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Vision and Goals

Graduate Students In Action

Jason McAfee measures soil respiration, while Dr. Curt Rom, professor of horticulture, samples soil for organic matter. McAfee earned his master's degree in horticulture in 2006 and now works as a technician with Dr. Rom's team on a USDA grant funded project to study organic production systems and orchard ecology. See the feature article on Dr. Rom's research in Research Frontiers magazine.

Graduate School and International Education (GSIE) consists of the offices of the Dean; Graduate Student Activities; Graduate Recruitment and Student Financial Support; International Recruitment & Graduate and International Admissions (including Special Programs); Study Abroad and International Exchange; International Students and Scholars; Sponsored Student Programs; and five cross-college interdisciplinary programs (Cell & Molecular Biology, Environmental Dynamics, Microelectronics-Photonics, Public Policy and Space & Planetary Sciences). We also have an affiliate relationship with Spring International Language Center. GSIE is the dean’s office for all graduate students except those in the Graduate School of Business (master’s programs in the Walton College of Business). We are also the home for all international students, both graduate and undergraduate. Our vision, mission and goals encompass our dedication to the recruitment, admission, retention and graduation of students from Arkansas and across the U.S. and the world, as well as our service to the University of Arkansas.

Our Vision

The Graduate School and International Education assists the University of Arkansas in excelling at research, teaching, training, and service while fostering student and scholar success and enhancing the overall student academic experience.

Mission

The Graduate School and International Education supports the strategic goals of the University of Arkansas to continue as a very high research university; recruits, retains and graduates high-caliber students; advocates for students and student success; facilitates intercultural and international experiences to increase global competencies; and assists in the development of international, interdisciplinary and graduate programs.

If you have questions or comments, please contact the Graduate School Staff.

Our Goals

Goal 1

Advance the visibility and reputation of the University of Arkansas within the nation and around the world and promote the UA as a destination of choice for students and scholars.

Goal 2

Initiate and maintain strong connections with, and advocate for, graduate, international, and study abroad students and scholars from the time of initial inquiry through post graduation.

Goal 3

Actively seek to promote and strengthen strategic relationships with partner institutions, academic units, university departments and the community.

Goal 4

Serve as the central unit for tracking and providing risk assessment for international education mobility.

Goal 5

Facilitate the development and management of innovative and educational graduate, international, and interdisciplinary programs.

Goals 6

Adopt an enrollment management plan to meet university goals:

  • Increase the quantity and diversity of qualified international and graduate applications;
  • Increase the percentage of graduate students to 20% of the total student headcount enrollment by 2020;
  • Increase the percentage of international graduate students to 20% of the total graduate student headcount by 2020;
  • Increase the percentage of international students to 10% of the total headcount enrollment by 2020; with at least 200 international first-time, full-time freshmen;
  • Increase the number of sponsored students to 20% of the international headcount enrollment by 2020;
  • Increase the percentage of enrolled visiting students to 125 each semester;
  • Maintain an average of 120 countries represented in the international student population and strengthen the enrollment from countries with less than 10 students on campus;
  • Increase the participation rate of graduating seniors completing a significant international experience to 25% by 2020;
  • Increase the number of outbound UA students enrolling in reciprocal exchange programs to 15% of the total study abroad population per year by 2020;