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Overview

The Global Engagement Academy is the first-ever professional development program designed for the University of Kentucky faculty and staff to build cross-cutting competencies in international engagement and education. 

Participants can take courses in an à la carte way and may choose to earn a GEA Certificate by completing three foundation courses and three elective courses. UK faculty and staff who earn the GEA Certificate are eligible to apply for a $250 GEA grant to help support their professional development. Virtual and in-person sessions available.

This FREE professional development opportunity is ideal if you:

- Are interested in teaching, researching or traveling abroad

- Work with international students

- Manage or implement international-related programs/policies

- Manage international transactions

- Promote/recruit for the university internationally

By the Numbers

375 UK Faculty and Staff Participants

105 Participants Completed GEA Certificate

136 Total Sessions Offered Since March 2020

"The Global Engagement Academy has been a crucial step in my professional development. I've become more globally aware in my teaching and research and grown as a professional in my interactions with international populations."

Dr. Rosie Lanphere

Dr. Rosie Lanphere

Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Foundation Courses

Internationalization at UK & Global Trends

This class will present an overview of the University of Kentucky’s “global footprint” by characterizing the wide range of international engagement activities, including student/staff mobility, international student recruitment and alumni relations, international research collaborations, international engagement and service, and international business operations and relationships.

In addition, the course will discuss the ACE/CIGE model of “comprehensive internationalization” and current trends, challenges, and opportunities related to fostering comprehensive internationalization throughout the UK campus and all of our key missions, strategies, and enterprises. Finally, participants will be introduced to the range of existing infrastructure, resources and expertise to support campus internationalization efforts.

Global Mobility

This session explores the student global mobility trends, challenges and pressures impacting the university. Attendees will learn what drives international students and scholar populations coming to the U.S. and the University of Kentucky, and how this compares to other areas of the world.

Additionally, this session will engage attendees with thought-provoking data, trends and discussion about what drives our students to study abroad. Recommended course for current faculty or staff in the university.

Intercultural Communication

UK continues to become a more diverse campus, as faculty and staff we are expected to be prepared to support our international faculty, staff and students. The Participants in the Intercultural Communication workshop will become more aware of the influential role that culture has on the way we act, think and learn.  We will explore ways that cultural differences may cause misunderstandings and create barriers to communication.  Through experiential activities participants will identify insight into one’s own culture and develop strategies for communicating across cultures.  

 

Example Elective Courses

Beyond Handshakes: Developing Sustainable International Partnerships

This class will consider best practices in identifying, cultivating, evaluating and sustaining collaborative partnerships between institutions of higher education and advanced research. Topics will include: defining mutual benefit in partnerships, promoting partnerships among campus stakeholders, assessing outcomes of partnership activities, leveraging external funding opportunities, maintaining communications, and dealing with crises/disruptions to partnership activities.

International Recruitment 101

Along with wreaking havoc on global economy, educational opportunities, international mobility, the events of 2020 threw the world of international recruitment into major turmoil as well. In this session, we will review the conventional methods of international recruitment and the ways in which those methods were adapted to function in the new reality of international education.

The session participants will learn about the challenges prospective students are facing and the approaches UK is taking to help overcome those challenges. They will also engage in exercises that help to streamline and improve communication with prospective students and introduce UK to them in innovative and re-designed ways.

International Recruitment Beyond the Basics

The course targets those who are already familiar with the basic principles of international student recruitment and want to apply those principles to help enhance UK’s recruitment efforts. We will delve into specific details, strategies, custom-tailored efforts, and materials used in our recruitment activities.

The Globally Engaged Classroom

According to the AACU’s (Association of American Colleges and Universities) Global and Social Responsibility initiative, global learning is defined as “. . . a critical analysis of and an engagement with complex, interdependent global systems and legacies (such as natural, physical, social, cultural, economic, and political) and their implications for people's lives and the earth's sustainability.”

