INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EXTENSION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Extension systems across the country have been challenged to integrate international perspectives into programs and assist staff and clientele in developing global competency. For the past decade, national Extension leaders have encouraged state Extension systems to internationalize. Few studies have been conducted related to internationalization of the Extension component of the land grant university system. The purpose of the study was to identify the characteristics that will describe an internationalized state Extension system. The study used a three-round, modified Delphi technique to explore and describe the characteristics of an internationalized state Extension system. By consensus, the Delphi Panel identified 38 characteristics of an internationalized state Extension system. Five critical elements were identified: (1) Clientele develop a fundamental understanding of global and national interdependence; (2) Extension educational programs within the U.S. stress the impact of international economic forces on agricultural markets; (3) Extension educators incorporate international perspectives into on-going activities; (4) Extension faculty/agents recognize the relationship between basic international issues and the Extension mission; and (5) Personnel evaluation systems recognize international efforts. The absence of any one of these critical element would mean that the Extension system could not be considered to be internationalized. The concept of internationalization mean s through a review of literature. The review o f different things to different people. It could b e literature revealed broad, but often ambiguous, goal compared to an image in a foggy mirror, wher e statements related to internationalization o f people gaze through the mist seeing an imag e Extension (ES-USDA, 1989; Ingle, 1990; King & somewhat shaped by their own beliefs. Henson, Martin, 1991). Some ideas had been formulated for Noel, Gillrad-Byers and Ingle (1990) in their study internationalizing (Somersan, 1992; Henson, Noel, of university internationalization stated tha t Gillard-Byers, & Ingle, 1990; ES-USDA, 1989; internationalization was frequently viewed in Patton, 1984), but there had been little emphasis on general, rather amorphus terms that were difficul t implementation by Extension systems across the for some to understand and comprehend. Arum and country (Poston & O'Rourke, 1991; Andrews & Van de Water (1992) in their book Bridges to the Lambur, 1986). Future: Strategies for Internationalizing Highe r Education supported this view.