KINGSTON, R.I., — Oct. 24, 2023 — Studying abroad can be a life-changing experience, one that expands students’ global competency and allows them to expand their perspectives. If this is an interesting prospect to you, consider participating in International Education Week.

From Nov. 13 through Nov. 17, campus community members will be able to get a feel for international education by visiting presentations and programs on multilingual name writing, supporting URI’s global community, study abroad/away opportunities, and developing faculty-led programs. There will also be plenty of fun things to do, such as enjoying “Increda-Bowls” at the Beats and Eats Food Truck, Buzzword Bingo, and panel discussions featuring students who have studied abroad and URI’s international students.

The Office of International Students & Scholars organizes and coordinates the events with the goal of educating students and other members of the University community about the variety of international programs at URI. 

International Education Week is a national celebration initiated by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education to showcase global research, promote study-away opportunities, foster diversity and inclusion, and support internationalization efforts.

The event organizer is Shelley O’Connor, an international student programs coordinator, has been at URI for the past five years, and has more than 10 years of experience counseling and teaching in China. 

Beginning at 11 a.m. on Nov. 14, staff from the Office of International Education will be at a table in the main lobby of the Memorial Union as part of an information session for students seeking to study abroad. Both committed applicants, and students who are considering the idea are invited to come have their questions answered.

If studying abroad still seems out of reach, there will be a meeting in room 308 of the Memorial Union on financial planning for an experience abroad, on Nov. 14 from noon to 1 p.m. 

International students will talk about their experiences during a panel discussion on Nov. 16 at 4:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Atrium 2. The Office of International Students and Scholars, the Graduate Student Committee of Global Connections, and Communication, Engagement & Diversity organized the program.

O’Connor describes International Education week as “an excellent opportunity to showcase URI’s extensive work promoting international education opportunities and attaining the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.”

This year, events will showcase the research that URI students, staff, and alumni have engaged in globally, such as human rights research conducted by Political Science Professor Skip Mark. Starting at noon on Nov. 14, in the Multicultural Student Services Center’s Hardge Forum, Mark’s lecture is entitled “How to Do Global Research Without Traveling,” and is sponsored by the Center for Nonviolence & Peace Studies and the Department of Political Science.

The inclusion of faculty and staff in International Education Week is an important element of the program mission, says O’Connor. 

“It is part of our efforts to help faculty understand the experience of international students,” O’Connor says, wanting staff to know that “there is something for them included in the program. 

The University has pledged to follow the UN’s sustainable development goals, and the Harrington School has introduced a global initiative, “Harrington School Global Initiatives: Disaster, Sustainability, and Mobility.”

On Nov. 14, there will be a lecture on student-led research held in the lounge of Ranger Hall from noon to 2p.m. It focuses on the doctoral work of URI graduate students involved in the European Union–sponsored program “Legitimation of Newness and Its Impact on EU Agenda for Change.” Lutz Kolb, a visiting scholar from the University of Göttingen, will also speak about research on sustainable forms of mobility. Afterward, there will be a debate between URI communications professors Cate Morrison and Norbert Mundorf. 

Deniz Dönmez, a specialist in innovation management and legitimation, Cristian Ziliberberg, an expert on disaster strategy, Louis Lines, whose academic focus is organizational stigma and Brexit, and Olga Pojiltov, a sustainability and organizational ethicist, will Zoom into the session to contribute. 

On Nov. 15 in the Memorial Union Ballroom, starting at 1 p.m., local dance group “Ikonik” will give a performance showcasing bachata and salsa dancing, and also provide dance lessons to those in attendance.

Later on, from 4 to 5 p.m. in Ballentine Hall, The College of Business will host “Buzzwords Bingo: SDGs continental style,” to further showcase the University’s commitment to fulfilling the sustainable development goals established by the UN. 

Other events include information sessions for prospective Fullbright Scholars, the Peace Corps Prep Program, and National Student Exchange (NSE) program.

“We hope the URI community will come out of IEW week with a new vigor to travel, explore something new and different, and have a better understanding and awareness of different perspectives.” says O’Connor.

This story was written by Samantha Melia, a senior journalism and political science major at the University of Rhode Island and an intern in the Department of Marketing and Communications.