Today’s nonprofits need more than a mission to effect lasting change. They must be business-savvy and innovative and approach their work with a global perspective.

Temple University Harrisburg and Temple University Japan are joining forces to offer nonprofit professionals international training and leadership development. The International Nonprofit Training and Leadership Program begins Jan. 30.

“We will be using technology to collaborate between the two campuses to offer a unique learning experience for our students. This program is offered completely online so students can take the courses from their home, office or anywhere that is most convenient to them,” said Amber Stephenson, director and senior research associate for Nonprofit Evaluation Services and Training at Temple University Harrisburg. “The material is relevant to practitioners interested in effecting social change and remediating social injustice at organizational, community and global levels.”

The two campuses will share courses each year that will give students the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences related to the nonprofit and nongovernmental organization (NGO) management sectors in the United States and Japan. The collaboration is being funded in part by a $40,000 grant from the United States-Japan Foundation.

The six courses may be taken individually or combined to earn the International Nonprofit Training and Leadership Certificate.

While many U.S. universities offer nonprofit management certificates, the international perspective makes Temple’s unique.

According to Stephenson, opportunities for training and continuing education are vital as managers and leaders prepare for engaging in a more globally inclusive marketplace.

“We want to fill the gap that currently exists by providing a forum for scholarly exchange and professional collaboration between nonprofit and NGO professionals in Japan and the U.S.” she said. “This collaboration will enable professionals to cultivate a global viewpoint on issues surrounding the nonprofit/NGO sector.”

The collaborative courses will allow students in the U.S. and Japan to see and interact with one another; the time differential has been factored into course planning.

Lecture topics include international collaboration, marketing the nonprofit sector, crisis/disaster management, financial management and economic impact, and the role of government in nonprofits.

The program is expected to have an immediate impact, said Eugenia Medrano, EDU ’90, director of continuing education at Temple University Japan.

“Students will gain exposure to diverse concepts and ideas and will have a tool kit to immediately apply what they have learned at their places of employment,” she said. “The scope of the nonprofit sector continues to grow internationally—more and more nonprofit organizations and businesses are working together locally, nationally and globally to provide the best possible service to their clients.”