Proposals

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Faculty-Led Short-Term Study Abroad Program

Call for Proposals: Winter 2025 - Summer 2026

The University of Oklahoma seeks proposals from OU faculty or staff members to lead short-term study abroad programs.

Terms:

Winter Session 2025 (limited capacity)

Spring Break 2026 (not available in Arezzo)

Summer 2026

Locations:

Proposals are welcome for most countries. OU has in-country operations in Arezzo, Italy and Puebla, Mexico as well as numerous partners in countries around the world. Programs are generally not approved to countries at a Level 4 Department of State rating.

Program Requirements

At least one OU Regular Faculty Member or others as approved by the Office of Global Engagement
Program Leaders are required to stay in-country(ies) for the duration of the proposed program
Academic courses should be applicable to a large population of students
- Department-specific course in high demand
- Gen Ed course that satisfies a requirement for a wide range of majors
Program Leaders will accompany students on site visits & program activities throughout the duration of the program
Program Leaders must complete required registrations and trainings prior to departure
Program Leaders must comply with international health, safety, and risk management policies
At least two OU-employed Program Leaders are required for every program. Programs must partner with an in-country provider or organization for on the ground logistics & operations
- Programs in Italy will work with the OU in Arezzo Study Center
- Programs in Mexico will work with the OU in Puebla Study Center
- Programs in other countries will work with an Education Abroad approved in-country provider or organization; more information below

Exceptions to any of the above requirements may be approved by the Associate Provost for Global Engagement on rare occasions. Submit the proposal and any petition for exception to the above requirements as a supplemental document.

Program Design

Short-term faculty-led programs should be taught in English (with some exceptions for language study) and have relevance or tie-in to the proposed country or region. The course can be open to any discipline or a specific subset of major(s) if there is a wide enough pool of potential applicants. Program length depends on type of program, time of year and location. Programs can last anywhere from 8 days over Spring Break to 8 weeks during the Summer term. There are a variety of program models possible, depending on the goals for the program. The proposal form will ask you to select 2-3 learning goals for your program. We encourage you to reach out to us if you would like to discuss potential program models and opportunities while planning your proposal.

Program leaders are expected to serve as the primary student recruiters for their program and engage in all aspects of the program process. Program leaders are expected to be able to adjust to the inevitable challenges of teaching and travelling abroad with college students, including serving as 24/7 support in the event of an emergency. Travel expenses will be provided to each program

leader. Faculty are encouraged to teach study abroad courses in-load or with departmental support for the teaching stipend; if that is not possible a teaching stipend will be included in the program fee paid by students.

Programs in Italy and/or Mexico will receive support and assistance in program development and administration from OU Study Center staff. Programs in other countries are required to utilize an in-country provider for in-country logistics. A list of preferred providers for programs outside Italy or Mexico is available here. In some cases two providers will be appropriate, usually in the case of a university partner providing classroom space and/or accommodations and a local education travel organization providing other logistics. Faculty are encouraged to work with Education Abroad in advance of submitting a proposal to find a partner university or local provider in the country of proposal that conforms to the highest standards of excellence, especially in the areas of health, safety, security and risk management.

Proposals can be submitted on an individual basis or as a coordinated course proposal between two faculty members (preferred).

Selection Criteria

Logistics

How many programs are being offered in a given region, term, general education category, and/or academic subject area?
Is it feasible to arrange the proposed program within an appropriate budget?
Does the location make sense given the program goals and target audience?
Is the location strategic to the department and/or university internationalization goals?

Academics

Are the courses offered in high demand? When it's offered on campus is there significant student interest?
Do the courses satisfy a major requirement or have a Gen Ed component? (Note: Humanities preferred over other Gen Ed categories due to student degree requirements)
Is this a signature or strategic academic offering for the department?
Is the academic experience of the student in this course(s) enhanced through the study abroad experience?
Does it have a component that is unique/cannot be done on campus (internship, specific skill, site visits unique to the location, etc)?
Preference will be given to program leaders who can teach in-load OR have their teaching stipend and/or other expenses covered by their department
We strongly recommend academic departments submit only one proposal per department to avoid competition among majors

Marketing

Is there a sufficient student applicant pool for the program to make?
Is the location familiar to the average OU student?
Are there any major recruitment barriers to this location (such as real or perceived safety concerns, cost of living, etc.)
Is there a competing program within the same department or targeting the same applicant pool?

Program Leader

Are the program leaders motivated to collaborate with Education Abroad and the in-country team to develop program logistics and budget details?
Is the program leader motivated to lead recruitment for this program with support from Education Abroad (example: attending class visits, promoting within their department, attending and organizing events, etc.)?
How connected is the program leader to the target audience (example: not on sabbatical during recruitment and pre-departure phases, actively engaged with target audience through teaching or classroom visits, consistently communicates with prospective program participants)?
How is the proposed program connected to the program leader’s research (if applicable)?
Preference will be given to program leaders with previous experience teaching, studying, or researching abroad.
Preference will be given to faculty with working knowledge of the language spoken in-country and/or familiarity with the local setting.

Accessibility

Does this program serve students historically underserved by study abroad (major, demographics, etc.)?
Does this program enhance the accessibility of study abroad?
Could this program reasonably accommodate nontraditional students or students with disabilities?
Would this program exclude or cause undue concerns for any student communities?
Is this program financially feasible for the average OU student (considering in-country costs, excursions, etc.)?

Historical Information

Has this program successfully run in the past? Programs that have run successfully in the past are given preference, although some new programs will be selected each year.
- If the program was unsuccessful previously what adjustments could be made for future success?
For New Programs: Preference will be given to innovative or collaborative new programs that can expand access to study abroad in terms of student demographic, course topic, location, etc.

Submitting a Proposal

The following are required components of the proposal:

Cover letter summarizing your proposed program, course(s) and how it meets the general requirements and selection criteria outlined above
- Please indicate whether or not your course(s) will be taught in-load or overload. We encourage faculty to teach courses in-load or with departmental financial support as it provides a more sustainable financial model and makes programs more affordable for students. If it is not possible to teach in-load please explain this in a brief statement.
Two paragraph course synopsis or draft syllabus including suggested reading list and schedule (per course)
Curriculum Mini Vitae
Brief letter of support from all of the following individuals:
- Department Chair
- College Study Abroad Liaison
- College Dean
Preliminary provider details for programs outside Italy and Mexico
Signed Program Leader Agreement (PDF)

The deadline for proposals is March 1, 2025. Late submissions will only be accepted in extraordinary circumstances.

Submit A Proposal

The Associate Provost for Global Engagement will make the final selection based on the recommendation of the Office of Global Engagement. Applicants will be notified of their proposal decision by early April. The Office of Education Abroad will assist faculty leaders in creating a detailed program and budget over the summer.

Contact

For questions or support during the proposal process please contact Kaydee Dyer, Education Abroad Assistant Director of Operations, at kaydee.dyer@ou.edu.