7:13 a.m., Oct. 12, 2009----The University of Delaware offers more than 80 study-abroad programs in over 45 countries, has won awards for innovation in international education, and in 2008 was ranked among the top doctoral research institutions nationwide for study-abroad programs.

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Now UD is establishing the Institute for Global Studies (IGS) to further expand the University's global reach and impact and to build and strengthen international partnerships for education and research.

The institute's home, effective Nov. 1, will be Elliott Hall at 26 East Main Street on the University's main campus in Newark. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

“The Institute for Global Studies will serve as a central unit for international activities and will administer key initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility and prominence of the University of Delaware on a global scale,” said UD President Patrick Harker.

“Global experience, on our campus and beyond, will be critical to the success of our students and the University community at large,” Harker noted. “The Institute for Global Studies is a major step forward in our Global Initiative, a key milestone in the University's Path to ProminenceTM. I thank the task force for their leadership and hard work on this exciting advance.”

Deputy Provost Havidan Rodríguez led the planning of the IGS, working with a University-wide task force co-chaired by Lesa Griffiths, director of the Center for International Studies.

The task force members included Maria Aristigueta, School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy; Suzanne Austin, College of Arts and Sciences and Office of the Deputy Provost; Ralph J. Begleiter, Communication; David Brond and Tracey Bryant, Office of Communications and Marketing; Julio Carrion, Political Sciences and International Relations and Latin American Studies Program; Michael Gilbert, Student Life; Amy Greenwald Foley, Office of Admissions; Jaehee Jung, Fashion and Apparel Studies; Muqtedar Kahn, Political Sciences and International Relations and Islamic Studies Program; Francis Kwansa, Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management; John Kmetz, Lerner College of Business and Economics; Debra Hess Norris, Graduate and Professional Education; Lynnette Overby, Undergraduate Research Program and Service Learning and Theatre; Matthew Robinson, Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences; Patricia Sloane-White, Anthropology; Ismat Shah, Materials Science; Scott Stevens, English Language Institute; April Veness, Geography; John Xiao, Physics; Xiao-Hai Yan, Earth, Ocean, and Environment; and Ivet Ziegerbauer, Residence Life.

“I thank our IGS Task Force, and especially my co-chair, Lesa Griffiths, for their commitment, hard work, and excellent recommendations that resulted in the proposal to establish the Institute for Global Studies,” Rodríguez said.

“The IGS will lead the University's efforts to educate engaged, global citizens by enhancing and supporting faculty research and student education in international and transnational issues,” Rodríguez noted.

Initially, the Institute for Global Studies will report to the deputy provost until an administrative structure is formalized.

According to Rodríguez, the IGS will include the Center for International Studies, which will move from its present location at 186 South College Avenue to Elliott Hall. Meeting rooms for visiting scholars also will be available at the facility.

The IGS also will develop and sustain strong partnerships and ongoing collaborative initiatives with the Area Studies programs at UD and with the English Language Institute, among others.

“Area Studies programs have never had a home on the UD campus,” said Joe Pika, interim associate dean for the social sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. “The IGS will provide an organizational structure and a physical location where faculty, students, and visitors will be able to work together and gain strength from the interactions and partnerships we expect to be forged.”

“We also want to build bridges and strategic partnerships with the academic colleges and other units across campus,” Rodríguez said.

Additionally, in cooperation with Xiamen University, the University is now engaged in planning activities for a Confucius Institute focusing on Chinese language and culture at UD, which would be housed in the IGS. A proposal has been submitted to the Chinese government, and a successful site review of the campus recently was made, Rodríguez said.

The four major components of the IGS include the following:

The Global Academic Initiative will develop and strengthen multi-disciplinary academic programs such as study abroad, global studies certificates, Area Studies, and others in collaboration with UD's academic units and the English Language Institute.

Research, Grants, and Contracts will expand on the highly successful track record of the Center for International Studies to secure external funding for a range of projects and services that will enhance UD's international academic and cultural climate.

The Global Partnerships Initiative will develop strategic partnerships with institutions of higher education, government agencies, and industries, as well as non-governmental organizations, faith-based communities, and civic groups throughout the world that are mutually beneficial, institutional, and long-lasting.

Community Engagement and Outreach will include enhancing a campus climate that is welcoming and provides essential services to UD's international community. The IGS also will engage K-12 teachers and programs, community organizations, and industry, as well as UD students, staff, and faculty, and programs that focus on education, culture, language, and globalization. The institute also will sponsor and serve as a coordinating force for conferences, visiting scholars' lectures, and social and cultural activities.

Rodríguez noted that the IGS also will facilitate the development of new global studies programs in underrepresented regions of the world and expand UD's more than 125 active institutional and strategic agreements/partnerships with institutions of higher education and other agencies throughout the globe.

“The Institute for Global Studies is an exciting step forward,” Rodríguez said. “Its ultimate goal is to engage our community in academic, research, social, cultural, and other programmatic activities and initiatives that will further enhance the global nature of the University of Delaware. This is important for our students and the entire UD family.”

The IGS will move into its quarters in Elliott Hall on Oct. 28. An official opening for the institute will be held later this year.

Unit relocations

The establishment of the Institute for Global Studies has catalyzed the relocation of several units that is “a very good move for all,” Rodríguez said, noting that the relocation of the units is the culmination of an extensive and systematic two-year administrative re-organizational process.

As the Center for International Studies prepares to move to Elliott Hall, the units currently housed in Elliott Hall and at several other locations also are preparing for their new campus homes. Their moving date is Oct. 28.

The Undergraduate Research Program, the Service Learning Program, the McNair Scholars Program, and the ArtsBridge Scholars Program all will move to 180 South College Avenue, bringing together these student-based experiential programs for students in one location.

The University Honors Program will move to 186 South College Avenue. The Honors program will be in close proximity to the Admissions Office and to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Service Learning. “This will allow for more systematic collaborations with both units, especially as we seek to expand the discovery learning experiences of the Honors student body,” Rodríguez said.

The Upward Bound Math and Science Program will move to 12 West Delaware Avenue.

The University Studies Program will move to the Academic Enrichment Center at 148-150 South College Avenue.

Article by Tracey Bryant