Global Classroom High School Initiative Expands College’s Reach

June 29, 2021

High school students from around the globe now have the opportunity to take college-level courses through the college’s new Global Classroom High School Program.

The initiative, an offshoot of the College in the High School program, offers online courses at a reduced tuition rate for students who are still in high school but ready for college-level work. Launched in Summer 2020 with an outreach effort in Costa Rica, this summer, student registrations in Global Classroom courses are coming in from Armenia, Russia, Pakistan, Qatar, Turkmenistan and elsewhere around the world.

Officials at the students’ home high school must attest that they are ready for college-level work and certify that they are a high school student, eligible for the course. All courses are offered online and use online educational resources (OER), which means faculty have digital textbooks or other materials that can be shared with students at no additional cost.

“Around the globe, there is a general lack of understanding about community colleges, but that’s changing as more people understand the affordability, quality and transferability of Hudson Valley courses,” said President Roger Ramsammy. “We are looking to form relationships with families and students that will be ongoing. There’s absolutely no reason why the benefits of an HVCC education shouldn’t be known around the world.”

“It’s been rewarding and exciting to speak to teachers and administrators from around the world about this opportunity. This is a great way to increase our global impact and help students in other countries who really need support to reach their educational goals,” said Jay Deitchman, the college’s coordinator of global initiatives.

Deitchman said the college plans to have an ongoing slate of online courses that can be offered each semester as part of the Global Classroom High School Program. He said the hope is that some students who take these courses may continue their studies in one of the college’s more than 20 completely online degree or certificate programs, or maybe even travel to Troy to finish their studies.

The initiative is one of several outreach efforts designed to build Hudson Valley’s global reach. The college is leveraging not only its status as a leader in online learning but also its expertise in videoconferencing to create more educational opportunities for international students.