University of ethical principles and principles of good practices:

• Thorough knowledge of both the widely accepted theories and practices that govern student affairs in the United States and of the cultural context, values, economics and politics that shape the institutions where an individual practices outside the United States
•  The influence of the purpose of education in the society, where an individual practices, on student services
• Develop a body of knowledge that is grounded in an understanding of your students and your own cultural context
• Identify values and ethical standards
• Develop a theoretical base that describes and explains student needs and development, designs, implements programs and identifies good practices that promote student success 

Knowledge of students and their cultures:

• Exposure to the theories of cognitive and psychosocial student development
• Learn about the cultural beliefs about human development along the axes of individuality and collectivism, past/present/future time orientation and interior vs exterior locus of control
• Identify key philosophical constructs, values, and best practices that enable students to achieve and that are congruent with their cultural context
• Theories and programs can be transplanted from one societal context to another but cultural values and norms must be considered when doing so
• A theoretical base is critical for practitioners in every country so they are able to understand and interpret the needs and behaviors of their students and the higher education contexts in which they function 

Needs assessment, program development and feedback:

• Engage in research so you are able to develop theories that describe and explain the students and higher education institutions in which your work
• The uniqueness of each cultural context necessitates that student affairs professionals across the globe engage in assessment to provide feedback about the effectiveness of services and to identify means of best practices

Interpersonal skills:

• Be skilled in developing relationships, beginning from your own set of cultural assumptions about empathy, accuracy, veracity, fidelity and fairness
• Understand counseling theories and helping preferences that represent a non-Western worldview to supplement the Western interpersonal models and theories
• Thorough knowledge of local norms and beliefs
• Be knowledgeable about all aspects of communication in order to build good relationships
• Effective interpersonal skills to fulfill the role of helping groups with common interests connect with each other for their mutual benefit

Leadership and management skills:

• Develop a framework for mission, goals and assessment of outcomes with the overall purpose of the institution
• Understand the role the institution plays in the lives of its students and in the politics and economy of its area
• Student affairs units must be able to do the following:

1.     Express its mission to the entire community and place the work of the student affairs staff within the mission of the university.

2.     Develop programmes that are relevant to the needs of the students and can be integrated into the curricula of the various areas of study.

3.     Manage budgets and allocate resources effectively.

4.     Administer programmes and services in ways that are culturally appropriate.

5.     Participate in institutional governance.

6.     Communicate accomplishments of the unit.

7.     Provide for staff supervision and professional development.

8.     Operate within the legal requirements of the institution in the development of policies.

9.     Adopt technology and integrate it into programme and service delivery.

10.   Engage in continuous strategic planning and outcomes assessment.

Modeling student affairs and services globally:

• Expanding graduate preparation to include exposure to global developments affecting higher education
• Purpose of the role of student affairs remains constant across the globe: to help students achieve their goals for themselves and their families in the context of their own values and beliefs about their purpose in life

Additional professional development for student services professionals:

• Seminars, workshops, self-directed learning and experiential learning under the guidance of more experienced professionals
• Higher education and student affairs must collaborate in providing services to students
• Service must be student-centered
• The cultural context within each country will influence the way in which service are developed