please reach out to [email protected]. 

Colorado State University faculty [Continuing, Contract, or Adjunct (CCA) or Tenure Track] are invited to lead and teach education abroad programs within their area of disciplinary knowledge, pedagogical experience, and professional expertise. If employed as staff, the person must have faculty privileges, have a tenured home, and/or emeritus status within a department. Additional requirements include: 

  1. At least two years’ experience teaching residential students on CSU Fort Collins main campus (not via CSU Online or remote) 
  2. Experience leading groups of students on excursions off the CSU campus or, at the discretion of OIP, instructors may be asked to co-lead/shadow on a program prior to leading themselves 
  3. Have knowledge of and experience in the host country and/or conduct a site visit to the destination prior to leading students abroad 
  4. Review of and agreement to comply with the CSU Education Abroad Companion & Guest Policy and the Program Leader Scope of Work (available upon request) 
  5. Attend required annual Emergency Response Protocols workshop and other training sessions specified by the Office of International Programs. 
  6. With approval from their Department and Education Abroad, leaders may co-lead up to two programs per year. 

Support Staff / Co-Leader Qualifications 

Colorado State University employees (full-time, permanent status) may be recommended by the primary leader and invited to co-lead education abroad, providing pastoral care and assistance (non-teaching) to program leaders.  Additional requirements include: 

  1. Approval from the home department including compliance with any departmental selection process that may exist for co-leading/supporting education abroad programs.  
  2. If staff, at least two years’ experience working full-time on CSU Fort Collins main campus (not via CSU Online or fully remote) is required. 
  3.  Experience leading groups of students on excursions off CSU campus, experience with team building/community building, conflict resolution and/or facilitating reflection and discussion.   Staff without prior experience might be approved, at the discretion of OIP, and with approval of program leader. 
  4. It is preferred that support staff have knowledge of and experience in the host country. 
  5. Support staff must acknowledge and agree to the CSU Education Abroad Companion & Guest Policy and the Program Leader Responsibilities or Graduate Assistant Contract. 

Graduate Teaching Assistants: 

Colorado State University graduate students may be recommended by the primary leader and invited to co-lead education abroad as support staff, providing pastoral care and assistance to program leaders.  Graduate students may also assist with course preparation and grading, with program leader instruction. Additional requirements include: 

  1. Approval from the home department including compliance with any departmental selection process that may exist for co-leading/supporting education abroad programs.  
  2. Experience leading groups of students on excursions off CSU campus, experience with team building/community building, conflict resolution and/or facilitating reflection and discussion.   Graduate students without prior experience might be approved, at the discretion of OIP, and with approval of program leader. 
  3. It is preferred that graduate teaching assistants have knowledge of and experience in the host country. 
  4. Support staff must acknowledge and agree to the CSU Education Abroad Companion & Guest Policy and the Graduate Assistant Contract. 

At the discretion of OIP, we reserve the right to deny any CSU faculty, staff member, or graduate student requesting to lead or co-lead an education abroad program. 

Submission Timeline

Program proposals should be discussed and approved by the Academic Department or Unit and OIP approximately 16‐18 months prior to a program’s start. Advanced planning of education abroad programming allows for appropriate time for adhering to Procurement policies related to soliciting bids, contracting services, as well as preparation of UCC course requests and implementing promotion plans. 

Submission Period

  • Summer Programs: Jan‐Feb (16‐18 months before program start date)
  • Winter Break/Spring Break/Spring Semester Programs: Sept‐Jan (16‐18 months before program start date)
  • Fall Break/Fall Semester Programs: April‐Aug (16‐18 months before program start date)

Resources