Speech for Int'l Education Week
Here is a speech from International Education Week to College attendees
Good afternoon. A special welcome to our honored guests Associate Vice President Meredith McQuaid and Professor Shu-Ching Kao from Taiwan. We’re thrilled you are here today.
You know this year has been a tough one. The economies of both our College and the US in general are in bad shape. The past year has also not been a great year for foreign policy in the US. In the face of these challenges, it is instinctive to become protective of ourselves… Systems theorists tell us that external shocks almost always bring about internal panic and self-preservation. In common terms, when things get hard we circle our wagons.
While such behavior is natural (in fact, it is instinctive), it is also dangerous to organizations. I don’t believe we as a College are in any danger of disappearing. Rather, drawing back from the world or, what my colleague in an international educational organization calls “navel gazing� is dangerous in terms of our relevance as a College.
It is during challenging times that we have to make a conscious choice about whether to engage the world, and therefore remain relevant, or withdraw ourselves from global participation. I am thankful and very proud to report that this College has chosen the former.
Despite our challenges, new international research grants continue to come in to the College, and our faculty and staff are finding new and innovative ways answer difficult questions across cultures and languages.
Despite our challenges, new international agreements with international institutions are being written and existing agreements revisited. This year alone, we are reviewing relationships with institutions in Uganda, Iraq, Brazil, and revisiting our relationship with a Jamaican university.
Despite our challenges, our university ranks 4th in the US in Study Abroad student participation. In our College, you can choose from a variety of existing Learning Abroad Center programs or take a short course in international settings from faculty in Social Work, Curriculum and Instruction, the Undergraduate Leadership Minor, Kinesiology, or Educational Policy and Administration.
Despite our challenges, we are still exploring ways to be more competitive in recruiting and retaining international students.
Despite our challenges, we are moving forward with promoting short programs for international scholars, like when 16 visitors from 10 different countries will visit our College this spring as part of the State Department’s International Leadership in Education Project.
Despite our challenges, we remain relevant in the world. For this, I wish to thank you – faculty, staff, students, and alumni for showing the world that the people of CEHD are global thinkers, global citizens, and globally relevant. Congratulations for all you are doing, and thank you all again.