USBT-1999: Seven Years USBT-1999: Seven Years AfterAfter

MAKING THE VCO CONCEPT

Viktar Khotsim, VCO Team LeaderUSBT/PAL Alumnus

Long way to successLong way to success

First EAC web page Option of interactivity Team-based user-friendly operation Local E-communities Web template idea VCO-Eurasia Project Multilingual Interactive Portal

Effective TandemEffective Tandem

Only an EducationUSA specialists working effectively in tandem with professional technician can develop the web project successfully

ACTRACTR

Virtual Office of the Virtual Office of the American Center in American Center in BelarusBelarus

It is a web server of special structure with innovations in:

Operation Accumulation Analysis Dissemination of the educational information

VEAC: Technical VEAC: Technical InnovationsInnovations

Virtual Consulting Service Team-based user-friendly operation E-community WAP SMS-service Administrative Center ASRS

Conclusions and Conclusions and ObservationsObservations

VEAC is an additional and important tool that increases effectiveness of advisers activity

Creation of an effective multifunctional web site is a costly operation

Optimal site functioning is achieved via team effort

Concentration of important data in one location has the confidence of user

Questions for the Questions for the audienceaudience

How much time will you spend if decided to create the web site for your center with the same options?

How much money will it cost?

How much our competitors accomplish while we are spending our time and money in “re-inventing the wheel?”

PAL-2003: WEB PAL-2003: WEB TEMPLATETEMPLATE

Export of an effective multifunctional web product based on the most current and successful innovations by copying the program to local servers

Avoid spending resources organizing multiple web trainings for educational advisers

Employ web template as the core unit for a global virtual structure (EducationUSA EAC network)

Types of the web Types of the web templatestemplates

One-person EAC (Vladivostok, Russia) Alumni Center (Omsk, Russia) American Corners Network (Belarus) Country wide (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan) Region wide (VCO-Eurasia) World Wide (VCO-Global)

Questions for the Questions for the audienceaudience

Who is the network of DOS-affiliated centers that specialize in US study?

Do we participate in professional trainings devoted to educational advising for US study?

Do we perform consultations on US study in different regions of Eurasia and deliver lectures?

Summary on Summary on questionnairequestionnaire

Our network represents the best resource on US study with huge potential that can be realized more effectively via to Internet technologies.

Some advisers are very knowledgeable in narrow fields of study in the USA.

We already have a lot of useful information and experiences that can be displayed for the whole region.

The VCO IdeaThe VCO Idea

To involve the most experienced advisers in virtual consulting service based on team-based operation idea in one region as a pilot project

To create ONE internet resource based on the web template method

To focus other web sites in the network in order to advertise one team-based operated resource

Why we need to do that?Why we need to do that?

Fast development of the Internet technologies.

Disproportion between the number of EAC`s and served population.

Increased efforts by the European Union in recruiting Eurasian students.

VCO PROJECT: VCO PROJECT: EURASIAEURASIA

Fall 2003

ETS EXCELLENCE AWARD

GENERAL CONSULTING DIRECTIONS (6)

- If you want to study in the USA: general questions- Filling out application forms- Financial aid- Student visa- Testing procedures- Pre departure orientation

SPECIFIC FILEDS OF STUDY (10)

- International relations- Civil Education- Distance Learning- Library Science- Journalism- Law- Education- Economics- Medicine- Business

VCS MODULE VCS MODULE

Automatic e-announcement on all incoming questions.

Multi way distribution of the informational modules “question and answer”:

- sender - web site (VCO) - project manager A system of capturing new subscribers when

asking question through the VCO. A system of accumulation of informational

modules “question and answer”.

VCO: ADMINISTRATIVE VCO: ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER CENTER

AC - is separate web site for professional

use only with password protected access. The AC is developed in order to provide

constant update of the VCO content by the VCO team without help of webmaster.

VCO - EURASIA PROJECT: VCO - EURASIA PROJECT: TWO YEARS OF ACTIVITYTWO YEARS OF ACTIVITY

Launched on January 22, 2003

Unique visitors – 65,893 Subscribers – 675 Questions answered – 278 News posted - 121 Useful information – 127 Links - 129

VCO-EURASIA: VCO-EURASIA: LOOKING TOWARDS THE LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTUREFUTURE

Expanding of the VCO-Eurasia experience to other world regions

Use of a Professional Training Program for beginners n educational advising.

The ultimate goal is to integrate the VCO into the EducationUSA web network and make the ECA mission more visible by proclaiming it in many languages.