Considered a high-impact practice, global learning affords students the opportunity to grow into citizens of the world with a respect for diversity and an understanding of the interconnected systems which shape equity and justice. In this interactive course, participants will explore opportunities to integrate global learning in classroom settings to build a critical global consciousness among students whether or not international travel is physically possible.

International Travel Readiness

This course will focus on the policies and procedures around student and employee international travel at UK, and it will highlight the resources that are available to travelers through the University, including insurance, emergency response and more.

The course is geared toward any administrator who works with international travelers, and toward travelers themselves.

Developing a Course Abroad

Did you know UK offers over 60 courses taught abroad every year? UK faculty are increasingly interested in developing global experiences to leverage the international scope of their course content, to provide real-world learning opportunities and to foster meaningful intercultural experiences for students. With the right strategy, planning and support from UK Education Abroad & Exchanges (EA), you could develop an enriching education abroad program for your students. From learning outcomes to budgeting to logistics, this session covers the basics of building a successful program.

Recommended course for current faculty and staff who are eligible to teach.

Global Health 101

Global health is “an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide”.  From this definition, it is clear that many fields play a part in global health, both internationally and domestically.  In this course, you will learn about UK’s educational, clinical, and research initiatives in global health and how you can be a part of improving access to care and health equity for all.

Advising International UNDERGRADUATE Students

Learn more about the common and unique challenges faced by international undergraduates students - including topics related to immigration status, employment, and academic difficulties. We will also discuss best practices for helping international students and review your role in supporting their immigration status.

Making the Case for Study Abroad

Did you know that 18.8% of UK’s graduating class of 2019 participated in an education abroad program? It is widely accepted that education abroad is a high impact practice which benefits students academically and professionally. Students who study abroad graduate early and with higher GPAs and on average earn $7,000 more in their first job than students who do not study abroad.  Unfortunately, not every student is aware of the opportunities to study abroad and how to begin the process.

UK Education Abroad & Exchanges (EA) wants to partner with faculty and staff to help encourage their students to go abroad. During this presentation, UK EA will provide an overview of the education abroad opportunities and the benefits to students as well as share resources on how to talk with students about seeing what’s wildly possible through studying abroad!  

International Students in the Classroom

Understanding the learning styles of different cultures. Learn some tips for engaging and utilizing international students in the classroom. Find ways to increase student success through creative teaching methods.

Recommended for teaching faculty and staff.  

Advising International Students & Scholars

International students often have restrictions that differ from domestic students.  We will explore these important differences and other topics related to enrollment in online courses, the pursuit of internships, and employment after graduation. 

This session is for any faculty or staff member with academic advising responsibilities.  

Advising International GRADUATE students

Learn the basics of immigration and the common pitfalls to help students avoid as they navigate their academic career. The course will address the common and unique challenges faced by international students, and resources available university-wide.

Recommended for: director of graduate programs, graduate academic advisors, department managers and teaching assistants or any other faculty or staff member who regularly engages with our graduate international students.

Intercultural Business Communication: Theory & Practice

This is a 90-minute workshop in personal development designed to prepare you to work successfully with people from diverse backgrounds. Critical skills include your ability to decode the context, understand yourself, and to respond creatively. We will explore, therefore, the complexity of culture through a variety of methods and resources and suggest ways of using this information in your daily responsibilities. Because this is a lot to attempt in 90 minutes, the information will be shared ahead on time in Canvas so participants can familiarize themselves with the material, concepts, and some resources.

Recommended for teaching and advising faculty and staff.

Hiring and Hosting International Faculty and Staff Part Two (H-1B and Green Cards)

Understand the immigration and Department of Labor rules associated with hiring international faculty and staff positions. Learn to create job ads which meet the Department of Labor criteria. Receive an overview of the different pathways to employment-based visa statuses for both teaching and non-teaching positions.

