Capacity Building Workshop: Developing Sustainable Partnerships with U.S. HEIs and International Student Services to Increase Student Mobility
The Fulbright Finland Foundation will organize a capacity-building workshop to support Finnish higher education institutions in their efforts to develop sustainable and successful partnerships with U.S. institutions to increase student mobility from the United States. Together with expert speakers, participants will share best practices in partnership building as well as in hosting U.S. students and compile concrete ideas on the workshop resources site for developing institutional partnerships as well as international student services.
The training includes an introductory Pre-Event Webinar on Insights into the U.S. Higher Education System as well as a full-day training event in Helsinki that ends with a networking reception hosted by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.
The events are free of charge. The training day will include breakfast, lunch, and light servings during the networking reception.
Pre-Event Webinar
March 12, 2025 at 14:30-15:45
Insights to the U.S. Higher Education System
Based on the feedback from the pre-event survey conducted for the Finnish HEIs, the training day is preceded by an introductory virtual session on the theme of U.S. higher education. In this webinar, you will learn about the basics of the U.S. higher education system, its unique features, and the broader landscape in which the institutions operate on the U.S. side.
- Leasa Weimer, Director for Global Partnerships, University of Denver, Colorado; Fulbright U.S. Fellow 2011-12 and Fulbright Finland Foundation staff alum
Tentative Program of the Capacity Building Workshop
March 19, 2025, Paasitorni, Helsinki
8:30 Registration and Breakfast
9:00 Welcome and Introduction to the Capacity Building Workshop
9:05 Fulbright Finland Grant Programs Supporting Institutional Collaborations
9:20 Trends in the U.S.: Partnerships & Student Mobility
- Leasa Weimer, Director for Global Partnerships, University of Denver, Colorado; Fulbright U.S. Fellow 2011-12 and Fulbright Finland Foundation staff alum
9:50 U.S. Institutions’ Insights: International Student Partnerships
- Chun-Hsing Ho, University of Nebraska - Lincoln; 2024-25 Fulbright-Tampere University Scholar Award
- Risto Marttinen, George Mason University; 2024-25 Fulbright U.S. Scholar
- Julie Shortridge, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; 2024-25 Fulbright-University of Oulu Scholar Award
10:20 Break
10:35 Inspirational Practices from Finnish HEIs Collaborating with U.S. HEIs
- Utilizing Fulbright Finland for partnership building with U.S. Institutions
Tia-Maria Sjöblom, International Relations Adviser, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences: Fulbright Finland Travel Grants for Institutional Partnership Building alum - Aalto University School of Business partnerships with U.S. universities – Best practices and lessons learned
Saila Kurtbay, Head of International Affairs, Aalto University - Facilitator: Leasa Weimer, Director for Global Partnerships, University of Denver, Colorado; Fulbright U.S. Fellow 2011-12 and Fulbright Finland Foundation staff alum
Small Group Discussions: Sharing Inspirational Practices
11:50 Lunch
12:50 Mapping out “Sweet Spots” to Engage with U.S. Institutions
Small Group Discussions: Opportunities/Challenges & Creative Solutions
- Facilitator: Leasa Weimer, Director for Global Partnerships, University of Denver, Colorado; Fulbright U.S. Fellow 2011-12 and Fulbright Finland Foundation staff alum
13:50 Break
14:05 U.S. Student View: Practical Tips for Developing International Student Services
- Ava Asmus, 2024-25 Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Award
- Andrew Greene, 2024-25 Fulbright-University of Turku Graduate Award
- Katelyn Moje, 2024-25 Fulbright-LUT University Graduate Award
- Natalie Schirmacher, 2024-25 Fulbright-Tampere University Graduate Award
- Facilitator: Leasa Weimer, Director for Global Partnerships, University of Denver, Colorado; Fulbright U.S. Fellow 2011-12 and Fulbright Finland Foundation staff alum
Small Group Discussions: Sharing Inspirational Practices
15:10 Discussion in Small Groups on Best Practices and Next Steps in Establishing/Developing Partnerships with U.S. Institutions
- Facilitator: Leasa Weimer, Director for Global Partnerships, University of Denver, Colorado; Fulbright U.S. Fellow 2011-12 and Fulbright Finland Foundation staff alum
15:50 Closing Words
16:00 End of Workshop
16:15 – 18:00 Networking Reception Hosted by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture
Registration
Please register for the event by filling out this form by February 27, 2025. Please note that space is limited, so be sure to register early to secure your spot.
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