The College of Education and Human Development announces four grant opportunities for international activities. Grant money may, but does not need to be used for international travel relevant to priorities listed below. Faculty and staff interested in travel grants outside of these priorities (such as for international conferences) should consult the Office of International Programs website (www.international.umn.edu/funding) for other opportunities. Please email Christopher Johnstone (john4810@umn.edu) for a Microsoft Word version of this announcement.

Applicants should submit one original and three copies (4 copies total) of a cover sheet (below) and narrative proposal to the main desk at:

104 Burton Hall by the end of the day on Thursday, March 26.

Priority 1: International Research (General)

Grant Priority 1 will provide a maximum of $1,400 for a member of the College community to develop or sustain a program of research on an international topic. To the extent possible, research should have an interdisciplinary focus. There are no restrictions on research methodology for this competition, but should be in accordance with university aims of being a world-class research university. Recipient of this award will present research findings at a future “International Connections” session.

Proposals for Priority 1 grants are a 2,000 word narrative of proposed activities that should include:

- Applicant name, departmental affiliation and contact information

- Research questions and methodology

- Plans for dissemination of new knowledge

- Collaborators within or beyond the College who will contribute to the initiative

- A summary budget

Priority 2: New Researchers

Purpose: To develop the College’s capacity to do international research through encouraging research from junior faculty and staff (75% and above).

Eligibility: Assistant Professors, Lecturers, and Research Associates with five or less years of university experience.

Amount: $1,400 to junior faculty or staff to develop or sustain a program of research on an international topic.

Specifications: To the extent possible, research should have an interdisciplinary focus. There are no restrictions on research methodology for this competition, but proposed activities should be in accordance with university aims of being a world-class research university. Recipient of this award will present research findings at a future “International Connections” session.

Proposals for Priority 2 grants are a 2,000 word narrative of proposed activities that should include:

- Applicant name, departmental affiliation and contact information

- Research questions and methodology

- Plans for dissemination of new knowledge

- Collaborators within and beyond the College who will contribute to the initiative

- A summary budget

Priority 3: Adviser / Student Collaborative Research

Purpose: To develop the College’s capacity to conduct international research on topics of interest to graduate advisers and advisees.

Amount: The maximum is $2,000.

Specifications: Faculty advisers will submit a proposal that will outline an international research collaboration that includes a faculty member and student. Recipients of this award will present research findings at a future “International Connections” session.

Proposals for Priority 3 grants are a 2,000 word narrative of proposed activities that should include:

- Applicant name, departmental affiliation and contact information

- Research questions and methodology

- Plans for dissemination of new knowledge

- A summary budget

Priority 4: International Engagement

Purpose: For members of the College community to engage international partners.

Amount: A maximum of $1,400

Specifications: Activities in this priority may include development of Memoranda of Understanding with international institutions, outreach work with professional organizations, development of student exchange opportunities, or service projects. Recipients of this award will present a synopsis of their work at a future “International Connections” session.

Proposals for Priority 4 grants are a 2,000 word narrative of proposed activities that should include:

- Applicant name, departmental affiliation, and contact information

- Proposed engagement activities

- Statement of activities that will promote sustainability of activities

- A summary budget

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Small Grants Cover Sheet Contents

Name________________________________

Departmental Affiliation____________________________________

Professional Title (Circle or Highlight one) Faculty Staff Student

Campus Address_________________________________

_________________________________

__________________________________

Campus Phone: __________________________________

Email: __________________________________________

Grant Priority (Circle or Highlight one) 1 2 3 4

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.

The project taps into two important dilemmas - access to, and quality of schooling. The first diliemma is that girls in many places in the world still do not have access to schooling. The disproportionate workload girls face (compared to their boy peers) often keeps girls from attending or benefitting from formal schooling. Some girls also lack access to schools because of safety issues (girls who must walk to school in remote areas may face harrassment from boys or older males).

When girls do get to school, quality is an issue. Some girls face discrimination in schools, others participate in curriculum that is irrelevant to their gendered experiences. Finally, at times girls face the same challenges as boys - pedagogy that reflects the practices of colonial practices (which, many argue, is no longer appropriate).

CARE is working in these countries to make a difference for the most margenalized girls in their communities. The underlying belief is that education is power, and power is one factor that may reduce margenalization (some would argue power - or lack thereof - is THE issue influencing margenalization). CEHD's role in this process is helping CARE to develop an evidence base that is applicable both within and across countries. The two and one-half year project is already underway. Site visits have taken place in all countries and CEHD and Miske Witt representatives (under the consortium name Minnesota International Development Education Consortium), just returned from a weeklong meeting in South Africa sponsored by CARE's Basic and Girls Education Unit. Questions about the project can be directed to the Principal Investigator Joan DeJaeghere (deja0003@umn.edu).

Programs like these represent our commitment to both reaching out to the world and benefiting from an internationalized campus. It is clear that the ILEP fellows who will join us in January will bring new perspectives and fresh energy to our College. We are anxiously awaiting their visit!

After a terrific lunch at the Campus Club, we began to discuss the role of student support at universities. We made an impromptu stop in Appleby Hall, where Diane Wartchow explained how CEHD students were supported. The day concluded with the delegation attending Professor Fry's class on leadership.

The results of this meeting pointed out a need for us to expand what we are beginning to call "The Minnesota Experience." Although our one-day campus visit was engaging, the delegation expressed a desire to spend more time - perhaps two weeks - both learning at our university and visiting sites around the greater Twin Cities area (e.g., schools, businesses, etc.). As we move forward in our internationalization efforts, the "Minnesota experience" seems to be a way forward.