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Institute for Pacific Asia (IPA)
Established in 1987, the Institute for Pacific Asia (IPA) at Texas A&M University is one of three regional centers within the International Programs Office (IPO), and is the unit which serves to coordinate A&M's initiatives in the Asia Pacific region, including East, Southeast, and South Asia. Founded in 1987, IPA promotes the exchange of knowledge and ideas between U.S. researchers and scholars within universities, private or public sector organizations and counterparts located in Pacific Asia. IPA has a track record of past collaborative China projects with notable China exchange experience stemming from projects funded by US Department of State and by US National Science Foundation. IPA staff co-authored a grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Education that brought Chinese language studies to the College Station campus.
IPA serves as a strategic center for long term planning of Asian initiatives and focus, including overseeing initiatives in China, India, and other Asian nations. IPA also maintains meaningful relationships with partner and potential partner institutions through hosting delegations and organizing trips abroad for Texas A&M faculty, students, and administrators, as well as working with Aggies who live in Asia.
The Office of International Outreach (OIO)
The Office of International Outreach (OIO) at Texas A&M University helps to promote a community of respect by serving as the liaison between International Programs and the communities of Bryan and College Station and Texas school teachers across the State.
OIO also provides on-campus support to faculty in terms of facilitation of Memoranda of Agreements, the International Research Travel Assistance Grant and International Curriculum Development Grant and by providing recognition to faculty who are outstanding, excelling in international teaching and research and service.
OIO staff work with International faculty, staff and students to find opportunities for sharing information about their country and culture with the community through presentations to groups such as senior citizens and the City Council of College Station.
The OIO World Room Educational Program offers workshops that raise awareness of international topics for k-12 teachers and students that are essential to developing global citizens and college students interested in languages and study abroad. Train-the-trainers workshops are offered in cross-cultural communication, providing facilitators with the tools to teach the course to their respective audiences in k-12 schools, higher education, city utility, fire and police personnel and to businesses that work with international clientele.
College of Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts is one of the academic cornerstones of Texas A&M University, with approximately 450 faculty members (roughly 70 percent tenured/tenure-track) who have received numerous awards on- and off- campus for outstanding scholarship, teaching, and service accomplishments. Approximately 7000 graduate and undergraduate majors work with faculty in the humanities, social sciences, and performing arts. The College budget exceeds $41 million, and the College has 12 academic departments, 5 research and education centers, and a variety of undergraduate and graduate interdisciplinary programs.
Currently, the College of Liberal Arts has significant research agendas related to China, including a General Social Survey conducted annually in China, and the development of an online archive of empirical data on Chinese society. In addition, the College has recently initiated a new academic minor in Asian studies, and is offering annual study abroad trips to China.
College of Education and Human Development
The College of Education and Human Development (CHED) was ranked 35th in Education Schools overall and 25th among public universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2005 with over 13.1 million in extramural funding in 2005. Its mission is to prepare professional educators to respond to diverse human service needs. The College manages certifications for teachers, principals, superintendents, counselors and administrators. Specific degree and certification programs are offered in the areas of elementary education, secondary education, kinesiology, and health education. In 2005, there were 5,339 students enrolled in the College of Education. Of these, 193 are international students and 876 are from identified minorities. There are 28 students from the Peoples’ Republic of China in the College.
The college maintains a statewide outreach program through the 20 Education Service Centers located throughout the state, as well as ongoing programs to alumni and other teachers in Texas. It has strong partnerships with many of the largest school districts in the state, including the Houston Independent School District. The Center for Distance Learning Research has a mission of transforming education by developing distance education applications, by supporting research & evaluation, and by providing timely and appropriate professional development, technical assistance and consultation. The Center’s services would provide a tremendous ability to develop innovative and unique Distance learning approaches to fulfilling the mission of the Confucius Institute at Texas A&M University.
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