Education Abroad Advisor

About the Office of the Vice President for International Affairs (OVPIA) (IU Global)

The Vice President for International Affairs and the teams of staff in OVPIA's offices are the stewards of international activity across all campuses of Indiana University (IU). We provide strategic leadership and advocacy for all international programs and projects and coordinate the resources necessary to sustain their growth. Our goal is to enable as many students, faculty, and staff as possible to pursue international and intercultural knowledge and experiences and to become engaged global citizens.

Learn how OVPIA provides leadership and support for IU's international efforts.

The mission of IU Education Abroad is to promote education abroad by Indiana University students through participation in quality programs in a wide range of disciplines. The purpose is to enhance international awareness and understanding and enrich curricula on every campus of the university, as well as to expand educational opportunities abroad for students from broad-ranging backgrounds. As the most effective and dramatic experience by which students can achieve international and intercultural learning, education abroad will contribute significantly to careers in all fields of specialization and should be an integral part of an education at Indiana University.

IU Education Abroad facilitates the education abroad experiences of approximately 4,600 students annually from all Indiana University campuses, with about 75% of those students receiving some form of financial aid. We strive to broaden and increase participation in education abroad, international internship and service-learning programs.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Advises students in person and electronically about approximately 100 active IU and external (non-IU) education abroad programs and procedures, and other experiential activities.
• Counsels students regarding education abroad program costs, the transferability of existing IU financial assistance, and study abroad-specific scholarship opportunities.
• Works directly with students exploring participation in external (non-IU) programs; reviews application paperwork and academic records to determine eligibility; accurately authorizes students for registration in special course numbers; conducts debriefings; and verifies successful transfer of full-time credit. May serve as the lead for managing data and records, as well as communicating IU recruiting policies and procedures to non-IU provider organizations.
• Represents IU Education Abroad in professional groups and to student organizations and travels internationally as needed to become familiar with Indiana University program sites.
• Evaluates application dossiers; maintains the student database; and assists in hiring, training, and working with 6-12 student peer counselors.
• Initiates and supports student outreach and recruitment activities in support of increasing participation in education abroad programming.
• Works closely with advisors and faculty on campus and abroad.
• Roles above the Core career level may include expanded duties and leadership and/or higher expectations of performance in line with the campus and the national advising ecosystem.

General Responsibilities

• Provides academic counseling for students pursuing or considering majors, minors, or certificates. Guides students in planning their course of study in concert with the departments' curricular requirements. Explains curriculum requirements and school and campus policies.
• Meets with students in groups and 1-on-1 to guide students in academic programs that will meet their educational needs and the requirements of their chosen major, minor, and/or certificate.
• Assists students in making informed decisions about a choice of major and potential career or graduate school direction. Helps students to assess their interests, values, and academic skills and to understand these in relation to major choice and potential future career/graduate school options.
• Teaches students how to navigate university systems, academic processes, and policies. Empowers student accountability in academic decisions about courses, career direction, and long-term plans. Provides guidance on avenues for increased involvement as an IU student and in the IU community.
• Refers students to appropriate campus resources, such as academic support resources, placement programs, internship and overseas study opportunities, etc.
• Tracks and monitors students' academic progress, reviews and maintains confidential student records to ensure that students meet requirements and to document advising discussions, and communicates this information in a timely manner to students and to appropriate academic offices when necessary.
• Represents the advising function as a presenter at campus meetings and recruiting functions. Assists in developing written advising materials for use in student events.
• Researches, recommends, or creates best practices for unit or campus initiatives, projects, processes, or programs and may provide guidance to other Academic Advisors.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Master's degree in related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 2 years in student affairs, teaching, academic advising, or related field.

Preferred

• 3 years in student affairs, teaching, academic advising, or related field.
• Previous experience in a student-focused, higher education environment is highly desired.
• Experience working in a study abroad office in the U.S. or abroad, or similar relevant international education experience, is highly desired

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.
• Uses and learns new technology proficiently and changes practices with changing technology.
• Meet Best Practices and National Standards for Academic Advising.
• Understands and meets Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requirements.

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.