Recommended training for chairs, supervisors, business officers, grant administrators, and Human Resource managers.​​​

Hosting Short-Term International Visitors and Scholars

Understand the visa options available to short-term visitors when inviting to international visitors including the required visa forms and processes which are necessary in order to sponsor an international visitor.

Recommended training for supervisors, principal investigators, grant administrators, HR.

Hiring and Hosting International Faculty and Staff Part One (J-1 and F-1 OPT employment)

This is one of two courses offered through GEA that are designed to highlight the most common immigration statuses encountered when hiring and hosting international visitors or employees.  These courses may be completed in any order with one being offered each semester.  Learners will focus on the types of work authorization which are generally temporary in nature and require an approval process within the Student and Exchange Visitors Information System (SEVIS) prior to hiring or onboarding.

Recommended for: PIs, supervisors, department managers, budget and HR officers or any other faculty or staff member with hiring authority.

International Financial Management

From paying foreign nationals to making international wire transfers, this course will help participants understand the complicated nature of processing international financial transactions. This course will review university policies and offer tips and best practices. Even non-business specialists will benefit from understanding processes in order to manage expectations for research grants and other international activities.

Global Health Trends: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Participants in the Global Engagement Academy’s session on Global Health: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow will examine historical approaches to global health while learning about contemporary strategies in global health. The session will conclude with participants being inspired to explore the future of global health through philosophy and interprofessional perspectives.  Specific action steps will bring the learning back home to Kentucky.

Trending Now: Education Abroad Insights for Today's Students

Education abroad is a research-proven, high impact practice that leads to greater student retention and persistence to degree completion. Since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic however, education abroad has never been the same. Here at UK, Education Abroad & Exchanges (EA) is in constant motion to adapt to a rapidly evolving international travel landscape. So what has changed? What does international travel and education abroad programs look like now? And how have students adapted and changed? This session explores the impact of the pandemic on education abroad, and shares the latest trends, challenges and insights to better understand how to best support today’s students’ global learning.

Marketing to International Populations

As our world becomes more globally interconnected, it is more important than ever to have a global mindset in our marketing and communications. This course will analyze best practices for marketing to international populations, introduce key considerations for communicating to a global audience, and consider strategies for getting your message out to an ever-expanding market.

Exploring UK’s Global Footprint 

Global engagement at a large, comprehensive, research-intensive university such as the University of Kentucky can take a wide variety of forms and touch on all the core missions and enterprises of the institution (research, teaching/learning, extension and outreach, alumni relations and development, health care services, business operations, etc.). This Global Engagement Academy course will provide an overview of the range of global engagement at UK, introduce the UK Global Footprint data visualization tool and web portal to users, provide opportunities for hands-on exploration of the Global Footprint’s interactive features.  

The Fulbright Program and its Role in Campus Internationalization 

For 75 years, the Fulbright Program has been the U.S. government’s flagship international educational and cultural exchange program, creating connections in a complex and changing world. Since its inception in 1946, the Fulbright Program has given hundreds of thousands of passionate and accomplished students, scholars, teachers, artists, and professionals of all backgrounds and fields the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to important international problems. Since the program’s inception in 1946, over 288 UK faculty and 135 UK students have been awarded Fulbright grants in support of research, teaching, and study in over 70 countries. 

This GEA course will present an overview of the Fulbright Scholar Program, the Fulbright Specialist Program, the Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Seminar, and the Fulbright Visiting Scholar program. In addition, participants will learn about the Fulbright Student program and the Fulbright-Hays post-doctoral and faculty-research-abroad fellowship opportunities.  

Conflict and Health: Beyond Morbidity and Mortality 

This course delves into the profound consequences of war on global health, extending beyond direct morbidity and mortality. This course critically examines how war disrupts civilian infrastructure, forcibly displaces populations, violates human rights through violence and attacks on healthcare, and contaminates the environment. War is among the most significant threats to global health and a paradigm shift to recognize and address war as a preventable source of catastrophic health consequences is needed.  Participants will gain valuable knowledge on preventive approaches to these health challenges.