Visiting International Scholars program helps build Hussman School global network
The Visiting International Scholars (VIS) program at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media allows international media professionals, professors and advanced graduate students a unique opportunity to experience Hussman School faculty, programs and scholarship.
According to Dean Emeritus Richard Cole, the VIS program had humble beginnings. “Like the history of many things, it’s very involved and goes back many years,” he said. “It’s hard to pinpoint the exact date it started.”
Cole, the founding director of the program, and Bob Stevenson, a former professor in the school, began hosting European students at the school long before VIS became a formal program in 2005.
The program
Through Cole and Stevenson, the international visitors were given the opportunity to sit in on classes, interact with faculty and use the research facilities of the school. The program grew primarily by word-of-mouth. International professionals, students and professors are all drawn to the program. More than 50 have participated in the 2015-16 academic year, and 46 are accepted for the Fall 2016 semester.
The visiting scholars are responsible for their travel to and from the United States, their off-campus living arrangements and a program fee. The length of stay is usually one or two semesters. The scholars do not get any academic credit for their time at the school, but it offers the value of increased international knowledge in their fields. The scholar’s employer or home university often helps offset the cost.
Opportunities abound
José Romildo — a Visiting International Scholar from Brasília, Brazil — is a journalist for Agência Brasil, the national public news agency. His research focuses on the consequences of press regulation in countries with freedom of expression.
Romildo lives in Chapel Hill with his family. He says his two youngest daughters attend elementary school here and have adjusted well. “North Carolina has a great atmosphere for learning,” he said. “There are excellent resources for journalists.”
Aside from sitting in on classes, scholars work on semester-long projects on topics of their choice that range from research on media regulation to brand management to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Weekly colloquia give the visiting scholars other opportunities to explore and learn about media and journalism in the United States. The sessions include talks by Hussman School professors, visits to local media outlets and otherwise engaging the scholars in media and communication in the Triangle area.
“I can’t express how grateful I am to be here,” said Romildo, calling it a privilege to meet Donald Shaw, a legendary scholar at the Hussman School who helped establish the theory on agenda setting that has been vital to how news media is interpreted, as well as the role it plays in political campaigns.
The bigger picture
The VIS program doesn’t only benefit scholars. Students benefit from having scholars sit in on their classes and give varied international perspectives on any issues under discussion. The program also helps the school build relations and networks across the globe. Many professional journalists come from major news or broadcast outlets in their home countries — including Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) in South Korea, Agência Brasil in Brazil and the Chinese edition of the Wall Street Journal. The relationships established by the VIS program have connected numerous Hussman School students to international internships. Cole also notes that the school plays an important role in furthering democratic values within media.
Cole is optimistic about the future of the VIS program. Over the past decade, it has grown tremendously, and he anticipates that demand will continue to increase. “The only problem now is that we will have to turn people away,” said Cole.
Nonetheless, Romildo highly encourages journalists to apply to the program.
He would especially like to see more people from Brazil and Latin America.
“They can learn a lot from coming here,” he said.
Learn more about the Visiting International Scholars program at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.