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The following appeared in the May/June issue of International Educator magazine.

The global financial crisis has affected governments, corporations, Mom and Pop stores, nonprofit organizations—and even higher education systems. In Europe, some countries have had more publicized struggles—like Greece and Ireland—while others—like Italy and Portugal—have come to the forefront more recently.

What does this mean for the next generation of students and scholars in these nations? Some students and recent graduates, understandably, don’t have a rosy outlook of what their futures hold. Some academics are holding onto hope that their nation’s higher education system will improve while some are looking for greener pastures overseas.

Whether or not individual Europeans are jaded or still have hope in the higher education system in their countries, one thing is clear: things have got to change. The lesson that has been learned is that what has always been done isn’t a guarantee for success—not anymore. Innovation on how to improve these systems is now required.

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Mark PowellBy Mark Powell
It’s always nice to get something for free. In Houston, there are several different sights you can enjoy for free while attending the NAFSA 2012 Annual Conference. Take a break from the conference and enjoy a podcast that provides a self-guided walking tour of downtown Houston, or hop on a boat for a tour of the Port of Houston.

Be sure to check out daily deals and other ideas, too, at Houston on the Cheap. For the most up-to-date offers, follow on the site on Twitter, or “like” them on Facebook!


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By Leslie Pitman
When you find yourself wandering around a massive Expo Hall that highlights everything from Africa to England to travel insurance to service learning, and then find yourself, at 2 a.m., surrounded by dancing Brazilians—only to be in a session five hours later about education abroad and meetings with foreign universities—you must only be in one place: the NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo.

Although my own experience wasn’t exactly like the one described above, it was unforgettable, overwhelming, and life-changing. Last May, not even a month after graduating from college, I attended NAFSA’s 2011 Annual Conference & Expo in Vancouver, British Columbia. As the recipient of the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Alumna of the Year Award, I had the privilege of joining nearly 9,000 other international education professionals for what I would later call my “first business trip.”

Navigating the conference as an undergraduate student with no real experience in the field was not an easy task—but I was up for the challenge. I soon found myself making connections, handing out my résumé, discovering new opportunities, and, most importantly, learning about the incredible field of international education.

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Toni RicoBy Toni Rico
In the words of Jack Nicholson in The Shining, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” So: Who wants to cut a rug? I like every type of music, and can get my groove on with just about any beat, so I hope to meet your dancing feet needs with the following suggestions while you are here in Houston! These are only places I have personally been, so I welcome other Houstonians to share places and types of music I might have forgotten. Feel free to comment and share your favorite hot spots.

Country
As this is Texas, I must start off with country music. If you’ve ever seen the movie Urban Cowboy with John Travolta and Debra Winger, you would remember Gilley’s Club in Pasadena, Texas—and the leading lady’s quest to find a “real cowboy.” Gilley’s no longer exists here in the Houston area, but there’s still a place where cowboy hats and cowboy boots rule the dance floor. If you’re in the mood to two-step, it’s called Big Texas Dance Hall & Saloon.

(Don’t know how to two-step, but have always wanted to learn? You are in luck! Big Texas offers free dance lessons from 6-7 p.m. Need a cowboy hat? They’ll be on sale at the Opening Celebration on the Green.)

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Do you have feedback for SEVP about your recertification process, I-17 updates, or the evidence they’re requesting concerning your ESL program’s accreditation?  Do you want to hear the latest information about SEVIS II and how it may impact your business practices?  Are you interested in discussing your “Campus Sentinel visit” with the Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit or asking what to expect if you haven’t yet been visited?

You can speak with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials directly at the DHS Pavilion in the expo hall throughout NAFSA 2012 Annual Conference & Expo.  More than 50 DHS officials will staff the pavilion, including many from SEVP and others from Secretary Napolitano’s Office of Academic Engagement, USCIS, CBP, and the ICE Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit, among others.

NAFSA staff and the International Student and Scholar Regulatory Practice Committee (ISS-RP) conduct regular liaison with DHS on your behalf.  We communicate your concerns (gathered through IssueNet and other vehicles), make recommendations and requests, and provide information to DHS about your work and the enterprise of international education.  We report to you on our liaison activities and publish information and documents that we obtain.  And through her participation on DHS Secretary Napolitano’s Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC), NAFSA CEO Marlene Johnson will be able to bring NAFSAns’ concerns and recommendations to the attention of top DHS leadership.

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By Janel Lockwood
Attending a conference like the NAFSA annual conference can be quite overwhelming for first-time attendees. With so many sessions, networking events, and learning opportunities, it can be hard to know what to attend! Since my first conference in 2007 in Minneapolis, I have learned a lot about how to make the most out of conference time.

Plan ahead. Familiarize yourself with the conference schedule ahead of time and figure out which learning opportunities you don’t want to miss. Remember, some sessions at the conference will be recorded—look for the headphones icon next to the session in Conference Connection—and often session handouts are posted to the site by mid-May.

Remember to network. Networking should be a priority on your schedule, as it happens every minute of the conference. It’s likely you will learn as much through your conversations with colleagues as you do in the sessions. The open meetings and member interest groups are a great way to network because they break the conference down into smaller, more manageable groups that are of interest to you. Participate in as many of these as you like.

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Mark PowellBy Mark Powell
The 2012 NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo may seem a bit overwhelming at times with so many educational and networking offerings, and exhibitors in the Expo Hall. These concerns may be allayed through the use of several different kinds of technology available to conference goers. Most of the types of technology mentioned in this blog will involve either smartphones or tablets. Get out your mobile devices and let’s get started!

Mobile Web sites
Mobile Web sites are specially created Web sites designed to work on smartphones and tablets. They generally contain only the crucial and functional features of a desktop Web site. There are two specific mobile Web sites that have been created for the 2012 Conference in Houston: the conference mobile Web site and the Conference Connection mobile Web site. You can learn how to use these two mobile sites by watching the video below:

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