Newswise — UD Global is now introducing audiences in the United States and abroad to the University of Delaware's growing international presence. Check out the publication online at www.udel.edu/globalmagazine.
“Educators often proclaim the need to prepare students for global competition. But perhaps even more important is preparing them for global collaboration -- for working across borders and with diverse people, for contributing their knowledge and talent to issues of international significance. This is global citizenship, and this is our mission,” says UD President Patrick Harker in the introduction.
The Global Initiative, to foster the knowledge and awareness of the economic, environmental, political, cultural and social issues that face the world -- and the skills to address them -- is a major milestone in UD's Path to ProminenceTM strategic plan.
The colorful 28-page publication celebrates the recent opening of the Confucius Institute for Chinese language and culture at UD and includes an interview with Prof. Zhu Chongshi, president of Xiamen University, UD's partner in the institute.
From Antarctica to Kenya, research and service projects, admissions and alumni relations efforts are highlighted, as well as multicultural programs on the UD campus such as the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). In 2010, the U.S. State Department selected UD for a record seventh time to host this program, which helps students from the Middle East and North Africa gain new leadership skills -- and often a new perspective of the United States -- through academic and community service activities.
In “Perspectives,” Cynthia Schmidt-Cruz, acting chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, tells how choosing Spanish as her foreign language focus in sixth grade would impact her life in more ways than she could ever have imagined, and the “Book Spotlight” features Kabal Girls Soccer Club by UD alumnus Awista Ayub, about her experience bringing soccer to girls in Afghanistan and redefining the role of women in sports in that country.
“The University of Delaware is truly a global university, with a breadth of activities in teaching and research spanning all seven continents. UD also welcomes more than 2,500 international students and scholars to our campus community each year,” notes Lesa Griffiths, associate provost for international programs and director of the Institute for Global Studies (IGS). “We look forward to connecting with friends worldwide through this new publication.”
UD Global is a partnership of the IGS, the Office of the Deputy Provost, and the Office of Communications and Marketing at the University of Delaware.
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