Project follow upProject follow up

PLEASE PASS TO REACS EDUCATIONAL ADVISERS AND FULBRIGHT COMMISSIONS. SUBJECT: EDUCATIONUSA VIRTUAL CONSULTING OFFICE

WORKSHOP

ECA/A/S/A is pleased to announce that the EducationUSA advising center in Moscow, Russia, will host a Virtual Consulting Office (VCO) project workshop from November

28 to December 2, 2005.

Plan of trainingPlan of training

Pre-workshop stage. Workshop in Moscow, Russia. Post-workshop assistance.

Pre-workshop stagePre-workshop stage

VCO structure. Translation into 4 languages. VCO web portal VCO teams Content

VCO WorkshopVCO Workshop

Finalize the VCO structure and content To learn how to operate and update the VCO To create the VCO operational manual in 5

different languages To prepare a set of distance training lessons To develop the VCO strategy of development

EducationUSAEducationUSAVirtual Consulting OfficeVirtual Consulting Office

Network of EducationUSA advisers that

provides professional e-consulting services in different languages on study in the United States.

Advising Without Borders!

VCO: New tool for VCO: New tool for advisers and prospective advisers and prospective studentsstudents

Not a substitute for individual advising Cover regions without EACs Oriented for new audience Training model for beginning level

advisers

VCO: How it worksVCO: How it works

Team-based operation Dynamic multilingual content Simple and unified structure Web template method

VCO TEAM LEADERSVCO TEAM LEADERS

Spanish CC, Rolando Ribera (Bolivia) Arabic CC, Lina ElLabban (Emirates) China CC, Frank Mok (China) English CC, vacant Russian CC, Viktar Khotsim (Belarus)

What we are looking to What we are looking to achieve?achieve?

Long–lasting feedback from USBT and PAL alumni

Expanding the sharing of professional skills and knowledge by educational advisers to a wider geographic audience

Implementing cheap and effective mechanisms for training beginning level advisers

Frank Mok, ChinaFrank Mok, ChinaLina Al-Labban, UAELina Al-Labban, UAE

Rolando Ribera, BoliviaRolando Ribera, Bolivia Aleh Stryk , Aleh Stryk , BelarusBelarus

(webmaster)(webmaster)

Allison Hawley, REACAllison Hawley, REAC Viktar Viktar

Khotsim, VCO TLKhotsim, VCO TL

Ms. Allison Hawley,

REAC-Eurasia

VCO Workshop in Moscow, Russia

Nov.28-Dec. 2, 2005

Working togetherWorking together

Establish dialog Know your audience Identify needs & Find mutual interest Promote US higher education Assisting US institutions

Facilitate student mobilityAdmissions & RecruitingInternationalization

VCO Statistics after VCO Statistics after launch on March 6, 2006launch on March 6, 2006

34223 IP`ss 1500 hits per one hour (max) 2011 questions 456 updates 1209 subscribers 30 consultants (21 country)

WashFile Articles on WashFile Articles on EducationUSAEducationUSA

24 May 2006

EducationUSA Advisers Launch Multilanguage Online Inquiry Service

"Virtual consulting" now available in Arabic, Chinese, Spanish,

Russian

VCO-Eurasia and VCO-VCO-Eurasia and VCO-Global: Comparison Global: Comparison AnalysisAnalysis

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

Hits Q&A E-list Updates

Eurasia

Global

Rating of the VCO Rating of the VCO Consulting CentersConsulting Centers

1. Arabic (answered 1001 question)2. Chinese3. Spanish4. Russian5. English

VCO StructureVCO Structure

Consulting Center (5) Consulting Section (45) Local Mailing Lists (5) DPDP (5) VCO Mailing List (1075)

EnglishCC

RussianCC

ArabicCC

SpanishCC

ChineseCC

VCO-GLOBAL: Plans for VCO-GLOBAL: Plans for the futurethe future

Expand the number of VCO Team members from 30 to 45

Compile the VCO team: 100% from USBT/PAL Alumni

Implement DPDP for all Consulting Centers and cover all beginning level advisers

Open up to 3 new Consulting Centers

VCO: Long lasting VCO: Long lasting feedback and training feedback and training modelmodel

• More active involvement of the USBT/PAL Alumni in VCO activities

• Synchronization of professional trainings in the USA with VCO activities

VCO Advertising: VCO Advertising: need your helpneed your help

Location of the VCO banner on your web site with direct link to the project

Include brief presentation of the VCO project to you lectures, presentations and individual consultations

As a USBT Alumni we expect you to share information about the project among EducationUSA advisers in your networks

EducationUSA-Virtual EducationUSA-Virtual Consulting OfficeConsulting Office

ADVISING WITHOUT BORDERS!

WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN THE VCO TEAM!