New Mind upholds value of continuous learning through conference participation
Moments devoted to listening and learning have been the theme of this February in the wake of the Coronavirus, as many of our Chinese colleagues and students experience a slower pace to their daily life. This sentiment was mirrored across the Pacific as New Mind’s US team connected with other senior offices in the fields of international and general education. Continuous learning is a principle value of New Mind; and the sharing of unique successes and insights with other experts in the field sharpens our educational vision and optimizes our strategy for navigating this the dynamic landscape of global education.
In the second week of February, Sarah Munro and Thor Duryea, Assistant Directors of the University Performance Program (UPP), one of New Mind's pillar programs that support international students, attended Cognia’s first “Connect” Conference in Greensboro, NC. This event brings Cognia’s affiliates together to share, discuss and reflect on how they can all serve the diverse needs of their students.
Cognia is a nationally recognized accreditor that legitimizes institutions’ programs so long as students’ learning plans adhere to the organization’s measured standards. Staff member Sarah Munro was grateful for the invitation so she could learn how the 5-year cycle of Cognia’s re-accreditation process works. New Mind achieved accreditation in 2016, therefore a reexamination of corporate programming by Cognia will ensure our updates align with their necessary and rigorous standards. Further sessions on leadership, goal-setting, and personal development all led to reflections on how New Mind can enhance a student’s ‘holistic development,’ one of our essential design principles.
“We’re always trying to figure out what our role is in the broader scheme of this educational landscape,” said Michael Chen, the Founder of New Mind Education, “With each year we have a better idea of our positioning.” This thought comes after three days of attentive engagement at the AIEA 2020 Conference in Washington D.C., where concurrent sessions and roundtables on topics like funding internationalization to integrative global learning provided extensive learning and professional development opportunities.
With every learning process, the pupil must articulate their schooling so that critical feedback can bolster their growth. Not only did New Mind listen and learn from others, but shared its unique insights as well. New Mind’s third year as a key sponsor of the event afforded extensive visibility and numerous opportunities, of which included a 60-minute spotlight session, a brief opportunity to address conference participants at an AIEA Signature Event, and attendance at the intern recognition breakfast.
Michael Chen and Dr. Penelope Pynes’ 60 minute spotlight session titled, "A Budget-neutral Model for Strategic Engagement with International Universities," was attended by Senior International Officers and internationally-focused staff from around the world.
"At this time of being a China-based organization during a global health emergency, New Mind has found that it’s even more essential to collaborate and develop opportunities for meaningful interactions," said Megan Gunderson during her signature event address. These conferences certainly make an exciting platform to do so.