History of the international program at the University of Michigan, 1847-1995: Demographics, services, and contemporary perspectives.

Abstract

This thesis surveys the history of the international program at the University of Michigan. The study covers the period from 1847 to 1995 and focuses on three particular aspects that represent this program: (1) the University's international demography defined as students who come to the university from abroad, (2) the various services that were provided to these students, and (3) the contemporary demographic developments and University's perspectives on the international education program. The study uses the historical methods of content analysis and analysis of existing data in the investigation of the university's historical records and relevant literature. The demographic analysis for the period 1847-1970 shows the beginning of foreign student enrollment and the developments and changes in foreign enrollment trends on the basis of student country of origin; enrollment by world region; student class level; and student field of study. The analysis includes an explanation of the factors that influenced the development of these trends in terms of the changing political, economic, and educational conditions of the external context of the university and the university's internal policies and actions. The service aspect for foreign students is explored in three phases: (1) the earlier incorporation of social services by volunteers, (2) the formal services established by the university including the emergence in 1911 of the counseling advising, and English language services, and (3) the various social, academic, and extracurricular services provided by the University's International Center from 1938 to 1970. These include the Center's professional contributions to the international education movement at local, national, and international levels. The University's contemporary perspectives are examined in light of four major developments that occurred during the period from 1970 to 1995. These are (1) the changing trends in the demographics, (2) the university's initiative to internationalize its organizational structure, (3) the establishment of international goals for the university year 2000, and (4) the international educational accomplishments by several units of the university through 1995 including the establishment of the University's International Institute in 1993.