A third gathering in 1997 was a broad-based effort to develop a comprehensive guide to resources for global initiatives at community colleges and assist federal agencies in advancing global education objectives. Following the national conferences, The Stanley Foundation convened regional conferences in many states where presidents and trustees developed plans for globalizing their own community colleges. President Cowan has been the keynote speaker at regional conferences in Wisconsin, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. The retreat for Massachusetts community colleges will be held on March 25-26 in Worcester. At the regional Stanley conferences, President Cowan has spread the word that international education and economic development are firmly linked.
Most economic activity takes place today on an international level.
National boundaries have little to do with the market forces which determine where and how goods are manufactured and distributed. Sophisticated communications technology has increased the amount of information available to us and enabled organizations to transcend borders and deal with critical issues in a global manner. Because people and nations are so intricately linked, community colleges are obligated to make their students globally literate and capable of competing internationally. Cowan noted that community colleges educate approximately 5.5 million credit students and a similar number of noncredit students, making them the largest single sector of higher education. We are doing students an injustice if we don't prepare them to function in an international, intercultural environment.