The Professor Abroad: Twenty Years of Change

Abstract

American university professors are going abroad in ever increasing numbers. There are many reasons for their so doing, including governmental, institutional, personal, and professional. From the perspective of the professor, the pro fessional considerations tend to predominate. The roles pro fessors perform abroad are one or more of the following four: teaching, research, technical co-operation, and administration. Each role has brought its distinctive problems, failures, and successes. Teaching roles have been difficult because of the great differences in university systems, country to country, and because of the different environmental conditions that must be dealt with by the regional sciences. Research roles have been difficult because many countries have been increasingly resistant to research by foreigners, at least if host nationals do not have a substantial part in it. The traditional approach to technical co-operation in the past is more and more becom ing outmoded or at least inapplicable in a growing number of countries. Administrative assignments have been successful in proportion to the efforts of the host institution or agency to seek permanent replacements from local personnel. With the great changes that are taking place in more advanced countries of Asia and Latin America, each of the roles of American pro fessors will be altered. New opportunities for co-operation with the so-called less developed countries are emerging for financial sponsors, American universities, and professors.