IIT President Gives Keynote at 2008 International Presidential Forum on Global Research in Seoul

Anderson discusses ā€œRoaming Professorshipā€ in the 21st Century

Date

µē³µĪŽĀė, Seoul ā€” September 8, 2008 ā€”

Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) President John Anderson gave a keynote presentation today on ā€œRoaming Professorshipā€ at the 2008 International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, South Korea. The conference is being held by KAIST, Koreaā€™s premier science and technology research university.

Presidents of research universities from around the world are attending the conference ā€œaimed at identifying common issues and opportunities in strengthening globalization of higher education and research.ā€

About 70 leaders from 39 universities in 20 countries are participating in the conference, exchanging views and ideas on how to build and utilize a global research network to promote sharing expertise and facilities, conducting joint research and implementing dual degree and roaming professorship programs.

President Andersonā€™s presentation noted that the concept of roaming professorship is not new, having its roots in sabbaticals and visiting lectureships.

Anderson said that today a roaming professor receives a substantial portion of her pay from two or more universities, in return for a presence on campus and teaching/research collaboration.

Some of the benefits for the universities include:

  • Cross culture inoculations
  • Meeting a teaching or research need at one or both universities
  • Helping a university in a developing country
  • Increasing visibility in the field of the professor
  • Retaining the professor by the donor university

The benefits to the professors include:

  • Satisfying personal and professional interests of the professor
  • Strengthening the professorā€™s background and advances her career

Anderson also noted the importance of international roaming professorships with an overall goal of benefiting all participants in the relationship. He also cited a current example of an international agreement in which Illinois Institute of Technology shares a well-known professor with a European university, providing benefits to both universities and the professor.

Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.-granting university with more than 7,300 students in engineering, sciences, architecture, psychology, design, humanities, business and law. IIT's interprofessional, technology-focused curriculum is designed to advance knowledge through research and scholarship, to cultivate invention improving the human condition, and to prepare students from throughout the world for a life of professional achievement, service to society, and individual fulfillment. Visit www.iit.edu.